9 SUSTAINABLE, NON-TOXIC DINNERWARE BRANDS TO ELEVATE YOUR DINING EXPERIENCE
Set your table in an eco-friendly way thanks to these 9 sustainable, non-toxic dinnerware brands!
When trying to eat healthier or be more sustainable with our food choices, we often focus on what food we buy.
But, what about what we’re eating our food on?
It makes sense to assess whether what we’re eating our food on is healthy and sustainable too.
Because yes, dinnerware can be harmful both for humans and the planet.
Depending on the brand and what they are made of, plates and bowls can be made with toxic materials and chemicals.
And since our food touches their surface, we should all make the switch to healthier options.
In this blog post, I’ve rounded up 9 sustainable, non-toxic dinnerware brands.
Thanks to them, you’ll be able to enhance your dining experience without harming your health or the environment!
This blog post contains affiliate links which means that if you buy something through such links, I will get a small commission without any extra cost for you. Please read my Disclosure for more details.
Why should we switch to sustainable, non-toxic dinnerware?
The main issue with many dishes is that there might be heavy metals like cadmium and lead hiding in the paint, particularly in colored glazes.
Exposure to those metals can cause a variety of negative health effects!
For instance, long-term cadmium exposure can lead to bone, lung, and kidney diseases.
Being exposed to lead on the other hand has been linked to increased blood pressure in adults.
It may also impact cognitive and behavioral development in children (among other issues).
While the USA and other countries have strict regulations on the usage of cadmium and lead in dinnerware, it’s not the case in all countries.
Imported products aren’t always tested, so they might contain heavy metals.
Another problem with conventional dishes is that some are made of melamine.
It’s a chemical that can migrate into your food, particularly if you’re heating acidic foods on melamine dinnerware.
Products contaminated with melamine may put people at risk of conditions like kidney stones or failure, or worse.
Plastic plates and bowls aren’t a safe or sustainable option either.
Even if they’re “BPA-free”, they can contain and leach many other toxic chemicals into your food.
Read more: Detox your home: How to make your home healthy?
What is the safest non-toxic dinnerware?
If you’re looking for safe, non-toxic dinnerware, buy plates and bowls made of lead-free ceramic, stoneware, porcelain, glass, stainless steel, or high-quality bamboo (cheap bamboo products may contain binders or synthetic additives).
You also want to buy dishes that are chip-resistant, durable, and heat-resistant.
Also, avoid imported dinnerware unless you know for sure that it’s lead and cadmium-free.
Prefer unglazed pieces or those glazed in white, and avoid any types of plastic-based materials.
If you opted for vintage/second-hand dinnerware, see if you can determine when it was produced.
Before 1971, there were no limits on lead levels in dishware (in the US), so avoid dinnerware that’s over 50 years old.
What is the most sustainable dinnerware?
If you’d like to buy eco-friendly plates and bowls, I have good news for you.
Non-toxic dinnerware is made with natural, sustainable materials.
So stoneware (made with natural clay and mineral-based materials), lead-free ceramic, stainless steel (unbreakable!), and high-quality bamboo are all great eco-friendly options.
If you want to buy glass dinnerware, try to find options made of recycled glass to make it more eco-friendly.
If you prefer bamboo, check that it’s sourced from sustainably managed forests, ideally carrying the FSC certification.
But don’t just look at the materials.
See if you can buy from a brand that has implemented ethical and sustainable practices throughout its supply chain.
For instance, does it work with energy-efficient factories?
Has it done something to minimize material waste?
Is it paying its employees fair wages?
Lastly, make sure you’re buying something durable and made to withstand constant use.
Artisan-made and handcrafted goods will also usually be of better quality and more likely to be sustainably made.
Read more:
9 sustainable, non-toxic dinnerware brands to elevate your dining experience
1. Costa Nova
Categories: Dinner Plates, Salad Plates, Serving Plates, Appetizer Plates, Bread & Butter Plates, Soup Plates, Bowls, Dinnerware Sets
Materials: Stoneware
Costa Nova has a huge selection of sustainable stoneware made in Portugal with the best ceramic craftsmanship.
Each piece is handcrafted by skilled artisans using ancient skills of modeling and decorating.
It’s also capable of withstanding everyday use over many years.
The company has created a formula that results in a special bond between the clay and the glazed surface, making its ceramics more durable than others.
It has everything from dinner plates to bowls to soup plates, and there are countless designs to choose from!
Some pieces feature gorgeous decorations and shapes while others have a more classic simple design.
