Off-white water pots have had sustained traditional acceptance for a long period of time in Jodhpur compared to red colored water pots imported from the neighboring Gujarat state. Both types of pots hold 20 liters of potable water. The fluorescence spectroscopy reveals dominance of silica, alumina and iron oxide in red pots from Gujarat whereas off-white pots from Rajasthan also have a slight excess of CaO and MgO. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy reveals a firing temperature of 800 °C for off-white pots, which is comparatively less than that for red pots. A lower amount of Fe2O3 and higher MgO in off-white compared to red water pots is responsible for the color differentiation. Off-white pots show a better degree of cooling compared to red pots. Better resistance to load was observed in off-white pots compared to red pots. This study may imply influence of hidden techno-functional aspects towards sustainability of off-white pots in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. © 2017 Materials Research Society.