The difference between good clay plaster and mud mix

Today I was asked again what specifically means that my clay plaster should be so much better than others and I once again realized that for part-time clay plasterers who often lack the comparison to professional products it is not obvious what is for me is essential thanks to my 30 years of daily work with clay plaster.
About the details:

1. I process my clay plaster in thicknesses of up to 3.5cm in one layer as a finished surface without cracks.
2. The strength of my clay plaster is comparable to that of lime plaster.
3. The straw fiber content is reduced to a minimum. The more straw, the less strength, the more risk of mold with slow drying. During wet seasons I work with a clay plaster completely without straw fiber.
4. Plaster layers should always be built up from hard to soft in order to avoid surface tension and the resulting cracks.

All of these are parameters that form the basis for calculation of clay plasters, which are defined in DIN 18947, which is also valid in Portugal and Spain (AENOR). I understand when there is aversion to standards that represent the interests of the industry. On the other hand, standards reflect what is technically possible. As a big fan of clay, I have always been interested in seeing my clay plaster recognized by professional builders. This is the only way I can push forward my dream of alternative construction solutions on a broad basis. The undifferentiated dislike of the industry efforts to improve products and norms is not conducive to the dream. Ignoring introduced technical framework conditions is weakness and has no future.

The compliance of my clay plaster with a standard that provides clear definitions that can only be certified by independent institutions gives me and my customers security. An incomprehensible table published with random numbers by a manufacturer of clay plasters lacks legitimate, neutral reference and only shows that something is wrong. Here I always like to remember Nutella and the Fresenius Institute, founded by the manufacturer Ferrero, which certified the nutritional value of Nutella.

For private use it may be seen as sufficient to work with individually created clay mixtures. In this case, the quality tolerance threshold is more lenient and less obvious properties such as the moisture-regulating effect, which varies greatly depending on the type of clay, are little discussed. For me, as someone who sells clay plaster to a wide variety of customers every day as a clearly defined product, DIN 18947 is a clear quality statement that I am happy to follow. embarro@work.