Costa Nova’s factories are energy-efficient and run on solar power and other renewable energy sources.
They also recycle all their excess clay into brand-new dinnerware (look for the Ecogres label if you want to buy pieces made with recycled ceramic surplus).
Not to mention the brand only uses plastic-free, recycled, and recyclable packaging!
SHOP COSTA NOVA SUSTAINABLE, NON-TOXIC DINNERWARE
2. Fable
Categories: Dinner Plates, Salad Plates, Dessert Plates, Small Saucers, Bowls, Dinnerware Sets
Materials: Ceramic
Fable creates beautiful stoneware plates and bowls that are easy to dress up or down for every occasion.
Each plate is available in eight colors and in a semi-matte or glossy glaze.
Whether you opt for starter salad plates, serving bowls, or small saucers, they’re all artisan-crafted in Portugal using traditional and modern techniques.
These one-of-a-kind pieces are organically shaped and finished by hand.
The brand makes them using locally sourced and recycled clay, which is completely waterproof and features a lead-safe glaze.
Fable’s ceramics are stackable and dishwasher-safe.
Plus, they’re produced at a zero-waste facility where all clay shavings, broken ceramics, and water are repurposed!
SHOP FABLE SUSTAINABLE, NON-TOXIC DINNERWARE
3. Made In Cookware
Categories: Bowls, Dinner Plates, Appetizer Plates, Serving Bowls, Bread & Butter Plates, Serving Platters, Tabletop Sets
Materials: Porcelain
Made In brings restaurant-quality, performance kitchenware to home cooks around the world.
It has a great tabletop collection crafted in England that includes different kinds of plates, bowls, and platters.
They’re all-white, but you can also get them with a red, black, or navy rim.
This china is fully glazed, providing stain and chip resistance as well as scratch-proof stackability.
The glazing also makes it microwave and dishwasher-safe, and you can put it in the oven up to 580°F.
Made In’s tabletop pieces also do not contain any toxic substances such as PFAS, PFOA, PTFE, cadmium, lead, aluminum, or BPA.
SHOP MADE IN SUSTAINABLE, NON-TOXIC DINNERWARE
4. Year & Day
Categories: Bowls, Big Plates, Small Plates, Serving Bowls, Dip Dishes, Serving Platters, Spoon Rests, Dinnerware Sets, Outdoor Tabletop
Materials: Ceramic, Bamboo, Plant Starches
Year & Day’s dinnerware features classic silhouettes, a California-inspired color palette, and sophisticated and durable semi-matte finishes.
These beautiful ceramics are made with locally sourced clay in Portugal and are crafted by skilled artisans using a sustainable single-firing process.
Whether you’re buying the brand’s big plates or mini bowls, you can safely put them in the dishwasher, freezer, and oven up to 480°F.
Looking for plastic-free plates and bowls for your garden dinners or picnics?
Year & Day has you covered with its outdoor tabletop collection made from renewable plant starches and bamboo!
SHOP YEAR & DAY SUSTAINABLE, NON-TOXIC DINNERWARE
5. Public Goods
Categories: Lunch Plates, Dinner Plates, Dinner Bowls, Mini Bowls, Platters, Serving Bowls, Cereal Bowls, Serving Boards
Materials: Porcelain, Wood
If you want an all-white aesthetic for your dinnerware, check out Public Goods!
It creates simple yet elegant plates, bowls, and platters that are oven, microwave, and freezer-safe.
These handmade pieces are crafted from high-quality porcelain that is completely free of lead or plastics of any kind.
Not only are they durable and stylish, but they’re also made with the planet in mind.
The factory they are made in uses co-generation technology to capture and repurpose heat from the kiln area.
This means that no heat generated during the production process is wasted!
Public Goods also offers two serving boards made of sustainably grown acacia wood.
SHOP PUBLIC GOODS SUSTAINABLE, NON-TOXIC DINNERWARE
6. Lulu and Georgia
Categories: Plates, Bowls, Dinnerware Sets, Serving Bowls, Pasta Bowls
Materials: Stoneware, Ceramic, Porcelain
Lulu and Georgia is a home decor brand with an impressive dinnerware and tabletop collection.
It features many different styles and designs, from organic floral forms to clean lines to artful accents.
Most of these are made of stoneware or ceramic, available in a variety of colors.
Lulu and Georgia also allows you to shop by value.
For instance, you can use the filters to display products that are responsibly sourced, handcrafted, fair trade, artisan-made, or produced with recycled materials.
