Clay. Fire. Story
Handcrafted Stoneware
Timeless Stoneware Tableware Built for Daily Life.
- Handmadeby village artisans
- Food-safelead-free glazes
- Microwave,dishwasher and freezer safe
- TÜV SÜDcertified quality
Made with the tribal community of Mullur, Karnataka restoring local livelihoods and empowering women
Find your piece
Shop stoneware by shape
Most loved
Best-selling stoneware
The stoneware pieces our customers reorder most, for pasta nights, first coffees and starters that disappear fast.
Colours that whisper
Food-safe glazes taken from the forest floor
Every glaze is food-safe and fired onto the stoneware at high temperature, in earthy colours that let your food take centre stage.
River mud
A deep, glossy brown that pools darker where the clay dips. It makes dal, coffee and chocolate look even richer.
Browse every glaze in the shopWhy Nugu stoneware
Honest materials, made to last
Every Nugu piece is handmade stoneware: natural, vegan, safe for everyday cooking and serving, and made by people who are building better livelihoods through their craft.
- 100% natural materialsMade from natural clays and minerals, with no harmful chemicals.
- 100% veganNo animal-derived ingredients, such as the bone ash used in bone china.
- Empowering women80% of our artisans are local women supporting their families.
- Handmade by village artisansThrown, glazed and finished by hand in Mullur, Karnataka.
- Highly durable stonewareHigh-fired and dense, so it stands up to daily use.
- Food-safe glazesSafe for hot, cold, acidic and everyday foods.
- Microwave, dishwasher and freezer safeFrom freezer to microwave to dishwasher, with no fuss.
- TÜV SÜD certifiedIndependently certified for quality, safety and sustainability.
Know what you are buying
Stoneware vs regular ceramic dinnerware
Stoneware and everyday ceramic crockery can look alike on a shelf, but they behave very differently at the table and in the kitchen. Here is how Nugu stoneware compares.
| Feature | Nugu stoneware | Regular ceramic (earthenware) |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | 100% natural clays and minerals, fully vegan | Often earthenware; bone china also contains animal bone ash |
| Firing temperature | High-fired, typically above 1200°C | Lower-fired, typically 1000 to 1150°C |
| Clay body | Dense and vitrified, absorbs very little water | Porous, absorbs water if the glaze chips or cracks |
| Durability | Highly durable and resistant to chipping in daily use | More prone to chips, cracks and crazing |
| Microwave, dishwasher and freezer | Safe for all three | Varies by product; often not recommended |
| Stains and smells | Non-porous body resists stains and odours | Can soak up stains and smells once the glaze is damaged |
| Heat retention | Holds heat, so food stays warm for longer | Loses heat more quickly |
| Safety | Food-safe glazes, TÜV SÜD certified | Depends on the maker and glaze |
| Made by | Handmade by village artisans, 80% of them women | Usually mass-produced in factories |
| Best for | Homes, hotels, restaurants and cafés with daily, heavy use | Light or occasional use |
Temperatures and properties shown are typical for each material type. Regular ceramic products vary by manufacturer.
Shop handmade stonewareInside the Mullur workshop
Watch our stoneware being made
Natural clay pressed on the wheel, trimmed by hand, dipped in food-safe glaze and racked to dry. Thirty seconds from our workshop floor in Mullur.
How a plate is born
How handmade stoneware is made
1Mix the clay
Natural stoneware clay, with nothing animal-derived, is wedged by hand until smooth and free of air.
2Throw and shape
Our artisans throw or press each piece, then trim it and leave it to dry slowly.
3Glaze by hand
Food-safe glazes are dipped and poured by hand, so every finish is a little different.
4Fire the kiln
A high-temperature firing turns the clay into dense, durable stoneware.
5Reach your table
Each piece is checked, packed with care and shipped across India and beyond.
Three moods
Stoneware collections
Made to be used every day
Lay the whole table
Stoneware plates, bowls, cups and little extras that belong together, in one calm glaze.
Build your set
Where it all started
A silent workshop, brought back to life
Two friends found a ceramic unit in Mullur whose kilns had gone cold. They took it on as stewards of an unfinished dream, and spent months training alongside the local tribal community with master ceramicists.
Today those artisans are some of the most skilled in the region. 80% of them are local women, and the stoneware they make helps support their families and travels across India and beyond.
Read our storyVisit our workshop in Mullur
Get your hands in the clay
Spend a day at the unit where Nugu is made. Sit at the wheel with our artisans, shape a piece of your own and take it home with you.
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Pottery workshop
Learn to centre clay on the wheel or build by hand with our artisans, then take home what you make.
For individuals, families and friends -
School day trip
An educational day where students follow clay all the way to the kiln and make a piece of their own.
For schools and colleges -
Day outing
A relaxed day at the unit with a pottery session, plus trips to explore places nearby.
For families and groups -
Corporate outing
A hands-on team day away from the office, making pottery side by side.
For teams of any size -
Farmhouse stay
Stay over at our farmhouse and turn your visit into a slow weekend in the countryside.
Add to any experience
Plan your visit
Tell us what you have in mind and we will send you dates, timings and a price for your group on WhatsApp.
Workshop: Mullur Main Road, Mullur Village, HD Kote, Mysore
On real tables
Set the scene
Hotels, restaurants and cafés
Stoneware built for busy kitchens
Chefs and hospitality teams choose Nugu for stoneware that looks handmade and works hard. Try our pieces on your own menu before you order.
- Highly durable, high-fired stoneware that handles daily service
- Microwave, dishwasher and freezer safe, with food-safe glazes
- TÜV SÜD certified, 100% natural and 100% vegan
- Handmade by village artisans: a sustainable story your guests will love
- Direct from our own production unit, with bulk orders welcome
Questions, answered
Stoneware dinnerware FAQs
What is stoneware dinnerware?
Stoneware is a dense clay dinnerware fired at high temperatures, typically above 1200°C. The heat makes the clay vitrify, so it becomes strong, non-porous and highly durable, which makes it ideal for everyday plates, bowls and mugs.
Is stoneware better than regular ceramic?
For daily use, yes. Stoneware is fired hotter than regular ceramic or earthenware, so it is denser, more chip-resistant and absorbs very little water. Nugu stoneware is also microwave, dishwasher and freezer safe. See our stoneware vs ceramic comparison.
Is Nugu stoneware microwave, dishwasher and freezer safe?
Yes. Every Nugu piece is microwave safe, dishwasher safe and freezer safe. To avoid thermal shock, let pieces come to room temperature before moving them between the freezer and a hot oven.
Is Nugu dinnerware vegan?
Yes, 100%. Nugu stoneware is made only from natural materials, with no animal-derived ingredients, unlike bone china, which contains animal bone ash.
Are Nugu glazes food-safe?
Yes. All Nugu glazes are food-safe, and Nugu Handmade is TÜV SÜD certified for quality, safety and sustainability.
Who makes Nugu stoneware?
Every piece is handmade by village artisans at our unit in Mullur, HD Kote, near Mysore in Karnataka. 80% of our artisans are local women who support their families through this work.
Do you supply hotels, restaurants and cafés?
Yes. We supply handmade stoneware to the HoReCa industry. Visit our hotels, restaurants and cafés page or message us on WhatsApp to discuss your menu.
Where can I see Nugu stoneware in person?
Visit our Bangalore office and factory outlet in Rajaji Nagar, or book a pottery experience at our workshop in Mullur.