The Reclamation 1,000 Wine Cup Challenge

1000 cups. 1000 lbs of reclaimed clay saved from the landfill. Watch as the cups are mindfully created, one at a time.

Build your Gravesco pottery collection + save 1000 lbs of clay from the landfill.

Rebecca committed to making 1,000 wine cups utilizing reclaimed clay that is custom blended and mixed in the studio by the team.

Each cup is thrown one at a time on the potter's wheel by Rebecca then trimmed, glazed and fired by the team before the hand off to Christopher for safe packing and shipping.

When you pre-order reclamation wine cups you're supporting:

  • a business you love
  • an ethos that speaks to your heart
  • the humans who make your favorite pottery
  • the reclamation of nearly a thousand pounds of clay
  • your love of mindful moments, quiet moments and sharing a glass of wine with your closest friends and family in a whole new way.

Pre-order your cups now and help us spread the word to all our friends on social media!

Pre-Order Now!

Inquiring minds want to know...

Rebecca answers your burning questions

What the heck is reclaimed clay?

What the heck is reclaimed clay?

We save literally every scrap of clay in the studio and recycle it along with any clay leftover from custom projects and our usual clay body. The process takes several weeks and a considerable amount of labor but it means we aren’t adding clay scraps to the landfill and for us, that’s worth the effort!

But here’s the kicker!

We are moving the studio soon and honestly, we don’t want to carry a literal ton of reclaimed clay to the new studio! It’s not in neat and tidy 50lb boxes like our new clay.

How the heck do you reclaim clay?

It's a labor intensive process but to keep clay out of the landfill, we think it's worth it!

First, we combine wet and dry clay scraps in large trash barrels. I'm talking the trash barrels big enough for a whole human to fit inside. Then we cover them with reclaimed water (Yes! We save all our studio water to rehydrate reclaim).

After that sits for a week or two, it is scooped out by hand onto a large plaster table top. It's nasty dirty work but also weirdly satisfying.

As the clay sits for another week or two, it begins to dry out until it is close to the texture I like when throwing.

The final step is running it through the pug mill - a great big auger machine with a vacuum pump that removes the air bubbles as it mixes the clay to an even consistency.

It usually takes a full day to process enough clay for a week of throwing.

How the heck long does it take to make a cup?

Well. That's a tougher question.

It takes approximately 2 weeks to reclaim the clay.

I work in batches of 100 cups at a time, usually. It's always more efficient when I can batch a project because the more I make in one sitting, the easier it gets when muscle memory takes over so let's work on the timeline of 100 cups instead of a single cup.

Preparing and weighing the clay into individual pieces takes approximately 45 minutes.

Throwing 100 cups is approximately 3 hours. I need to get up and move around, clear my counter, etc so really, it's probably closer to 4.

The cups sit overnight to dry and then it takes Mackenzie or I approximately 3 hours to trim 100 cups.

Then they sit again, until they're dry. This could be a couple hours or a few days. We are at the mercy of Indiana humidity and weather.

It takes 15-20 minutes to load a bisque kiln then the firing and cooling process is approximately 30 hours.

Another 15-20 minutes to unload the kiln.

To wax the bottoms of 100 cups takes about 2 hours.

Glazing 100 cups is at least 4 hours to glaze and wipe the bottoms clean.


Then back into a kiln for the glaze firing. The glaze kiln takes about an hour to load. It requires a great deal more care to make sure none of the cups are touching each other.

The Glaze firing is approximately 24 hours to fire and then cool.

They're unloaded (30 minutes), checked for quality (30 minutes) then handed off to Christopher for packing and shipping.

From beginning to end it is a minimum of 3 weeks to make a single batch of cups, but we do this over and over every day so there are always pots in varying stages of completion in perpetuity.

How the heck can you sell these for $15?!?

Well, this doesn't work for a permanent business model.

Here are a few things that are unique to this challenge that are making it possible to sell the cups for $15 for a limited time:

  • we are not spending any money on advertising because we hope you're helping us spread the word!
  • these cups are not available for wholesale which means we are not required to maintain a minimum price on this item
  • we are using reclaimed clay
  • only 1000 are available at this price for a limited time
  • it is our deepest desire that this helps you start or expand your Gravesco collection and you'll be a loyal customer and friend for a long time
  • we're moving the studio and this is a LOT more fun for using up all our clay than moving a literal thousand pounds of wet sloppy clay to the new studio
  • overall, this is a rare win-win situation that is unlikely to present itself again any time soon.

When the heck am I going to get my cups?

We'll be making the cups throughout the entire month of July and fulfilling orders in the same sequence they are received.

This means, the earlier you order, the sooner your cups will arrive!

Barring any complications, we will begin shipping cups the first week of July and continue shipping them as they come out of the kiln until the 2nd week of August.

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Mindfully made, one piece of pottery at a time.

We're a small woman owned business making pottery by hand with thoughtfully sourced materials and attention to every detail.

Crafted with Care - Every piece of our pottery is meticulously handcrafted, with an unwavering attention to detail. We celebrate the unique nuances that only human touch can bring, ensuring each item not only serves a purpose but also tells a story.

Mindfully Sourced - At the heart of our creations is a commitment to sustainability and mindful sourcing. We carefully select materials that not only yield the highest quality products but also adhere to our high standards ensuring that our pottery not only looks good but allows you to create memories with a clear conscience.

Heirlooms of Tomorrow - Our pottery isn’t just made to be admired; it's crafted to be part of your family's daily rituals and special occasions. Each piece is designed to withstand the test of time, not just in durability but as a vessel for the memories made around it. From quiet morning coffees to lively dinner parties, our creations are there, adding beauty and function to every gathering and becoming cherished heirlooms that carry the legacy of shared experiences.