Tag Archives: Tableware

McDonald’s France teams up with Elium Studio to create a range of reusable tableware to reduce waste

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Packaging is a major component of the food industry, and the fact that hundreds of millions of container boxes, cups, trays, cutlery, and cans are being discarded away, creating ginormous amounts of waste, and hurting the environment is an alarming concern. Single-use packaging is lethal to the environment, and it’s a sad reality that most fast-food chains serve their food in single-use containers and cups. And, McDonald’s is no exception to this! However, McDonald’s France has decided to take a step in the right direction, which is the more eco-friendly and sustainable route. Let’s find out more.

Designer: Elium Studio

The French global design studio Elium Studio collaborated with McDonald’s France to create reusable tableware that can be utilized in the iconic fast-food chain’s restaurants. Most of the containers used by McDonald’s today cannot be reused, whether they’re plates or cups, they need to be thrown away after a single use. France, as a country, has been taking holistic steps to reduce waste. For example, in January 2023, France announced that restaurants with more than 20 seats need to offer their customers reusable and washable serving container alternatives. So, this step by McDonald’s France is truly a move of solidarity in the right direction.

Elium Studio designed a range of rather colorful and cute tableware that will be made using ‘Tritan’. Now, what is Tritan? Tritan is a plastic resin that is similar to glass and ceramic in its hardness and transparency and preserves the organoleptic qualities of food, which basically means it successfully retains the taste and smell of the food. The tableware was integrated with vents, graining, and striations to impart it with improved functionality and elevate the customer’s dining experience. Elium Studio and McDonald’s France have been working on this project for the past two years, and the result is truly commendable.

The tableware products retain McDonald’s original essence and design philosophy. The container for the french fries is still the iconic red we are so accustomed to, however, it is a much more eco-friendly option, as compared to its predecessor. I do believe this initiative by McDonald’s France could encourage other fast-food chains to make greener and more sustainable choices.

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This minimal Japanese folding knife can be hooked onto the edge of a plate

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If you’re a passionate lover of cooking, or you’ve recently kickstarted your cooking journey, and want to accelerate it even further, then you’ve reached the right place. Having an efficient and streamlined cooking process is the key to preparing dishes that simply taste excellent! And the number one aid you need in having an effortless process is an arsenal of great kitchen tools. And a pretty cool kitchen tool or more accurately tableware I came across is the Oku Knife.

Designer: Kathleen Reilly

Scottish artist and metal worker Kathleen Reilly designed the ‘Oku Knife’. Inspired by Japanese table settings, the Oku knife features a rather intriguing handle that is folded 90 degrees from its blade. The design was informed by chopstick resets. Chopstick resets are usually utilized to raise the tips of chopsticks from table surfaces, to ensure that no contamination occurs. Reilly drew inspiration from this for the Oku Knife.  Oku features a unique folded shape that lets the handle be placed on a surface, with the blade sitting perpendicularly away from that particular surface. You can even rest the knife’s blade along the edge of a cutting board or plate. “The knife can be hooked onto the rim of a plate, creating intimacy between the two objects whilst improving cleanliness and maintaining stability,” said Reilly.

“Influenced by my western upbringing and experiences living in Japan, I set about redesigning the western table knife to improve its performance and keep its blade off the table. Functional yet unconventional, Oku introduces a refined aesthetic that breathes new life into the dining space,” said Reilly. The name of the knife is inspired by the Japanese word for “to place” or “to put”. Reilly’s goal was to revamp the traditional western table knife and create one that interacts and engages with tableware in an interesting manner while retaining the essence of a sturdy and functional knife.

Reilly teamed up with local craftsmen in Tsubame, Japan to create the knife. The city is quite famous for its metalworking history. Oku is crafted from stainless steel using generations-old handcrafting techniques. The inner portion of the knife is curved, making it quite comfortable to hold.

