Portmeirion

Portmeirion is one of England's best-loved pottery brands, founded in Stoke-on-Trent in 1960 by designer Susan Williams-Ellis and her husband Euan Cooper-Willis. The brand is known for nature-inspired, mix-and-match tableware, cookware, giftware and home accessories, and is part of the Portmeirion Group, which also owns Spode and Royal Worcester.

Yes. Portmeirion was founded in Stoke-on-Trent, England, in 1960, and its core collections continue to be designed and manufactured there today.

No, this is a common mix-up. The name comes from Portmeirion, the Italianate village in North Wales created by Susan Williams-Ellis's father, where the pottery idea first began as gift shop souvenirs. The pottery itself has always been made in Stoke-on-Trent.

Pepperfields stocks two of Portmeirion's most-loved ranges: Botanic Garden (Portmeirion's iconic, best-selling mix-and-match collection) and Sophie Conran for Portmeirion in the White colourway. Browse the full range on our Portmeirion collection page.

Botanic Garden is Portmeirion's most iconic tableware collection: a mix-and-match range of dinnerware, cookware, gifts and accessories featuring botanical illustrations framed by a signature laurel leaf border.

Botanic Garden was created by founder Susan Williams-Ellis in 1972. Its illustrations were inspired by 19th century botanical reference books, giving each piece a beautifully detailed, hand-drawn quality.

Botanic Garden was designed from the outset as a mix-and-match range. It features over 30 different floral and botanical motifs, including rhododendron, forget-me-not and primrose, so pieces can be combined freely rather than needing to match exactly. It was a genuinely unconventional idea for tableware in the 1970s, and it's still a big part of the collection's appeal today.

Dinnerware, mugs, bowls, serving pieces, cookware, storage and gifts, along with newer additions that layer in alongside the classic florals.

Botanic Garden has been in continuous production since 1972, more than 50 years, making it one of the longest-running and most collected tableware patterns in the world.

Sophie Conran is a British designer, cook and author, and the daughter of designer and restaurateur Sir Terence Conran and food writer Caroline Conran. She has written recipe books and contributed food and homes writing to UK magazines.

The collaboration began in 2006 and has since become one of Portmeirion's flagship designer partnerships.

Pepperfields stocks the White collection, the original and best-selling range in the Sophie Conran line. It spans dinnerware, cookware, bakeware, glassware, kitchen textiles, cutlery and pet bowls, all finished in Sophie's signature rippled white design.

The signature "ripple" effect, concentric ridges that mimic the marks left by a potter's hands on a wheel, gives the White collection an organic, handcrafted look while also making pieces easier to grip and hold.

Most Portmeirion earthenware and porcelain tableware is dishwasher safe. Look for the words "Dishwasher Safe" printed on the backstamp underneath your piece. Even on dishwasher-safe pieces, handwashing is recommended to help protect patterns and glazes over the long term, and to help prevent fading or crazing (fine, spiderweb-like cracks in the glaze).

Most Portmeirion tableware is microwave safe, provided the dish is at least half full of food or liquid. Check for "Microwave Safe" on the backstamp to confirm. Gold-accented pieces are not microwave safe and should always be hand washed.

Portmeirion tableware is designed to be oven-to-table, performing at temperatures up to 200°C (400°F) for porcelain and 170°C (340°F) for earthenware. Always heat tableware gradually rather than placing it directly into a hot oven, and make sure pieces are completely dry before they go in.

Yes, provided the dish is at least half full of food or liquid and temperature changes are gradual rather than sudden.

Crazing is the fine, spiderweb-like cracking that can appear in the glaze of earthenware over time. It happens when water soaks into the earthenware body and then expands when heated during a high-temperature dishwasher cycle. Washing your Portmeirion by hand, or as soon as possible after use, helps minimise this.

Yes. Portmeirion tableware uses lead-free glazes and is food safe for everyday use.

Depending on the piece, Portmeirion tableware is made from earthenware or porcelain. Botanic Garden is produced primarily in earthenware, while the Sophie Conran White collection is made in porcelain, giving it a slightly higher safe oven temperature.

Pepperfields stocks a wide range of genuine Portmeirion tableware and giftware, including Botanic Garden and the Sophie Conran for Portmeirion White collection, available online on our Portmeirion collection page.

Pepperfields sells genuine Portmeirion products across our Botanic Garden and Sophie Conran for Portmeirion ranges.

Yes, many customers combine pieces from both collections to build a table setting that suits them. Botanic Garden's botanical prints and Sophie Conran White's rippled, understated design contrast nicely, so they layer together well if you want a mix of pattern and texture.

Pepperfields is an Australian owned and operated business, based in Sydney, with orders placed by 12pm AEST dispatched the same day from our Sydney warehouse.