FAQ - Archive
What happens if my order arrives damaged?
Why did my order arrive in a differently branded box?
Why does my piece not look exactly like the one in the photo?
All Lawa pieces are intentionally unique. Our ceramics are thrown and trimmed on a potter's wheel or built the old fashioned way with coils and slabs. We're not kidding when we say handmade. All patterns and glazes are hand-painted (that's right!) so some stroke lines and irregularities are to be expected. We hope you can appreciate the unique characteristics of each piece. Dyed pieces are hand-dyed with natural dyes and some color variation is to be expected.
Are your pieces food safe?
Sure are - except for jewelry or any internally unglazed vessels.
Can I throw these in the microwave or dishwasher?
All of our pieces–unless stated otherwise– are microwave or dishwasher safe
How do I care for my new pottery bebes?
Pottery is a fragile matter but if you've got a dishwasher, use it! They're perfectly dishwasher safe and you'll be saving tons of water too! Whether washing by hand or in the dishwasher, be sure to use a nonabrasive detergent (and a nonabrasive sponge when hand-washing) to protect surfaces from gradual wear.
When warming your wares in the microwave, use caution when removing and handling the item and its contents. To avoid temperature shock, gradual heating and cooling is best. Do not introduce cold items directly into a microwave, and do not transfer very hot items to a cold refrigerator or freezer. Protect your pieces from an open flame or a stovetop.
How does shipping work?
Lawa ships most domestic orders via USPS*. Tracking numbers are provided by email at the time of shipment. Please wait around 24 hours for the tracking information to update as the post recycles numbers so it may say the order was order was already delivered. Relax, go take a walk and wait a day for it to update.
Please note we ship without requiring a signature on delivery. If you would prefer to sign for your package, please leave a note during checkout or email us when you place your order.
How long until I can expect until my order will ship?
We are a small queer ma and pa in the truest sense of those words and every aspect of running our small business is done with care and patience. Please expect about a week for your order to ship. Custom orders are a different story and we will work with you personally to figure out what works best.
Are cement planters bad for plants?
The short answer is no, and the longer answer is ours aren't. The reason some say cement or concrete planters are "bad" for plants is that cement contains lime (can be scary if you saw Fight Club recently but lime is also found in things like soap) and a newly poured, unsealed planter can leech out some lime when you water it. A good amount of plants prefer slightly acidic soil and so this could mean that you would need to supplement your plants with vitamins or supplements to counter the slightly alkaline soil due to the lime leeching. However our planters are sealed with concrete sealer both inside and out. This means that leeching if it happens at all, will happen in a very very minuscule amount. The sealer does not last forever though and can last anywhere between 5-10 years. Personally, if you could keep a potted plant alive that long we would be impressed and may reach out to you to find out your secrets, but if you are in it for the decade-and-beyond haul, simply applying a couple coats of concrete sealer again after 5 years can keep your planter looking fresh.
If you're still feeling a little uneasy, maybe opt for plants that prefer slightly alkaline soil like kitchen herbs! And if you'd like to learn more, we personally found this article by SF Gate particularly easy to digest and informative.