A Better Paper Plate

Disposable table-ware is a pet peeve of mine.

Don't get me wrong. It's not paper plate snobbery we're talking about here, nor a save-the-earth kind of thing. There's a time and place for Dixie-ware, and in some situations doing the dishes can simply be impractical, or downright impossible.

The problem, really, is that paper plates can be simply ugly. My never-ending tower of Costco cardboard dishes that sits somewhere in the garage might feel right at home at a picnic, but it kills me to put them out at home when every other detail has been thought through.

It's an issue of practicality over design.

In a world of ever increasing design possibilities, I have long wondered why no one has tackled this conundrum.

Except, clearly, I just wasn't looking in the right places.


This is Japanese designer Shinichiro Ogata's stunning new take on disposable table settings, by his design house Simplicity.

A fully developed line of dishes, serving trays and cups, not only is it practical, it's also biodegradable, making the need to toss it in the garbage slightly less guilt-inducing.

You can buy these over at A+R.

Sure, for the price they probably won't replace the Costco stack for every occasion. But when aesthetics matter, I can see picking some of these up.

If you're looking for modern stuff for your home, the A+R store is a dependable source for things you simply won't find at your big chain home goods store.