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20 degree tilt pet bowl keeps food from pouring out

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Eating time should be a fun and enriching time to nourish not only the body but also the mind and the heart. That’s true not just for humans who often socialize during these moments but also for our little family members who become closer to their humans at opportunities like these. Alas, eating time can sometimes be stressful instead, both for pets who can’t but help spill food out of their bowls as well as for the humans who need to clean up afterward. Attempting to return dinnertime to its original atmosphere, this fine-looking food bowl for furry friends brings something that’s not only beautiful but also functional, utilizing human creativity and craftsmanship to make a pet bowl that delivers a pleasant experience for everyone at home.

Designer: Ena Metal

Click Here to Buy Now: $296 $349 (15% off and free worldwide shipping at checkout). Hurry, deal ends in 48 hours.

Some pet owners might think that the stereotypical flat bowl would be enough for pets, and that might be fine if you’re also OK with using plain, mass-produced tableware for yourself. You could argue, however, that just as you deserve well-designed things that make life more enjoyable, so does your little family, especially when it comes to eating food. You don’t need to go the hi-tech route just to achieve that, however. In fact, going “au naturale” might be an even better answer.

Swelltone delivers that kind of solution by focusing not on the food but on the food bowl, putting the eating experience above the expensive edibles. It makes “ease of eating” the focus of its design, and it does so in a simple yet effective way. The stainless steel bowl that holds the food can tilt up to an angle of 20 degrees, which makes it easy for pets to slurp every last bit without spilling their food. Coincidentally, this also gives their human owners peace of mind that they won’t have to clean up after their pets after meals.

This handsome dinnerware for pets is made of two parts, both finely crafted and beautiful on their own. The wooden base is made of fine Japanese cypress that literally and figuratively puts the bowl on a pedestal. That bowl is made from SUS304 stainless steel and is made by the same craftsmen who create precision parts for automobiles and aircraft. Together, this pet bowl looks posh whether it’s on the floor or on the kitchen counterpart, serving as a piece of minimalist decor when it’s not in use.

The bowl, however, does more than offer a visual delight to humans and pets alike. Drop pieces of dry food into it, and you’ll hear the luxurious tones resounding from the bowl, giving justification to its name. Whether your pet is eating from it or you’re still preparing its tasty treat, this handsome food receptacle offers a more pleasant and memorable experience that goes beyond just the act of eating, strengthening the bonds between humans and their little families every meal time.

Click Here to Buy Now: $296 $349 (15% off and free worldwide shipping at checkout). Hurry, deal ends in 48 hours.

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Gorgeous machined-aluminum saké glasses with intricate details were designed to uplift its taste and visual presentation

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They say the key to a good saké tasting experience is a well-made saké cup. If constructed perfectly, these cups have an incredibly thin rim, making the saké glide perfectly onto your tongue, coating it in a way that makes you forget that you’ve got a cup to your lips. Most saké cups end up using materials like porcelain and glass, for their heat-resistance and ability to be fabricated with intricate thin rims… however, designer Kenji Abe feels this prerequisite makes metal a perfect candidate for saké cup design. Abe’s series of cups, titled Hakusaku, explore the use of duralumin (an aluminum alloy) to make beautifully intricate saké cups. The cups come in the three traditional shapes/profiles, and have a rim as thin as 0.6mm, making it feel like you’re directly drinking the saké without even feeling the cup.

Designer: Kenji Abe

Traditional cups come in various shapes too, from the classic straight-edge cup to the bowl-shaped cup and the trumpet-shaped cup. Each of these cups alters the experience of consuming saké, as does the material. It’s unclear if the aluminum cups change the flavor of the saké the way they do with wine, but the metal construction of the cup plays an important role in thermal conductivity, allowing your lips and tongue to feel the cold metal before the chilled saké coats your tongue.

