Frequently Asked Questions
What is Sandcarving?
Sandcarving (also called "sandblasting") is an artistic process that permanently carves a design using pressurized abrasive grit. We sandblast onto glass, glazed ceramics, and stainless steel, but sandblasting can also be done on other hard materials like stone.
I create digital art, which I print onto transparency film, and then use to create a self-adhesive photo-emulsion stencil specifically for sandblasting. Each item has this single-use stencil applied to its surface with a burnisher, then it’s carefully masked. The final etching step is a trip into our professional blasting cabinet, where high-pressure silicon carbide grit carves the permanent design.
Watch videos about our process on YouTube.
Is Sandcarving Permanent?
Sandcarving is one of the most durable image transfer method out there. Since the process removes the top layer of glass or ceramic glaze by carving into it, there isn't any possible way to remove the design.
There are a lot of decals and screen printing out there on dishware that wear off with time. Our process will never do that! Sandblasting also has a smooth, even finish with crisp edges, unlike laser-etching which shows a matrix pattern on its etched surface, and acid cream etching which can be splotchy, and uneven.
Are Your Products Dishwasher- and Microwave-Safe?
Yes! All our glassware and ceramics are food-safe, and can be washed in a dishwasher, even sanitized. The design will never fade, wear, or scratch. We recommend hand-washing silicone travel lids with unscented soap.
All mugs are microwave-safe as well, and shouldn't get any hotter than any other microwave-safe cups.
Our metal cups should definitely not go in a microwave (yikes!), but they are dishwasher-safe.
Are Your Products Made in USA?
We buy blank glass and ceramic items, and sandblast our original artwork onto them by hand in Portland, OR. All our glassware items are made in the USA, but our ceramic mugs are manufactured in China and finished here, which is considered "assembled in USA".
We are currently sourcing locally-made products for sandcarving. USA-made drinkware will be more expensive than our other products, but we'll be able to support other small businesses in our area.
Are Your Products Lead-Free?
We hold all our products to exacting standards (since our family uses them, too), so all products are free of lead, cadmium, and BPA. We're happy to share glaze reports if you'd like to see more data about safety.
The glazes used on our mugs meet California’s Proposition 65 strict limits for leaching of lead and cadmium (0.99 ppm lead and 7.92 ppm cadmium). In fact, our glazes are non-detect at testing detection limits well below (< 0.01 ppm for both). This is really fantastic!
What is the Life Expectancy of Your Products?
Technically, they should be able to last multiple lifetimes. We understand that accidents happen, and our items are definitely fragile, but they aren't any more fragile than most other dishware on the market. We consider them more sturdy than some other brands available, and keep our standards quite high for durability.
To prolong the life of your Bread and Badger cups and avoid breakage, we recommend against nesting (stacking them inside or on top of each other).
Some staining of silicone lids is unavoidable on lighter colors, so we recommend choosing darker colored lids if this bothers you.
