OER
Servies
Eindhoven

This tableware collection is made from porcelain clay mixed with iron sludge (OER) that is directly extracted from the water production company in Eindhoven. Iron sludge is a natural residual material that is released during the purification process of our tap water.

Its light beige tint with dark brown speckles is thanks to the iron sludge that has been added to the porcelain as a color pigment. The outside is unglazed, giving it a soft but slightly rougher texture. A smooth protective layer of transparent glaze has been applied to the inside.

The tableware consists of six different shapes that can be combined with each other. Of course, it is food- and dishwasher-safe. The material used to color the porcelain represents a piece of consciousness. It refers to one of the most important resources of our planet; water.

Looking for larger quantities or to use this product in a project? Ask for a free quotation here. On our download page, you can find 3d models, high-res images, and other product information.

Variants:
Bowl S 12×6.5cm & Bowl M 18.5×4.7cm, Deep plate M 17.5×2.9cm &
Deep plate L 22.5×3.3cm, Plate M 20.5×1.5cm & Plate L 26.5×1.5cm

the Vij5
steps of
OER Tableware

Transparency of the production chain comes naturally to us.

For us, that doesn't just mean giving information about where something has been produced. Our chain starts much earlier: with the designer of the product!

We'll tell you the whole story. Click on the buttons to discover the different steps:

The OER tableware is Designed by Lotte de Raadt & Kirstie van Noort. Lotte & Kirstie both have their own Design studio and share a ceramics workshop in Eindhoven at the NulZes collective. From here, they start their research and produce their own collections on a small scale. The Oer-project has been in development since 2016. In consultation with each other, the designers are investigating various possibilities for the Application of iron sludge (OER) in ceramic products. The KWR (Knowledge Center Water Research) asked them at the time to think about Applications with the residual flow from the production process of tap water. The wish was to use this instead of letting it flow back into the sewer.

'I love pure and minimalist designs. Also in my work; I think it's beautiful when the material remains visible in my ceramic plates without too much fuss.'

Lotte de Raadt in VT wonen magazine

'In my work, I try to make people more aware of the use and origin of our raw materials by taking them into the process behind the product or material. The results of my research are always closely linked to the work I CREATE. In this way, I not only try to arrive at a more sustainable solution, but I also communicate the story to the user.'

Kirstie van Noort

This resulted in extensive and ongoing research into the possibilities of the material and a fascinating process to return the iron sludge to a usable raw material. Lotte & Kirstie succeeded in processing the iron sludge in such a way that it can be used as a high-quality pigment in the ceramic industry. You can read how this works later on, under the heading CREATE.

The first result of their research was a series of pink, red and beige tiles, colored with iron sludge, which are in production at Koninklijke Tichelaar. A next step was mixing the iron sludge with porcelain in order to color their series of utility ceramics in a more sustainable way.

For the OER Tableware, Lotte & Kirstie use self-developed shapes and molds that they also use for various other projects. They are beautiful, practical basic shapes that let the material used speak for itself while creating a blank canvas for the (chef) cook.

The OER tableware Eindhoven has been part of the Vij5 collection since 2023. As far as we are concerned, the story of the OER tableware is really about the material used and is a great example of 'research based Design'. It is of course also beautifully Designed, but we find it at least as interesting that it helps us to think about how valuable our resources are. By using waste streams and seeing beauty in them, we take better care of our planet and take more responsibility for every step we take. The tableware brings us closer to something that we often take for granted. It starts conversations and makes it easier to understand how we are connected to the things around us.

Iron sludge is not only released in the Eindhoven region. It can be collected in different places. Per location, it gives a different tint to the ceramic products of the OER project. Local production helps to reduce our ecological footprint and contributes to the preservation of the environment and our natural resources. It also gives a boost to the local economy. This makes us proud that Vij5 represents the 'OER servies Eindhoven'.

'The OER tableware is, in our opinion, a good example of 'research based Design'.

Arjan & Anieke, Vij5

The biggest translation for the OER servies lies in the super local material research that preceded this product. By researching and exploring the qualities and possibilities of iron sludge from the Eindhoven region and then experimenting with ceramics, this beautiful material was created. For this product, the manufacturing process had of course already been developed by Lotte & Kirstie and we also did not have to look for a suitable producer. Together we structured the shapes in the series. We are especially happy that we can SHARE this beautiful local product and the underlying message through the Vij5 collection!

'We should be a little more careful with our resources these days'

Lotte de Raadt in VT wonen magazine

The OER servies Eindhoven is Made by Lotte & Kirstie themselves in small series and locally in their own ceramics studio. They use the material porcelain mixed with iron sludge (also called OER), which they extract directly from the water production company in Eindhoven.

At the water production company, groundwater is pumped up and processed into drinking water. This is located in sources hundreds of meters deep below the surface. The soil has acted as a filter as the water slowly seeped through it. The journey the water takes often takes thousands of years, depending on how deep it is in the soil. Most of the oxygen in the water has disappeared and metals such as manganese and iron have dissolved.

To turn groundwater into drinking water, it is intensively filtered. During this filtering process, various residual substances are released. One of these is naturally formed iron oxide-containing water, or oer. This material is characterized by a deep red-brown color.

At the production location in Eindhoven, there is currently no Application for the iron sludge, so this iron oxide-containing water is seen as waste and flushed back into the sewer. For the OER project, Lotte & Kirstie tap this cloudy water from the so-called buffer pond of the water production company to use in their products.

The iron sludge is processed into pigment in their own studio. First, it is filtered and dried again. This CREATEs chunks that are ground and sieved into a rust-like powder. This pigment is mixed with liquid porcelain clay and poured into plaster molds. A smooth protective layer of transparent glaze is applied to the inside of the molds to make the tableware water-resistant and food-safe. The products are then baked in a ceramic oven at 1250 degrees Celsius. The heat causes the iron pigment to turn into a beautiful beige color with small dark brown speckles.

In the material passport you can find where and by whom the different parts of this product are made.

Want to see this product in real life?

Come to our showroom in Den Bosch or visit one of our ambassadors or other sales points.

In need of larger numbers or application in a project?

Please contact Arjan and request a quotation here.

Vij5 webshop

All Vij5 products can of course also be ordered directly from our own webshop:

Vij5
Showroom

We work from an easily accessible industrial hall (2 minutes from the A2) near the residential boulevard of Den Bosch. Most products can be seen here, but at the moment the showroom is in use for another large project. So please get in touch and especially let us know what you'd like to see, and we'll see what's possible!

You can make an appointment by mail or phone.