Reusable and Sustainable.
Earth Ceramics started in 2019 in Auckland, with the vision of helping create a more sustainable world by making reusable, handmade ceramic travel cups.
In our studio in Titirangi, Auckland we produce 3 cups sizes:
Small 6oz (180ml), Medium 8 oz (240ml) and Large 12oz (350ml).
All cups come with a silicone lid and a thin heat band. These are recommended for handling hot drinks.
Handmade in Small Batches
Our cups are slip cast using plaster molds. We pour porcelain casting slip into our different sized molds and these are left to sit for a period whilst a clay skin develops on the inside of the mold. We then pour out the remaining slip and are left with our porcelain cup which is left to dry over a period of a few days. This is then carefully fettled (tidied up) and then goes into the first bisque firing for 12 hours which results in the cup changing from a fragile to a more durable state.
The cups are then cleaned and lightly sanded in preparation for glazing. Most of our cups are dipped in numerous glazes and then cleaned up ready for the final glaze firing.
Inspired by Aotearoa.
The design and production of our cups are inspired by our beautiful country. Our clay and glazes are sourced from local and New Zealand providers. We aim to be a sustainable business and consideration is given to the materials and processes we use. Making the cups in our backyard in small batches means that we are able to remove any unnecessary travel and there is small amounts of waste which we can then recycle and reuse where possible. All our waste clay is recycled and we minimise our water usage.
The Beauty of Imperfection
Our cups are inspired by nature and traditional Japanese ceramics, which embodied the principles of ‘Wabi, Sabi, Suki’ roughly translating to ‘The Beauty of Imperfection’ – the subtle quality of handmade pottery reflecting the beauty of nature.
Our Piha range, inspired by the beauty of Piha beach and surrounding Waitakere mountain range, include small amounts of Piha Iron sand inside the clay body. Inspiration for other cup designs has come from all around Aotearoa including Coromandel, Hunua forest park, Tongariro, Arthurs Pass and Tekapo.
