How to care for handmade stoneware tableware with raw, exposed or textured surfaces

The question often comes quietly, usually while someone is turning a cup in their hands.

“Is this fragile?”

It’s an understandable reaction. Raw clay looks closer to the earth than glazed ceramic does. It can feel exposed, almost unfinished, as if it might need careful handling or special treatment.

But that feeling is slightly misleading.

Stoneware is not in a fragile state. It has already been through fire.

Why I like to leave parts of the clay exposed

I often choose to leave areas of my vessels unglazed because I like the honesty of it.

Glaze can feel like a skin, sealing and unifying a surface. Raw clay does something different. It reminds us that the object began as earth, shaped by hand, then transformed by fire. It keeps a trace of that origin visible.

I like the balance between the two: the smooth and the raw, the reflective and the matte, the controlled and the elemental. Together they allow the material to speak more openly.

These surfaces are not weaker. They are simply quieter.

Close-up view of handmade ceramic plates with raw clay exposed

There is no preparation needed

Unlike cast iron or wood, stoneware does not need to be seasoned, sealed, or treated before use.

There is no ritual required before the first meal, no protective layer to create, no preparation to complete. Once it leaves the kiln, it is ready.

The most important step is not preparation, but use.

Everyday care

Raw textures do not require special protocols, but they do benefit from a little attentiveness, in the same way that any well-made object does.

• Wash by hand using warm water and a mild dish soap. A soft brush can help lift food from textured areas without wearing them down.

• It is best not to leave pieces sitting for long periods in dirty water. Rinse them after use and allow them to dry fully in the open air before storing.

• Avoid abrasive metal scourers, which can leave permanent marks on raw clay surfaces. A natural bristle brush or soft sponge is usually enough.

None of this is about fragility. It is simply about preserving the surface as it is meant to be experienced.

Stains, marks, and the life of the surface

If one of my previous post was about what goes into a handmade cup, this is about what happens after it leaves the studio.

Raw surfaces will change gently with use. Oils, tea, coffee, and food can sometimes leave soft marks over time, especially in more textured areas. In most cases, these fade or soften with normal washing. Occasionally, a gentle paste of baking soda and water can help lift more persistent stains if needed.

But I also think it is worth saying this clearly: marks are not failures.

They are part of what happens when objects are used rather than stored away. Over time, the surface begins to reflect a history of meals, hands, and daily rituals.

Close up view on the rims of some hand-built stoneware ceramic plates, with organic rims and raw clay exposed

The point of it all

The same misunderstanding that leads people to ask “how long does it take to make a cup?” is often the one that makes them cautious about using it.

In both cases, the assumption is that handmade things are either fragile or uncomplicated.

They are neither.

They take time to make, and they are made to be used without hesitation.

So the next time you pick up a raw or textured piece, it doesn’t need protection or special treatment. It just needs to be part of everyday life.

Close up view on carving texture and raw clay exposed on a Tatami vessel