Ru Kiln Ceramic Tea Caddy — Dual-Purpose Storage | Strabella
Designed for a calmer daily matcha ritual — bamboo tools, ceramic pieces, and gift-ready presentation.
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TL;DR
- Ru kiln ceramic — a celadon-style finish inspired by Song-dynasty Chinese tea ware.
- Dual-purpose: matcha, loose-leaf tea, ground coffee.
- Airtight with a snug-fitting lid.
If you want storage that doubles as object — something that earns its place visually as much as functionally — the Ru kiln glaze is famously serene. Pale, slightly cracked, almost soft to the touch.
What is Ru kiln ceramic?
Ru kiln (汝窯) is one of the Five Great Kilns of Song-dynasty China (960–1279 CE), known for celadon-glazed pottery with a distinctive pale blue-green tint and fine crackle pattern. Modern Ru-style ceramics, like the Strabella Ru Kiln Tea Caddy, are inspired by these classical pieces but produced contemporarily for daily use. The glaze is non-toxic and food-safe.
Specifications
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Material | Ru kiln-style ceramic |
| Seal | Tight-fitting lid · airtight |
| Capacity | ~80g matcha or ~100g loose tea |
| Best for | Matcha · tea · coffee · spice storage |
| Glaze | Celadon-style, food-safe, non-toxic |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Ru-style glaze food-safe?
Yes — modern Ru-style ceramics use food-safe non-toxic glazes. The signature crackle pattern is glaze-only and does not penetrate the ceramic body.
What size matcha pouch fits in this caddy?
Up to 80g of matcha powder (or roughly two-and-a-half 30g tins). The seal is tight enough to keep contents fresh between uses.
Why Strabella
Family-built since 2023, run by Lisa in Newport Beach, Strabella is a small US-based brand of considered matcha tools and quiet kitchen objects.
Shipping & Returns
- Ships from the United States — typically 2–3 business days
- Free US shipping on orders over $25
- 30-day returns on unused items
- Your Strabella Product — Premium quality, designed for daily use
- Care Guide — Tips for maintaining your product
- Premium Packaging — Gift-ready presentation
Free standard shipping on orders $60+. Ships within 1 business day. Standard 3-5 days, express 2-day available at checkout.
Please refer to the included care guide for detailed maintenance instructions specific to your product. Proper care ensures lasting quality and performance.
1-year Limited warranty against manufacturing defects. 30-day returns, no questions. If you're not completely satisfied, we'll replace or refund — guaranteed.
The story behind the product
Ru-Kiln Glaze Ceramic Tea Caddy
A traditional Chinese kiln-fired caddy with crackle glaze that varies between every piece
Traditional kiln technique
Ru-Kiln Glaze Is One of the Five Great Glazes of Song Dynasty Ceramics
Ru ware originated in the Song Dynasty (960–1279 CE) and was produced in the Ru prefecture kilns for fewer than twenty years before production stopped — making original pieces among the rarest ceramics in the world. The contemporary Ru-kiln technique used here faithfully reproduces the distinctive sky-blue-grey glaze and the crackle pattern that forms as the piece cools: a network of fine lines where the glaze contracts at a different rate than the clay body. Each caddy's crackle pattern is unique because it depends on factors that can't be fully controlled.
Natural crackle variation
The Crackle Lines Form During Cooling and Cannot Be Replicated Exactly
The crackle pattern is a consequence of the cooling physics, not a manufacturing process applied after the fact. The glaze is formulated to cool at a slightly different rate than the clay underneath it, which generates the network of fine surface fractures as the piece moves from firing temperature down to room temperature. Kiln position, cooling rate, and minor glaze chemistry variations mean every piece develops its own pattern. The caddy you receive will match the color and character of the photos; it will not be identical to any other piece we've shipped.
Real daily use
An Airtight Caddy That Earns Its Place on a Tea Shelf
The fitted lid creates an airtight seal that protects loose-leaf tea from humidity and light exposure. The interior is unglazed at the base — traditional practice, as the unglazed clay absorbs the first trace of tea fragrance over time and gradually becomes seasoned, which some practitioners value as part of the caddy's character. The exterior glaze is food-safe and dishwasher-safe; we recommend hand washing to protect the glaze surface, but the caddy is not fragile under normal handling. It is, simply, a beautiful object that does its job properly.
From Lisa
The Piece We Carry Because Not Everything Has to Be Explained to Be Worth Having
I don't drink as much loose-leaf tea as I do matcha, but this caddy sits on my kitchen shelf because I find it genuinely beautiful. There's a quiet depth to the Ru glaze that photographs don't fully capture — it changes slightly under different light, and the crackle pattern catches low morning sun in a way that makes me look at it. We carry it because we think the kitchen should have things in it that are worth looking at, not just using. This is one of those things. — Lisa
See It In Action
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