Summary: East Fork Pottery effortlessly combines beauty and function to make durable tableware that elevates my everyday moments into memorable rituals. These pieces are made in small batches from locally sourced stoneware clay to make durable, timeless, heirloom-quality pieces that hold up over time and even enhance.
What I Love:
- East Fork Pottery is a small business that utilizes local, skilled artisans, materials, and resources to create timeless pieces and a business that works toward building a more equitable community.
- Each piece of stoneware is carefully crafted, meticulously designed, and durable enough for everyday use (even with my kids).
Things To Note:
- These are investment pieces, and the price reflects that. However, each piece is timeless and incredibly durable, and I anticipate having these for decades (generations?) to come.
My family collected dishes growing up. Every summer, we’d gather in the Minnesota countryside for long days at the lake and weekends spent driving across the state in search of antique treasures. The thrill of finding the perfect piece for one’s home or spotting a familiar china pattern became a shared ritual.
Each aunt and cousin had “their” pattern. I can still picture my mother’s blue bubble depression glass and my great aunt’s delicate Danish china. My great-grandmother hand-painted her own dinner set, and my paternal grandmother’s pink floral china now lives with me, marking my first home as an adult. Even during the off-season, when everyone was scattered across the US from Florida to California, and everywhere in between, someone would inevitably find a dish for another’s collection, wrap it carefully, and carry it back to Minnesota the following summer.
Over the years, those collections grew into something larger than the dishes themselves. These pieces weren’t just used for meals — they became part of our homes, displayed on walls, and the foundation of countless dinner parties. We even combined ten plus of our extended family’s personal collections into one-of-a-kind tablescapes for my own wedding.
“These pieces weren’t just used for meals — they became part of our homes, displayed on walls, and the foundation of countless dinner parties.”
While I am fully invested in the family tradition now, I didn’t exactly understand the obsession when I was a child. I was more interested in lunch stops and family chatter than in old plates. Only in adulthood did I realize that my disinterest came from not yet fully appreciating the art of gathering, as well as not knowing my own taste.
With time, and a growing love for homemaking, I found myself drawn to the same sense of connection those dishes represented. When I discovered East Fork, it finally clicked. Their pieces felt like the missing part of a family tradition I’d been circling all along: objects that carry not just meals, but memories, community, and the simple joy of gathering.
About East Fork
Named after a small mountain stream in western North Carolina, East Fork Pottery was founded in 2010, growing from a humble studio on a former tobacco farm into a Certified B Corporation known for its beautifully crafted, timeless pottery. What began as friends gathered around a wood-fired kiln in the Blue Ridge Mountains has evolved into a thriving company with a flagship store in Asheville and additional locations in Atlanta and Brooklyn. Though much has changed since those early farm sales, the company’s roots in craftsmanship, community, and care remain at its core.
“East Fork Pottery was founded in 2010, growing from a humble studio on a former tobacco farm into a Certified B Corporation known for its beautifully crafted, timeless pottery.”
East Fork is committed to making beautiful, enduring objects for the home while using its business as a force for joy, equity, and connection. Every piece, whether wheel-thrown or molded with precision in their Asheville factory, carries with it a quiet sense of purpose — an invitation to slow down and find meaning in daily rituals. Their ceramics are made from raw materials sourced from the American Southeast, reflecting a deep respect for the land and the people who shape it.
Their collections are characterized by a thoughtful palette of seven year-round core glazes complemented by a rotation of bold, seasonal colors that keep their shelves fresh and expressive. Over time, East Fork’s offerings have expanded beyond dinnerware to include well-made kitchen tools, tableware, and home goods created by artisans they admire. More than just pottery, each East Fork piece embodies a belief that the things we use every day can help us feel more grounded, connected, and at home in the world.
The Mug | $44
The Mug is where it all began for East Fork, and is a piece so beloved it’s earned a near-cult following. Perfected over the last decade, this classic, sturdy design embodies everything the brand stands for: warmth, utility, and timeless craftsmanship. Each mug is hand-trimmed, dipped, and fired with care, and is available in three sizes: an 8oz Small Mug, a 12oz The Mug, and the 16oz Big Mug.
“This classic, sturdy design embodies everything the brand stands for: warmth, utility, and timeless craftsmanship.”
Much to my husband’s dismay, I’ve been searching for the perfect mug for years, which has resulted in an overflowing, mismatched collection, none of which have ever felt quite right. Now that we have The Mug in two different colors — Morel and Amaro — these are the ones I instinctively reach for every morning without hesitation. I’ll even wash one by hand rather than settle for anything else in the cupboard (all of those are reserved for when we have company and need more than two mugs at a time).
I can officially say the search is over.
The Everyday Bowl | $44
East Fork’s Everyday Bowl lives up to its name — beautifully versatile, thoughtfully designed, and crafted to be used day after day. With its gently curved shape and balanced proportions, it’s the perfect size for just about anything, and we do use them for everything! From a cozy bowl of pasta, a vibrant salad, or even morning cereal, this bowl is a minimalist’s dream come true. It works for everything, and has convinced me I don’t need any other kind.
“East Fork’s Everyday Bowl lives up to its name — beautifully versatile, thoughtfully designed, and crafted to be used day after day.”
Like all of East Fork’s pieces, these bowls are made from locally sourced stoneware clay, and are meant to be lived with. They’re functional enough for everyday meals, yet refined enough to make even the simplest dishes feel special.
The Dinner Plate | $48 & Side Plate | $38
We undoubtedly use the Dinner Plate and Side Plate the most. Each plate is designed for everyday use while maintaining a refined, minimalist aesthetic. The Dinner Plate’s wide, slightly sloped surface makes it ideal for everything from weeknight meals to special occasions, while the Side Plate is perfectly sized for snacks, salads, or desserts.
“Each plate is designed for everyday use while maintaining a refined, minimalist aesthetic.”
Finished in East Fork’s signature palette of rich, earthy glazes, these pieces stack beautifully, feel substantial in hand, and bring an easy elegance to any table setting. You’ll frequently find me procuring snack plates of either size depending on appetite, and the durability of these plates gives me peace of mind – enough to let my two- and four-year-olds carry their own to the table!
Dinnerware as a daily ritual
I don’t think I can overstate how much I love these pieces. Using them has become a quiet joy woven into the rhythm of my days, dressing up even the simplest lunch, making morning coffee feel intentional, and turning the act of setting the table into something almost meditative.
East Fork has a way of romanticizing daily rituals: the gentle weight of a plate, the smooth glaze of a mug, the sight of my children carrying them carefully to the table. Each piece feels grounding, crafted with the same care and purpose I aspire to bring into my own home.
“Each piece feels grounding, crafted with the same care and purpose I aspire to bring into my own home.”
As I’ve fallen in love with and used them, I’ve come to realize that my style leans toward the sturdy and functional, yet deeply beautiful — just like these dishes. It feels good to finally have found “my” dishes. I’ve already begun searching for pieces online to add to my collection. They’re more than tableware; they’ve become a reflection of how I want to live: with intention, warmth, and an appreciation for the simple things that make a day feel whole.
Kate Arceo is the Community Manager at The Good Trade. She has a Bachelor of Science from Evangel University and has over 5 years of experience reviewing sustainable home and lifestyle brands, as well as organic kids’ apparel and nontoxic cosmetics. When she’s not hosting dinner parties with her husband at their home in Southern California, you can find her sipping a latte at their local coffee house or shopping for strawberries with her kids at the farmers market. Say hi on Instagram!
The post The Best Sustainable Dinnerware For Daily Rituals (East Fork Review) appeared first on The Good Trade.
