Why We Discontinued the Ceramic Mug

Tazzarte no longer offers a ceramic line. This post described the 11 oz ceramic mug we sold until 2025; it is kept here because the reasoning behind the decision is worth stating. The current range is one format only: fine porcelain, 10 oz. See all mugs.

What the ceramic mug was

The 11 oz (325 ml) ceramic mug came in white and black with matching interior and handle, and later with dark blue, red, yellow, and green accents. It was dishwasher- and microwave-safe, lead-free and BPA-free.

Why it went

Two reasons, and the second is the real one.

Porcelain reproduces the artworks better. Stoneware and earthenware — what the trade sells as ceramic — are fired at a lower temperature, stay slightly porous, and have a ground that is cream or grey rather than white. That matters here more than in most shops, because the body of the mug is the paper the picture is printed on: on a warm-grey ground, whites go dull and light colours turn milky. Fine porcelain is fired until the body is vitrified. It is white, it does not take on tea or coffee over the years, and it is thinner because it is stronger, so its glaze holds fine detail that ceramic flattens. On a wood engraving of 1797 or a cyanotype of the 1840s, that difference is not subtle — it is the difference between reading the image and guessing at it.

One format done properly beats three done adequately. A collection that offers a work in three bodies, six colours, and two volumes is a catalogue, not a selection. Every added option costs attention that belongs to the choice of motif.

What stayed

Production has not changed. Every mug is printed on demand at the certified production house closest to the delivery address — which shortens transport and keeps import charges to a minimum. Each piece ships in a double-wall box. The full account is in How Your Mug Is Made.

What changed is the number of decisions we ask you to make. One format, one size, and a great deal of care about which image goes on it.