Designers: Bret Recor, Kenneth Young, Benjamin Gross, Box Clever, San Francisco, California, USA
Manufacturer: Caraway Home, New York, New York, USA
Caraway is a direct-to-consumer brand of cookware that is thoughtful in design and manufacturing.
The cookware uses a ceramic coating which is free of PTFE, lead, cadmium and other toxic materials commonly found in consumer cookware.
The brand is also an advocate of ethical manufacturing and supports fair standards in pay, benefits, and job safety.
Designed in collaboration with San Francisco based studio Box Clever, the product takes holistic approach and considers the full user journey, use - cleaning - storage, designing touchpoints to fit the hand effortlessly, details that improve the cooking experience, and developed integrated accessory solutions in the packaging that created delight for the cookware rack and hanging lid storage systems.
Traditional non-stick cookware is not only unhealthy but also has a number of safety hazards. Caraway ceramic cookware upends the standard and moves towards a new era of cooking.
Human centered design is at the heart of Caraway cookware. In addition to the industry leading nonstick ceramic coating, ergonomic considerations were integrated throughout the cookware system including handle pitch, balanced weight distribution, grip, and an integrated hand placement guide to prevent grip slip when holding the pan.
Solving storage issue via dual use pan rack and flexible lid holder system that also provided structure and protection in the plastic-free packaging.
The overall design of the product is a reflection of the functionality within. Box Clever wanted to create an elevated cookware experience that balances highly durable performance, carefully tuned proportions, clean modern lines, and thoughtful details for improved usability.
Traditionally, cookware manufacturers tend to weld the handle onto the body, Box Clever identified this as a potential risk in terms of durability.
For Caraway, we designed the handle and body attachments to be durable, aesthetically elegant, and used robust fasteners to ensure the products would last. We also considered the sizing and proportion of each piece, tailoring it to the needs of the customer.
Taking into consideration the impact that cookware lines have had on the environment, we knew it was crucial to consider the manufacturing, shipping and packaging processes. The product also aimed to reduce the cycle of plastic waste through effective packaging when delivering Caraway to the consumer.
Inside of the box, we chose recycled cardboard with zero plastic bags, low impact print dyes, and 100% biodegradable cork trivets. From this sustainable viewpoint, we ensured there was no single use plastic used, with cardboard being the only single use material.
