I just moved into my dream home. I’ve been using chipped, cracked, hand-me-down crockery for years, and I was desperate to upgrade my kitchen to match my new aesthetic. So the very thing I invested in post-move was my dinnerware. 

While some people might immediately get to work creating interior design moodboards, looking at furniture, or choosing new lamps, I know that the tableware we eat on forms a crucial part of our everyday lives and wellness. For my new life, I wanted ceramic kitchenware that lived up to being as beautiful, functional, and long-term healthy as I wanted my new home to be. 

If wellness and health matters to you, like it does to me, it turns out that what your ceramics are made of REALLY matters. 

Non-toxic ceramics: what does it mean?

Ceramics, like the mugs, plates, and bowls you eat and drink from daily, are made from clay that’s fired in a kiln and then coated with glazes to form a smooth, colored finish. The problem with most ceramics is that some glazes can contain heavy metals like lead or cadmium (yuck!), or are made with clay that remains porous rather than safely sealed, meaning liquids and food can penetrate into the surface. This goes for double if your ceramics are labelled as being artisanal or handmade. Even vintage pottery can have these issues, as it’s not tested with rigorous standards to make sure it’s totally safe to use. 

Non-toxic ceramics and dinnerware are made with materials and glazes that are free from harmful substances and tested to make sure nothing unwanted transfers into your food. Because if it’s touching the food you eat, it should be 100% safe for you and your family. 

How to know if your crockery is safe

If a brand isn’t telling you that their crockery and ceramics are safe, it probably isn’t. 

You should look for brands that test their pieces for heavy metal release under regulated conditions and comply with FDA and California Prop 65 standards as true proof of diligence. Some brands also test using third parties for extra safety. A high firing temperature is another great indicator of safety. Ceramics that are fired at a high temperature are less prone to leaching dangerous chemicals, as they’re less porous. 

All this research made me scared that the plate and bowls I’d been eating off for years were damaging my health. In my quest to find crockery that’s both safe and beautiful, I found Mora. 

Gorgeous everyday ceramics with safety baked in

Mora Ceramics was born from a desire for intentional living, which is exactly the aesthetic I was looking to create in my new home. The founder, Alix, built the brand around the belief that everyday rituals deserve more care, attention, and calm. Her personal journey toward wellness and health, alongside her husband Jerry’s scientific and engineering expertise, shaped a brand that really resonated with me. It’s family-run, and I loved how I felt personally connected to the people designing and crafting my dinnerware. 

Mora’s pieces are built from their own formulated clay called Paladin Clay™, engineered to be 20% stronger than standard stoneware, fired slowly at high temperatures to build strength and durability, and suited for being used on the daily. I’m talking your morning coffee, lunchtime sandwich and dinnertime pasta and roast chicken - it can handle it all, and the crockery stands up incredibly to daily use because it’s so dense and resistant. 

The glazes Mora uses to color and decorate their ceramic pieces are completely free from heavy metals, PFOAs, lead, and cadmium (so the kinds of things you don’t ever want touching your food). Even better, they test all pieces by certified third-party labs to guarantee high safety standards. You can even pull up the specific safety report right from the product page if you want the numbers yourself (I did, and it helped reassure me I was making the right choice). This level of honesty and transparency isn’t common, which made me trust Mora over anyone else when it came to buying my new ceramic tableware. 

Setting a beautiful table with Mora

To be totally honest, while safety was hugely important to me when I was choosing new crockery, I wanted it to look stunning as well. The aesthetic of Mora’s pieces means they just look right in my cupboard and on my dining table, and they feel solid, sturdy, and comfortable to handle and use.

I ordered an essentials bundle in their bloom colorway, in peaceful blue and yellow shades, consisting of four each of dinner plates, salad plates, cereal bowls, pasta bowls, and mugs. They’re substantial without being heavy and the glaze colors have a soft, natural-feeling quality that makes all my meals feel a bit more special. 

I loved the organic-feeling shape of Mora’s ceramics and how the generously sized, peacefully colored pieces make my homemade dinners feel like I’m being served in a fancy restaurant. The mugs quickly became my favorite, the perfect size to hold my morning coffee with plenty of room for cream. 

All of Mora’s dinnerware is safe for the dishwasher, microwave, freezer, and oven, making my life way easier and simpler. Now, I can’t imagine living without these functional, well-designed ceramics that make my daily life and my table just feel good. 

Mora Ceramics has a permanent place in my home

Dinnerware and ceramics are something I see and use every day, forming a backdrop to my daily life. They affect my feelings, my living space, and my wellbeing. While Mora’s pieces are an investment, I felt it was worth supporting my health and enjoyment by choosing well-made, carefully designed ceramics that are tested for safety, and created for everyday living. I like to pick my homewares with intentionality, and Mora makes that easy. That’s why these ceramics deserve the number one spot on my shopping list for my new home. 

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