Each glass comes machined from a single piece of duralumin, an aluminum alloy known for its strength. Microtextured to absolute perfection, the cups have a wonderful satin finish that makes them gorgeous to look at, and rather than leaving each cup blank, Abe chose to machine a wonderful geometric texture onto them. This cut-glass-inspired ‘kiriko’ texture not only plays the role of giving each glass its signature aesthetic, but also increases surface area to prevent the warmth of your fingers from reaching the saké and changing its temperature.

Designed to be more durable than porcelain or glass, clinking the Hakusaku saké feels much more satisfying too, with the signature clinking sound of metal against metal.

The straight-edge cup is reminiscent of a shot-glass, with its design that requires you to tilt your cup upwards and tip your head backward as you take a sip. This lets the alcohol flow straight into your mouth, spending less time on your tongue and directly hitting your throat for that warm feeling.

The bowl-shaped cup creates a wide rim that allows the aromatic notes of the saké to hit your nose as you drink the beverage. The wide rim also allows you to taste more saké with each sip.

Finally, the trumpet-shaped cup allows you to observe and savor the subtle flavors of the saké. The wide rims mean you’re prompted to take sips instead of a single gulp, which lets you enjoy the saké over time.

Each cup is meticulously machined from a single duralumin billet

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This beautiful food container lets you use the lid as a plate without feeling awkward

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It’s not unusual for people to cook more food than they can finish in one sitting. That’s especially true for single-person households that have to save money by having leftovers they can eat the next day or so. Storage for these leftovers, however, sometimes becomes just a second thought, at least until you stare at your fridge or start preparing your meal using them. Food storage isn’t just about keeping food fresh and edible, though that is definitely a primary concern. Keeping them presentable is also a key factor that could affect your appetite, and this “two-way” container design concept helps store food the way you would eat them on a plate by officially making the dish cap serve as a plate as well.

Designer: Haechan Ryu

It might sound strange at first, but it’s actually not uncommon for people to use a food container’s lid as an ad hoc plate, both for reheating food as well as eating from it. This often happens when you store food in a deep dish, like a bowl, and then have to transfer it to a plate for serving. The back-and-forth moving of food from different containers and plates not only involves more work but also risks losing some of the flavors in the process.

Roll is an attempt to preserve not only the flavors of food but also their presentation. It eschews the traditional square or rectangular shape of food containers in favor of something round. Admittedly, it might not be the most space-efficient shape, especially when you’re stocking a lot of food in the fridge. It is, however, more presentable and visually interesting, and the single-person households these containers are designed for usually don’t store as much food as large families anyway.

What makes Roll different from bowl food containers (which do exist, of course) is that it wholeheartedly embraces the culture of using the lid or dish cap as a plate. That’s why the cap itself was made to look presentable, using soft and clean tones like ivory, sky blue, and terracotta. The idea is that you set the freshly cooked food on the lid itself and then later just cover it with the glass bowl when it’s time to put it away. The next time you want to eat it, you don’t have to rearrange the food again to make it presentable. Simply take off the cover and dig in!

Roll takes the food container concept upside-down, literally, by making it usable, whether as a bowl with a round lid or a plate with a bowl cover. It definitely saves a bit of work and time and helps keep even leftovers looking scrumptious, something that you might have sorely missed if you’ve been living by yourself for a long time.

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Elegant, gold accent tableware designs can transform your Thanksgiving meal into a luxurious experience

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The traditional Thanksgiving festival revolves around food, company, and mandatory dishes like roast turkey, delectable food, and wine. As the dining table forms the focal point of the festival, a well-thought out tablescape will help family and loved ones create beautiful memories around it. Thanksgiving celebrates the harvest and the beginning of the holiday season. So bring in festive times by introducing metal accents to make the space feel rich and abundant. The lustre of gold provides warm hues to create a table spread that looks as gorgeous as the food.

Here are 14 ideas that will inspire you to introduce the warm glow of this golden metal to your Thanksgiving table decor. Golden hues create a rich yet cohesive colour palette that keeps the table setting coordinated with a warm and intimate atmosphere for family fun and yummy treats.

