Hello, this is Shoko from Kurasu. 

Here at Kurasu, we offer a range of mugs for you to enhance your coffee experience at home. Today's talk is on our newest mug, SAI Mug, and let me share the current situation on pottery and waste. 

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1. Mino-yaki Ceramic Ware
2. The reality of pottery 
3. Ceramic chips turned into mugs

1. Mino-yaki Ceramic Ware

SAI Mug is a product of Mino-yaki, traditional Japanese pottery produced in the Mino Province. It's widely known for the technique being used to make ORIGAMI Drippers. Mino province has abundant rich clay for pottery, and now produces almost 50% of all domestic ceramic ware. 

One of the beauties of pottery is the elegance and warmth of glaze applied on the surface. I find myself attracted to graceful ceramic mugs and plates whenever I walk into tableware shops. Tableware can upgrade the quality of your life as it's something you see and use on a daily basis; a good mug with delicious coffee always puts a smile on your face!

2. The reality of pottery

The pottery industry is facing difficult situation: lack of clay and excessive waste. 

Pottery involves applying heat over 1200°C, which leaves no choice but for the majority of defective products to be dumped in landfills. These waste will not return to the soil even after a thousand years. 

Plus, most often ceramic and porcelain are discarded together which makes turning them into reusable material extremely difficult. You'd be surprised to see so many defective products dumped as waste...It's indeed a sad and serious consequence of mass production and mass disposal. 

3. Ceramic turned into mugs

Many businesses are working on solving this issue by exploring ways to recycle pottery waste.

One of them is CHIPS inc. that recycles discarded ceramic chips to make up 20% its material source. In fact, the company name CHIPS inc., comes from ceramic chips. 

This is how ceramic chips are turned into recycled clay. 

If you actually take SAI Mug into hand, you would notice the rough texture and occasional pinholes. We hope you find these as a unique result of recycled clay; of course, there are no issues with functionality as a mug. 

Coffee and mugs are closely related. A good combination can really lift your mood!

Let's take some time to think about what makes up our coffee break; where does your mug and coffee come from? Understanding the background of where things come from can perhaps add value to your daily life.

We hope you take in SAI Mug into your home and take good care of it like you do for your family and friends. Have a nice coffee break with SAI Mug!

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Shoko