H550 has a fairly plastic but slightly sandy texture and generates plenty of slip during throwing. H550 has a good distribution of particle sizes in the entire plus 200 mesh range (it draws from the illite, ball clay and kaolinite mineral families) to give relatively fast drying and high green strength. However, since H550 has a fairly high dry shrinkage, care and attention in drying are still necessary in making larger pieces, especially flat plates and shallow bowls.