Q&A: Introducing Monoware – simple tableware staples for the everyday

I’ve always believed that things shouldn’t just be saved for best – but that we should surround ourselves with considered objects that will uplift our everyday. So I was delighted to be introduced to Monoware, a new British brand creating simple tableware staples built to last. Their first collection, created in collaboration with British ceramic designer Ian McIntyre, presents an elegant series of matt-glazed stoneware vessels, mugs, bowls and plates, starting from just £15.

Going against fleeting trends and disposable design, Monoware’s simple tableware is functional and durable. The designs are made by a family-run ceramic factory outside Porto in Portugal and come in three timeless neutrals: chalk, slate and pebble. They’re designed to be effortlessly adaptable, whether mix and matched with other everyday favourites for breakfast, or used on their own to elevate a simple dinner party. Monoware’s aim is to inspire ‘elegant informality’, so that each meal becomes an experience, no matter how simple or hurried together.

I chatted to Monoware founder Daniel Baer about the launch collection, why the table is the heart of the home and his hopes for this young, exciting brand.

Can you tell us a bit about your back story – how did you come to found Monoware?

Monoware was conceived as a response to my struggle to find well-designed tabletop essentials for the everyday. But fleeting trends that compromise on quality and design make it difficult to buy to last. I felt there was a gap to serve a new generation of creative cooks and hosts who don’t feel the need to follow formalities of the past, but at the same time value quality, timeless design and durability.

The concept for Monoware developed in conversation with friends and family around the kitchen table about their take on cooking, eating and entertaining. We realised every mealtime is an event. Whether a garden picnic with friends, a solo supper in front of the TV, or a family breakfast: they all bring nourishment while nurturing creativity and sustaining friendships. How do we honour these everyday occasions? And what are the modern manners for eating and entertaining? Investigating what is important to people really helped us define our vision for the brand. 

What is the ethos behind Monoware?

We believe that the table is the heart of the home, therefore our plates, bowls, cups and jugs are the means around which stories are swapped, food is shared, lives play out. The dishes might evolve, homes may grow and conversations will change, but our tableware is for keeping.

Working with Ian McIntyre, what was the inspiration for your first collection?

Over the years, I’ve collected a few pieces of cherished studio pottery, which have served as a valuable inspiration for the collection. Their timeless aesthetic and natural colour palette blend effortlessly into our home, qualities we aspire to with whatever we create for Monoware.

For each collection we will partner with a specialised designer who has the expertise and knowledge of the material we want to work with. What appealed to us in Ian’s work, for the first collection, is the way he mixes industrial design and traditional craft skills. On top of that he has extensive experience working with stoneware, our chosen material for the tableware to guarantee durability. At Monoware, a project always begins with curiosity: how can we improve the objects we use every day? That was the key question we put to Ian in the design brief and served as the starting point to collaborate on a collection with optimal function and usability.

How do you hope people might use Monoware’s pieces in their homes?

We hope that the Monoware collections will become fundamentals in every home; refined staples that can blend and grow with individual style. By having our constant core collection, dishes can easily be added or switched at any time, even years down the line.

How are the ceramic designs made – can you tell us the story behind their production?

Before the start of the design development in our London studio, we embarked on a road trip through Portugal in search of the perfect pottery. The factory we decided to collaborate with is a family-run business south of Porto, an area famous for its rich heritage working with clay and high-quality craftsmanship, that sources clay locally and is as exacting as we are. 

Whether it is the curve of the coffee cup that should mould comfortably into the palm of the hand or the perfect pour on a water jug, we have carefully considered every detail and put it to test through many rounds of prototypes. It is hard to underestimate the difference a glaze makes to a ceramic object. Once our seven shapes were finalised, we experimented with countless colours, textures and finishes until we settled on choices that felt distinctly Monoware.

To create each piece, the clay is hand poured into our specially crafted moulds. Once the pieces are dried, they are dipped into our glazes and run through a single firing system which is heated up to 1180℃. This process minimises emissions and has less impact on the environment. The high firing temperature makes our stoneware exceptionally strong and durable. 

What do you hope for Monoware in the future – what’s next for you?

Our recent launch has given us the opportunity to talk to many more people. Our lives have dramatically changed over the last few months and as we find ourselves confined to our homes, we have noticed an increased interest in home cooking, gaining new skills in the kitchen and whenever possible creating happy memories with loved ones around a beautifully laid table. All this directly influences how we expand our range of modern tableware staples with collaborators in different design disciplines. We foresee a family of goods which perfectly complement each and embody our vision of a table set for life.  

Thank you so much for chatting to me Daniel! Find out more about the brand (including their own delicious recipes on their journal – hello coffee, chocolate and hazelnut madeleines!) and shop Monoware’s new collection on their website here.