Ceramic dinnerware

	This 20-piece set from Sunidea includes four pieces each of dinner and dessert plates, shallow soup bowls, cups and saucers.

More makers are rolling out models in upbeat colors and unconventional forms to suit modern table settings.

Suppliers of ceramic dinnerware in China are riding the trend for casual meal settings. This is in response to the buyer preference in the US, which is now gradually moving away from formal, fine-dining pieces.

The infusion of warm tones and contemporary patterns, for instance, is evident in numerous designs. Shades that depict a back-to-nature theme such as green, orange, beige, blue and yellow are receiving increased attention. Wavy, fruit and floral decals are likewise popular.

Dinner plates with flared rims, and serving or soup bowls featuring asymmetrical edges are among the latest styles from China.

Some plain dishes are accentuated with lines, dots or swirls in a contrasting shade. Solid-colored plates are also matched with decal-printed or handpainted versions to enliven the ensembles.

While the output of all-white ceramic dinnerware remains strong, models are being updated by giving them texture. Serving plates and bowls with raised or recessed exteriors are examples.

To increase product distinctiveness, releases undergo various manufacturing techniques. They can have embossed, depressed, cracked, gilded, decal-printed or mosaic-rendered surfaces.

China suppliers are addressing consumer safety as well. By using lead-free paint and dyes, most makers are now able to offer FDA-approved designs.

The output of models that meet California Proposition 65 requirements is also increasing. The directive aims to protect consumers from products with toxic substances that may cause cancer and birth defects.

Samples are normally submitted to Intertek and SGS for third-party testing.

A growing number of China dinnerware designs come in casual styles to match contemporary table settings. Many products feature brightly colored surfaces, with blue, green and yellow among the popular shades.

Best Ceramic Houseware Ltd offers mainly stoneware in Western, Japan and South Korea styles. Its ceramic pieces are applied with reactive glaze, which generates a natural color transmutation effect on the surface during firing. Some designs have a cracked appearance for added texture.

Among the company’s best-sellers are color-banded plates, bowls and cups suitable for casual dining.

To impart an Oriental feel, Shenzhen Tecgift Craftwork Co. Ltd complements its ceramic dinnerware sets with bamboo and wooden accessories such as placemats, chopsticks and tea trays. Some of the serving dishes are fan- or leaf-shaped for greater visual appeal.

Products from the company comply with EC, LFGB, FDA and California Proposition 65 standards.

Similarly, most of Chaozhou Fengxi Meiguang No. 8 Fty’s releases are Oriental-inspired and come in a matte finish. Typical models feature handpainted floral patterns.

Shenzhen Gottawa Industrial Ltd specializes in bone china dinnerware. It invests $300,000 in R&D annually and owns 27 patents. The company’s in-house designers focus on floral motifs and holiday-themed combination sets. Adobe Photoshop is employed to create more than 1,000 new styles each year.

Products from Sunidea Co. Ltd are decorated with lead-free, water-based decals from Germany. These are usually available in sets and come with accessories such as wooden trays, and organic cotton scarves and table linen. The latest releases include models with abstract lines, and combination sets composed of white porcelain and black stone items.

Ningbo Economic & Technical Development Zone Changqing Handcraft Co. Ltd has a 15-member R&D team, with nine of its members based in the US.

The company uses glaze and pigment from Taiwan for better quality. These materials are 30 to 40 percent more expensive than local versions but are deemed safer. Products meet FDA and California Proposition 65 requirements.