FAQ

What is Studio Nendo?

A brand for the lovers of artisanal, one of a kind, hand crafted, eclectic pieces specialising in the art of Studio Pottery. We are collaborators with our fellow craftsman and support our local wood workers and basket weavers by hiring them to make our designs for bespoke home decor.

Where are you based?

We are based out of Delhi/NCR.

Do you ship to our city?

We deliver pan India.

I do not like ordering ceramics online for the fear I might receive them broken!

We are professionals and package our ceramics with 360°, plastic-free buffering. We pride ourselves in our packaging.

Are ceramic tableware food safe?

Yes! Glazed ceramic tableware is absolutely safe for food consumption unless mentioned otherwise. All our ceramic tableware is glazed and fired at high temperatures to ensure that.

What is ceramic glaze?

A ceramic glaze is a layer of glass fused with ceramic body at high temperatures in a kiln to make the piece highly functional as they can no longer absorb water.

What is the best way to clean ceramics?

Ceramics should be cleaned by hand with dish soap, sponge and water. Even though ceramics are dishwasher safe we recommend cleaning them by hand to ensure they are with you for a long time.

Are ceramics microwave/oven safe?

Yes! Unless mentioned otherwise, ceramics are microwave and oven safe!

How do I keep baskets clean?

Cane, Seagrass, Wicker are all washable material. We recommend you to wash your baskets with soapy water and let them dry out in the sun! This can be done every once in a while when dust starts to settle.

Can I use wooden tableware for food?

Dry food is fine to serve in wooden pieces. Anything wet like curries should not be served in them just because it will be extremely difficult to properly clean. Anything that has porosity in it tends to develop bacteria over time. Wood is a porous material and so wet food is best avoided. Things like butter, bread, chapati, snacks, nuts etc. should be fine.

Do you also conduct workshops or classes for beginners who want to learn pottery?

We would love to organise classes and interesting workshops for pottery. There are plans to launch something in the future.

What about the ones that have Gold/metal/platinum/silver work on them?

No! As with any other metal, ceramics with metallic details such as Gold work should not be kept inside a microwave.

Is there anyway to repair broken ceramics?

Only if you are willing to go to Japan and learn the art of Kintsugi!

Why are your ceramics and baskets so expensive?

We are artists, craftsmen and women, there is value to that. All the pieces that come out of our studio are 100% handmade with various techniques and skills which are not easily found or learnt. We train, practice for years in hope to master our craft. We have knowledge and skill about our field like no other. Our products are one of a kind and take weeks to make from scratch. We are not machines and would never want to be. Human skill is always superior to mass produced, factory made pieces. It is highly unfair to artists/craftsman like us when we get this question on a regular basis yet no one questions this in a big store in a mall. It is also easy to think that just because we have certain prices we make a fortune but that is not the case. There is so much that goes into making a handmade product that people may not realise. All of our pieces are labor of love and yes this might raise a question “then why do it at all?” Its the satisfaction we get out of producing something from our bare hands in a world which now only runs on fumes.

What about durability?

Ceramics are durable but of course they are not break proof. Our ceramics are fired twice sometimes even three times in a kiln at temperatures upwards of 1260°C. This ensures durability and strength. Not only is studio pottery more sustainable to buy than plastic counterparts, you also help a local business thrive!

What about usage of lead? We hear ceramics use lead in their making!

Lead is a highly toxic material not only for us as humans but also in ceramics. We absolutely do not use lead in the making of our ceramics as it is illegal and highly unethical to use. You do do not have to worry about this. We are 100% lead free.

What are seconds or secondary pieces?

Seconds are basically pieces that have slight imperfections in them. This can be related to glaze imperfections, hairline cracks, wobble in the piece etc. These pieces are still functional but do not meet our expectations or standards of being proper and so they are discounted and listed as seconds.

What kind of clay is used to make your pieces?

Stoneware Clay, it is a high firing, white clay.

Why do I need to pay so much shipping?

All our products are extremely fragile and in some cases quite big in size. This means that we have to ensure the packaging is not only buffered on all sides but also big enough to incorporate all the pieces comfortably. Big packaging is always more expensive to ship than a small package. We package in 7 ply cardboard boxes and want our customers to receive their orders in one piece and for that we have to make our packaging big to ensure 360° buffering.

How do I clean wooden pieces?

Wood and water are not the best of friends. A coating of mustard oil or olive oil is sufficient to keep the wood shiny and healthy for a long time. A coat of wood wax can also be used to maintain their shine.

Is your packaging eco-friendly?

We use recyclable materials for our interior packaging such as egg trays, jute/cotton threads and cardboard. Also the white cotton bags that we package our pieces in are not only reusable and make for an excellent vegetable bag to keep inside your refrigerator, these bags also help us employ local workforce.