If you aren’t familiar with Caraway, well, I’ll be honest – it’s possible you’ve been living under a rock these past few years. Things are busy, we get it. But, honestly, it would have been pretty hard to miss all those Caraway pastel color cookware sets plastered across your Instagram feed. I mean cookware that’s good to look at and non-toxic too? It’s a win-win.
I remember when Caraway first launched– at the time I had had a chance to meet Jordan at the team’s old office space (pre-Covid) where I got to hear the story behind those pastel colors (and the agony that went into choosing the exact shades, talk about difficult decisions). But what has truly always stood out to me about Caraway, beyond the pleasing aesthetic, is the company’s dedication to making non-toxic cookware accessible, and mainstream. A few years back I didn’t even realize how important this topic would become to me personally, as someone who has never put much effort into my kitchen or cooking skills, and yet not too much time went by before toxic cookware was eliminated from my home entirely.
We talk about our Consciously Cool brand curation all the time, and I would say Caraway is the epitome of that notion. So, I sat down with Jordan to chat about how the company’s cookware is revolutionizing the kitchen.
Q
Can you tell me some more about the origin story of Caraway? What were you cooking that went up fumes that sparked your founding of ceramic cookware?
A
In early 2018, I accidentally left a Teflon-coated pan on my burner for close to 45 minutes when I received a call that distracted me from cooking. Within that time, my apartment was filled with fumes and I felt lightheaded and nauseous. To be safe, I called the poison control hotline where I was informed I was likely exposed to Teflon poisoning. It was shocking to discover an item I used every night and touched my food was potentially dangerous and toxic.
Q
Why ceramics?
A
Aside from being free of harmful chemicals commonly found in traditional non-stick cookware, Caraway’s naturally slick non-stick ceramic-based coating makes cooking and cleaning easier. Ceramic cookware also conducts and maintains heat more evenly (no “hotspots”) compared to traditional non-stick pans.
Q
Can you talk a bit more about your background? I’d love to hear more about what led you to cookware as a profession.
A
I was previously the CEO for Vremi (owned by Aterian), a home and kitchen brand where I launched over 200 kitchen products. I was motivated to create my own brand since the cookware category lacked truly non-toxic options that feature an elevated design and offer modern colors.
Q
I think many people take their kitchenware for granted, not really looking into their conscious materials. Why was it important to take a step in this direction, to draw attention to what we cook with?
A
Aside from being conscious of the ingredients you cook and consume, it’s just as important to pay attention to the tools we cook with, as materials such as Polytetrafluoroethylene (known as Teflon®) can easily leach harmful chemicals into your food in as little as two and a half minutes on a hot burner. To raise the standards of what you cook with, Caraway’s cookware & bakeware are 100% free of lead, cadmium, PTFE, PFOA, and other harmful chemicals.
Q
What does the future of Caraway look like, in regards to your mission?
A
Our mission is to expand into additional categories and continue developing home products that are thoughtfully designed, non-toxic, and sustainable.
There you have it. If you’re curious about non-toxic cookware, or conscious kitchen assortment in general, we’ve got you! Shop Caraway, and complement your home with products that do more.
– Jaclyn Grauman, The Verticale Co-Founder & CEO