1. Candleholders

The ethereal warmth of the candlelight can transform the festive spread and breathe life into the tablescape. These elegant candle holders provide ambient lighting and cast a warm glow. Featuring an angular form and minimalist silhouette, the sleek geometric shape of the candle holder, surrounds the flickering flame and enhances the overall dining experience. Placed on a dining table, the varying heights of these pieces infuse a timeless aesthetic that feels cosy and inviting.

Check it out here!

2. Coasters

These luxurious Linear brass Coasters from WestElm add a tasteful touch to your Thanksgiving party. The gold surface is textured with horizontal and linear stripes that add gorgeous glamour to the overall look and feel of the dining space. These functional coasters protect table surfaces from water rings, add richness, and look stunning in their own right.

Check it out here!

3. Condiments

These Marble Dip Bowls with brass base add a hint of glamour to the dining table and are carefully crafted from different types of marble. Perfect for pre-dinner appetisers and a variety of snacks like guacamole, salsa, hummus and olives, these bowls create a visual feast and can even be used as a pinch pot.

Check it out here!

4. Salt and Pepper shaker

Take the gold theme a step further with the marble and brass finish salt and pepper shaker set. It is highly functional and the warm glow of metal infuses opulence and is perfect for hosting the dinner devoted to gratitude.

Check it out here!

5. Dinnerware

This Gold Inlay Solid White matte Porcelain Dinnerware set from Dodo’s Trends & More layers your table decor with luxury and grandeur. It’s a gorgeous collection of plates that makes for a standout dinner display. Steeped in elegance, each piece is adorned with gold detailing around the rim. The white and matt gold cutlery spells subtle luxury and provides an elevated dining experience.

Check it out here!

6. Marble and Brass Cake Stand

Clean and contemporary, this marble and brass-finished pedestal cake stand is a stylish way to display cakes, macarons and other desserts. The glitz of metallic gold contrasts the white marble top and imbues a sense of beauty. Its elevated height adds depth and dimension to the tablescape, while its conical base juxtaposes the circular top to create a beautifully proportioned piece that steals the limelight.

Check it out here!

7. Barware

No Thanksgiving feast is complete without champagne or sparkling wine. Add shine to your bar counter with the brass finish Chelsea Barware collection that features a rounded and feminine look and ensures that your wine choices make the celebration more special. There is such richness in gold colour that it easily catches the light and reflects a lovely warm glow.

Check it out here!

8. Napkin Rings

The Nomi K luxury tableware is a supremely ritzy floral napkin ring that imparts a regal look and infuses feminine energy into the Thanksgiving dinner table. Inspired by beautiful flowers, these metal accessories bring fashion and add a discerning and delicate beauty to the festive table spread. Meticulously designed to perfection, these pieces look glamorous and pair beautifully with any tasteful table linen.

Check it out here!

9. Serving Set

Bring a touch of luxurious style to your dining table with the Hawser serving set. The serving spoons feature a long and twisted rope handle which makes it easy to hold. Crafted in brass and stainless steel, this serving set adds an instant dose of luxury and is a resplendent addition to any feast or soiree. It is perfect for serving gravy, salads or desserts and complements the gold-rimmed serving plates.

Check it out here!

10. Wine Glasses

Raise a toast in style as wine is guaranteed to taste better in these exotic wine glasses by Dish It Out New York. This finely stemmed piece incorporates a gold base to add shimmer and makes a chic accent on the festive tablescape without overpowering it. Forming a part of a family of pieces, this design is also available in water glasses.

Check it out here!

11. Cheese and Serving Platter

It’s time to say cheese – and your party will be incomplete without a cheese plate! The design of the cheese platter features a honeycomb pattern that creates a textured surface with a pair of gold bees in inlaid brass. An interesting mix of materials makes a perfect addition to the Thanksgiving soiree. Select 3-5 kinds of cheese variations for an attractive and delectable composition.

