The Beauty Of Fair Trade Dinnerware Sets: Elevating Mealtimes With Ethical Elegance

There are many options available for those looking to purchase fair trade dinnerware sets. Fair trade dinnerware sets are produced ethically, with fair living wages for workers and safe, healthy working conditions. Many fair trade dinnerware sets are also made from eco-friendly materials, such as bamboo, stoneware, and recycled glass. Some popular brands that offer fair trade and eco-friendly dinnerware include Ekobo, Fable, and Zungleboo. These brands offer colourful and durable options that are perfect for everyday use and are easy to care for. When shopping for fair trade dinnerware, it is important to consider factors such as sustainability, quality, usefulness, and ethical production to ensure that the products align with your values.

Stoneware

There are many options available for those looking to purchase stoneware dinnerware sets. Emerson Creek Pottery offers handmade stoneware plates crafted by artisans at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Each plate is unique and is chip-resistant, microwave, oven, and dishwasher safe. The plates are also lead and cadmium-free, ensuring a healthy and non-toxic product. Another option is East Fork, which offers handmade modern ceramic plates made from locally sourced clay in Asheville, North Carolina. For a more affordable option, Hawkins New York offers a stoneware dinnerware collection that is both stylish and functional, with a set of four plates starting at $48.

In addition to plates, there are also stoneware bowl sets available. The Minimal Stoneware Bowl Set from Made Trade includes a variety of bowl sizes, such as pasta bowls and salad bowls. For a more comprehensive option, the Zaghwan Stoneware Dinner Set includes plates, bowls, and a serving bowl. This set provides a classic look with its stoneware material, which is also durable and naturally non-toxic.

Porcelain

When shopping for porcelain dinnerware, it is important to consider the quality and durability of the product. Look for pieces that are chip-resistant, microwave-safe, oven-safe, and dishwasher-safe. Some porcelain dinnerware sets may also offer additional benefits such as being lead-free, cadmium-free, and non-toxic, ensuring the safety and health of your family.

There are several brands that offer porcelain dinnerware sets with unique designs and features:

• GOODEE offers ethically-sourced and artisan-made porcelain dinnerware handcrafted by companies like 1616/Arita Japan and Malaika. Their pieces are luxurious, one-of-a-kind, and give back to local artisans and their communities.
• Public Goods offers minimalist porcelain dinnerware that is timeless, elegant, and simple. Their pieces are lead-free, plastic-free, and microwave and dishwasher-safe. The brand also incorporates co-generation technology in its manufacturing process to reduce energy waste.
• Our Place offers a range of porcelain plates and drinking glasses that are hand-painted and made with recycled and virgin porcelain ceramic. Their pieces are durable, lightweight, and ethically produced, ensuring fair wages and benefits for their factory workers.
• Gibson provides a wide range of porcelain dinnerware, including bone china and fine china made from fine clay and sand. They offer quality craftsmanship and elegant designs at affordable prices.

When choosing porcelain dinnerware, consider your lifestyle and the intended use. If you have children or tend to drop things often, you may want to opt for more durable options or choose other materials like stoneware or bamboo. Additionally, consider whether you prefer hand-washing or dishwashing your dinnerware, as some porcelain pieces may be too fragile for the dishwasher.

Ceramic

If you're looking for fair trade ceramic dinnerware sets, here are some options to consider:

Kapula from South Africa

Kapula offers a colourful ceramic dinnerware set with an African print San People design. These hand-painted ceramics are unique and vibrant, perfect for those seeking African decorations or crockery to match a colourful theme. The set includes various pieces, such as dinner plates, side plates, bowls, and platters. Each piece is handmade and hand-painted, making them a creative and charming addition to any home. Kapula is a Fair Trade organisation based in South Africa, and their products are designed to impress and charm your guests.

Emerson Creek Pottery from Virginia, USA

Emerson Creek Pottery offers handmade stoneware plates that are sure to grab attention at your dinner table. Crafted by artisans at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains, these plates serve as both functional dinnerware and works of art. Each plate is unique, as the craftspeople take meticulous care in forming, glazing, hand-painting, and firing each piece. In addition to their aesthetic appeal, these plates are also chip-resistant, microwave, oven, and dishwasher safe, and free of lead and cadmium, ensuring a healthy and non-toxic dining experience.