The brand also has a few porcelain pieces, as well as two dish sets made of either recycled melamine or a bamboo-melamine blend.
However, I do not recommend the melamine ones!
SHOP LULU AND GEORGIA SUSTAINABLE, NON-TOXIC DINNERWARE
7. Hawkins New York
Categories: Bowls, Lunch Plates, Dinner Plates, Fruit Bowls, Dessert Plates, Salad Plates, Dinnerware Sets
Materials: Stoneware, Recycled Glass
Hawkins New York sells various styles of plates and bowls, most of which are made of high-quality stoneware.
It has everything from white dishes to Scandinavian-inspired plates with a red patterned edge to pieces with a cool splatter design.
There are also lots of colors to choose from, including terracotta, mustard, olive, and sky blue!
If you’re looking for glass dinnerware, look no further!
Hawkins New York has several bowls and plates that are hand-blown from recycled glass.
Truly unique, these feature hundreds of little air bubbles that add an interesting touch to your dinnerware.
SHOP HAWKINS NEW YORK SUSTAINABLE, NON-TOXIC DINNERWARE
8. Our Place
Categories: Dinner Plates, Dinner Bowls, Soup Bowls, Salad Plates, Dessert Plates, Tiny Bowls, Tiny Plates, Serving Bowls, Serving Platters, Dinnerware Sets, Main Plates, Side Plates, Side Bowls
Materials: Ceramic
Our Place offers beautiful ceramic dinnerware that is ultra-durable, chip-resistant, and made to last.
It meets restaurant-grade quality standards so you’ll be able to enjoy them for countless dinners!
The plates and bowls have a timeless design with a satin exterior, a glossy interior, and a hand-painted rim.
They’re sold in a cohesive color palette that you can easily mix and match, and they’re designed in all sizes (from large to tiny pieces).
Our Place’s dinnerware is designed to stack neatly for easy storage, and you can safely put it in the dishwasher, microwave, and oven (up to 350°F).
SHOP OUR PLACE SUSTAINABLE, NON-TOXIC DINNERWARE
9. Duralex
Categories: Dinner Plates, Soup Plates, Dessert Plates, Bowls
Materials: Glass
Duralex dinnerware is made of tempered glass, meaning that it is much stronger than regular glass.
It’s impact and chip-resistant, suitable for hot and cold liquids, and designed to withstand the demands of everyday use.
I’ve been using this brand’s glassware my entire life, from childhood to now, and cannot recommend it enough!
I’m truly impressed with the quality of its products!
The brand’s shatter-resistant bowls and plates are available in both clear and vibrant colored options.
There are also different styles you can get, all of which create a visually appealing dining experience.
Duralex pieces are also 100% recyclable and are completely cadmium and lead-free.
They are made in France in a factory that uses energy-saving practices.
All the components are also purchased close to the factory to reduce the brand’s carbon footprint.
SHOP DURALEX SUSTAINABLE, NON-TOXIC DINNERWARE
Final thoughts on sustainable, non-toxic dinnerware
I hope you’ve found this article about sustainable, non-toxic dinnerware brands helpful!
Not only are these plates and bowls better for your health and the environment, but they’ll also enhance your dining experience.
There’s something special about eating from a piece of ceramic that was thoughtfully made with care.
If you liked this article, you might also want to read:
- 9 best non-toxic silverware & flatware brands for a safer table
- 10 unique handmade ceramic mugs you’ll want to add to your collection
- 17 best non-toxic coffee makers without plastic for healthy brewing
- 11 best non-toxic tea kettles worth whistling at (electric & stovetop)
- 10 best non-toxic & wooden cooking utensils for a safe kitchen
- 8 best non-toxic & wood cutting boards that cut out harmful chemicals
- 7 best non-toxic air fryers for healthier cooking
- 11 organic kitchen towels for a clean, eco-friendly kitchen
- 12 best non-plastic, non-toxic food storage containers to keep your food fresh
- 15 eco-friendly alternatives to aluminum foil for cooking, baking & storage
- The best eco-friendly alternatives to Ziploc bags
- 18 minimalist kitchen essentials for simple, efficient cooking
What are your favorite sustainable, non-toxic dinnerware brands?
Please leave your recommendations in a comment!
Don’t forget to share this blog post with your friends to help them find healthier, more eco-friendly plates and bowls too.
Looking for more non-toxic & sustainable brands? Check out the Ethical & Sustainable Brand Directory!
It features conscious brands in various categories, from home goods and furniture to fashion and clean beauty!