Check it out here!

12. Table Runner

Dress up your dinner table with the Home N Style earthy gold placement mats that provide the tablescape with layered depth and elegant uplift. The embroidered motifs add texture and heighten the luxurious style quotient of the festive spread. However, it’s important to strike the right balance so that the golden hues of the tablescape look elegant and not gaudy.

Check it out here!

13. Serving Bowl

Truly tasteful, the Rajsi brass dessert bowl makes an enchanting addition to the Thanksgiving table and elevates the ambience. Exquisitely crafted in brass and amethyst, the dessert bowl enlivens the space with colour, injects visual interest and crosses between a functional dessert bowl and a sculptural centrepiece. Since Thanksgiving marks the harvest season, fill the bowl with some fresh produce and seasonal accents like pumpkins, apples, fruits you love and create a beautiful autumnal table that steals the spotlight. Additionally, fruits and vegetables add colour and contrast to the table setting.

Check it out here!

14. Flower Vase

Flowers form an important part of the tablescape and decorating with seasonal blooming flowers is always fun. This flower vase makes a statement piece, brings oodles of sparkle and imparts a more lighter and joyous feel. Make sure that the scale and height of floral decoration doesn’t hinder the flow of conversations or block the line of vision.

Check it out here!

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These gem-like glasses really make your drinks and snacks shine

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Water is vital for life. Humans can survive without food for weeks but would only last for a couple of days without water, proving how essential water is to our bodies. After all, your body is composed of about 60% water. Even if it’s not about a life or death situation, however, drinking water is crucial in maintaining our health, providing many health benefits such as improving memory and mood, aiding weight maintenance, and preventing dry skin. Most of us are aware of how important it is to keep hydrated throughout the day, but very few actually do. One trick to increase your water intake during your waking hours is to have water nearby, and this cup makes it not only easy but also attractive to place your drink within arm’s reach.

Designers: TENT x Zarigani Works

Click Here to Buy Now: $21.75 $29 (25% off at checkout). Hurry, deal ends October 19th.

Design studio TENT joined forces with another design studio ZARIGANI WORKS and plastic parts manufacturer Sakae Kogyo to create this minimalistic drinkware to improve your water intake routine. Some water bottles are large, bulky, and visually loud, making you feel like they are constantly nagging you to drink water. In contrast, the Upside-Downside drinkware’s subtle yet elegant presence on your table, desk, or bedside table doesn’t distract you but kindly encourages you to take a sip of water once in a while. Its simple design blends into any space or aesthetic you’ve got going without being obtrusive.

Of course, the Upside-Downside drinkware is not only for water but for all your favorite beverages and more. It comes as a set of tumblers in slightly different dimensions and offers versatile usage. The slightly different sizes allow one tumbler to be put upside down on top of another, acting as a lid to prevent any unwanted particles from getting into your drink. Whether used as a tumbler and lid, two tumblers, or a tumbler and a snack bowl, it will bring life to any beverage it holds.

Upside-Downside feels as good in your hands as it looks on the table, and you’ll be surprised by its high level of clarity. The manufacturer of the drinkware Sake Kogyo has been producing plastic parts for home appliances and cars for over four decades and is known especially for high-quality, clear plastic products. Thanks to their expertise, the Upside-Downside drinkware does not show any wavy lines or patterns known as flow mark that is usually visible in products made from plastic resin. Instead, its hand-polished glossy smooth surface reflects light and shines like a precious jewel.

Made of extremely durable and resilient Tritan copolyester, the drinkware is shatterproof and lightweight, making it kid-friendly and outdoor-friendly. You don’t have to worry about the tumbler breaking when it falls and comes in contact with a hard surface. And when you’ve finished your drink, you can easily hand wash the cup with water and soap or simply put it in the dishwasher along with all the other dishes for effortless maintenance.