East Fork from Asheville, North Carolina, USA

East Fork offers handmade modern ceramic plates that are beloved by both potters and home cooks. Their plates are made using locally sourced clay from Asheville, and each purchase supports this small-batch studio. You can choose from cake, side, or dinner plates to elevate your dining experience.

GOODEE

GOODEE is a marketplace that offers ethically sourced and artisan-made ceramic dinnerware. They collaborate with companies that share their values, such as heritage craft production and community engagement initiatives. At GOODEE, you'll find brands like 1616/Arita Japan and Malaika, which handcraft luxurious dinnerware using porcelain and Egyptian clay. Their pieces are not only elegant but also dishwasher and microwave safe.

Our Place

Our Place offers a collection of hand-glazed ceramic stoneware plates that are thoughtfully crafted from the earth. Their plates stack beautifully, saving space in your kitchen. Additionally, they are oven and dishwasher safe, making them a convenient and stylish choice for your dining needs.

Recycled glass

One notable brand is West Elm, whose Mexican Luster collection is crafted in Mexico using recycled glass. This set includes highball and double old-fashioned glasses, perfect for upgrading any bar cart. Like 95% of West Elm's goods, these glasses are made under fair trade conditions, investing in local communities and responsibly sourced. Another option is Hawkins New York, which offers handmade recycled glassware crafted in collaboration with Moroccan artisans. This set includes both tumblers and a pitcher and is dishwasher-safe and built to last.

For those seeking unique, sustainable tableware, Kessy Beldi's collection is a stunning choice. Inspired by Beldi glasses found in Moroccan homes, each piece is mouth-blown from recycled soda and beer bottles, featuring distinctive touches like raised edges and bubbled middles. Ngwenya is another brand that blends eco-friendly production with cultural exchange. Since the 1970s, Ngwenya has combined Swedish mouth-blowing techniques with Swazi craftsmanship, using 100% recycled glass for their designs. The brand also gives back to wildlife conservation and organises regular clean-ups in the area.

August Sage is another brand that prioritises sustainability and fair trade practices. They work with a cooperative in Cantel, Guatemala, where artisans melt down recycled beverage bottles and broken glass to create tumblers, cocktail glasses, and more. These makers receive living wages, insurance, education, and training, ensuring that your purchase supports fair trade practices and local communities. These brands and more offer stylish and sustainable options for those seeking fair trade recycled glass dinnerware.

Bamboo

One notable brand that utilises bamboo in its dinnerware sets is EKOBO, which creates exceptionally durable and eco-friendly bamboo fibre tableware. EKOBO's tableware is made from raw organic bamboo sawdust, a byproduct of China's chopstick and flooring industry. The sawdust is ground into a fine powder and mixed with a food-safe, non-toxic melamine binding resin to create their signature BIOBU bamboo material. EKOBO's dinnerware is responsibly produced in China, with workers receiving fair living wages and working in safe, fair trade conditions. Their products are BPA-free, PVC-free, phthalate-free, and compliant with all food safety standards.

Another brand that uses bamboo in its dinnerware is Zungleboo, a family-owned plant-based dinnerware company. Their products are made from corn and bamboo, offering a sustainable and lightweight alternative to traditional dinnerware. Zungleboo's dinnerware is designed to be versatile and modern, wrapped in neutral colours with a matte finish. Their products are also shatterproof and durable, making them a long-lasting option for consumers.

In addition to these brands, there are several other options for bamboo dinnerware mentioned, including Bibol, Fable New York, and Soai. These brands offer elegant and sustainable choices, often handcrafted and ethically produced, ensuring fair wages and safe working conditions for their artisans.

When choosing bamboo dinnerware, it is important to consider factors such as quality, usefulness, and ethical production. Additionally, second-hand and vintage dinnerware can be a sustainable option, especially when sourced locally or from estate sales. By choosing bamboo dinnerware, consumers can make a more environmentally conscious choice without compromising on style and functionality.

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