In our constantly moving, busy lives, the Upside-Down tumbler gently reminds you to take care of yourself by taking a sip of water every now and then. With a streamlined drinking vessel that can also hold your small snacks, you can stay hydrated, satiated, and healthy, in style.

Click Here to Buy Now: $21.75 $29 (25% off at checkout). Hurry, deal ends October 19th.

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This compact food pod keeps your meal at its perfect temperature anywhere you go

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Whether we plan on eating at the office, having a meal outdoors, or sharing food at a friend’s house, we’ve all come across the joys and sorrows of moving food from one place to another. Extra care has to be taken that the food doesn’t spoil while also retaining its ideal temperature, be it hot or cold. Spilling food, especially sauces, is a huge disaster, and it happens too often to be called an accident. Containers that can prevent all these mishaps from happening do exist, but, more often than not, you pay for that with their bulky and heavy bodies. What should be an enjoyable meal can turn into a hellish preparation, which is why The Pod almost feels like a miracle, carefully carrying your favorite food inside, ready to be enjoyed at its best, anytime.

Designer: Omi Labs

Click Here to Buy Now: $60 $120 (50% off). Hurry, only 80/100 left!

It might still have a stigma of being a kid’s school accessory, but lunch boxes have become an adulting thing, too, especially when it means being able to eat healthy and save money. They also come in different designs, shapes, and functions, with some simply holding food while others can also keep them hot or cold for a little while. Some also have different compartments for different kinds of food, but mixing foods that have different temperatures often results in soggy, unappetizing meals when it’s finally time to take them.

The Pod solves all these problems in a form that’s no larger than an iPad. Despite its compact size, it can hold around 1,500ml of food without spilling them. Better yet, you can put different foods in different containers, and they each keep to themselves without mixing smells, temperatures, and tastes. Say goodbye to soggy noodles, cold soup, melted ice, and spilled sauces, all thanks to this innovative thermal lunch box with a minimalist style that you can match to your personal tastes.

The secret to the Pod can be found in its two main parts. The Pod itself is a flask that uses 316 medical-grade stainless steel and a Japanese-inspired five-layer composition that keeps hot food hot and cold food cold for hours. This leak-proof container has a 13cm diameter opening that is equivalent to a typical soup bowl, making it convenient to scoop out your meal or enjoy it directly from the flask.

An equally important part of the Pod is the FDA-approved and BPA/BPS-free Silicone Container that literally adds another layer to your meal-to-go. In addition to being a place to put your food in, the container itself can be safely placed inside microwaves and freezers to prepare your food before you jet. Of course, it’s also dishwasher safe, so cleaning the silicone bowl shouldn’t be yet another cause of stress.

Just as bringing your own healthy meal is a lifestyle choice, the Omi Pod can also be a personal expression. In addition to your choice of pastel color, you can also swap out the silicone strap with an eye-catching signature rainbow design to match your style. Starting at just $68, this compact and stylish food pod will keep your favorite food at its best, removing all the prep worry and letting you enjoy that scrumptious meal just the way you like it, even when you’re not at home.

Click Here to Buy Now: $60 $120 (50% off). Hurry, only 80/100 left!

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Air pollution particles incorporated in tableware collection for ecological awareness

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While we all know that we are constantly surrounded by all kinds of pollutants (especially those living in metropolitan cities), it can sometimes be such an intangible thing. We sometimes need a visual reminder that we are continually inhaling smog, air pollutants, and other things that may be invisible. If you want to “see” all that, there is a new line of porcelain tableware that incorporates these air pollutants in its design and materials, although if you want to use it as you consume your food is questionable.

Designers: Iris de Kievith and Annemarie Piscaer

Thinking about pollution and eating or drinking may not be the most appetizing combination but Smogware is a minimalist, porcelain tableware collection that wants to make you think even as you consume food. The creators were able to harvest dust, specifically the air pollution from Rotterdam, Netherlands, and incorporate it into things like plates, coffee cups, cereal bowls by seamlessly glazing the particles onto the items. They don’t look anything like pollutants if you didn’t know the background behind it.

Some items in the collection include around one gram of particulate matter which is the estimated amount that a citizen in the Dutch city inhales over a period of ten years. The particulates depend on the hues and colors of the items and may indicate the dust that we breathe in for 25, 45, 65, or 85 years. It’s a stark reminder that air pollution is one of the worst problems we face and that people living in cities need to take additional protection and precautions or demand for some action from their local officials.

The Smogware collection includes 6 pieces like plates, cups, bowls, etc. They come in different earthen colors with gradients to show off the incorporated pollution materials. If you didn’t know they were there, it would look like a pretty, minimalist tableware line. But having that “backstory” should make us more aware of what we’re breathing in, although it may also make you lose your appetite while eating or drinking.

The post Air pollution particles incorporated in tableware collection for ecological awareness first appeared on Yanko Design.

This Mount Fuji cutlery rest will have you thinking of Japan at every meal

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You have the perfect spread for a fine lunch or dinner with your fine tableware and luxurious silverware. Your linens are clean and carefully pressed, and the scrumptious meal is proceeding perfectly. But then a moment comes when you or your guests have to put down their knives or forks. Maybe you just need a break, or maybe you need to switch to a spoon or other cutlery. Putting down this used cutlery, especially when they’ve been used on sauces or oils, could ruin the atmosphere or, at the very least, your tablecloth. That’s when you’d probably wish you had a way to keep that from happening, and this beautiful cutlery rest is such a solution that not only preserves your table but even adds elegance to your setting.

Designer: Takebayashi Design

Click Here to Buy Now: Two for $165 $219 (25% off). Hurry, deal ends Sept 24th!

Cutlery rests are admittedly not that common in many cultures, but they are also critical in others, albeit going by different names. A knife rest is probably better known in Europe, while chopstick rests are in wide use in East Asian countries. Whatever incarnation or name they come in, their purpose remains the same. They elevate cutlery so that they don’t touch the table, preventing ugly stains as well as keeping the cutlery clean.

These rests come in all forms and designs, and they can be as simple as a block of wood or as ornate as fine metalwork. These Itadaki cutlery rests combines those two elements, presenting a lavish metal accessory that embodies both simple forms and elaborate engravings. The rests don’t merely stand as luxurious tableware accents but also as a testament to fine craftsmanship.

Rather than just a flat block of metal, this Japanese-inspired cutlery rest slopes upward toward the middle, ending in a flat stump at the peak. Although the actual mountaintop doesn’t end that way, this form is largely inspired by the country’s most iconic summit, Mt. Fuji. It’s also not by coincidence that the curves produced by these slopes are perfect for laying forks, chopsticks, knives, or spoons to rest.

Carved in incredible detail at the micrometer (1/1,000 mm) level, and shifts in appearance ever so slightly depending on how the light hits it.

The association of the rest’s shape with Mt. Fuji might be lost on all but the most discerning observer, but patterns engraved on its surface will definitely call to mind some of the country’s symbolic flora. From the well-known sakura or cherry blossoms to plum blossoms and chrysanthemum flowers, the cutlery rests represent Japan’s seasons that yield these beautiful flowers. They also give the etched surfaces a bit of texture so that silverware don’t simply slide off, making the rests pointless.

The cutlery rest is an homage to Japanese craftsmanship in more than just its design. Each piece is cut from a stainless steel block by changing the thickness of the blade at different parts of the process. Each rest is then carefully polished by hand to give it its sheen. Just like the word “itadaki” itself, this cutlery rest represents the summit of tableware, made with care to also take care of your cutlery, your table, and your guests.

Click Here to Buy Now: 2 for $165 $219 (25% off). Hurry, deal ends Sept 24th!

The post This Mount Fuji cutlery rest will have you thinking of Japan at every meal first appeared on Yanko Design.