Many of the products in Byons assortment are handmade and/or hand blown. That means they can vary in colour, shape and structure which is part of the charm and design of the product. Every piece is unique and special and has a personal character, lovable just the way it is.
[b]Product materials in Byons assortment
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Glass
Byon always uses high quality glass, usually made of so-called soda-lime glass or soda-lime-silica glass as it is also called. Basically all of Byons drinking glasses can be washed in the dishwasher. There are both hand blown glasses and normal glasses in the assortment. The glasses that can withstand heat are made of borosilicate glass. Byon also uses crystal glass in selected candle holders. Crystal glass is relatively soft and is often used for items with cut facets.
Ceramics
All ceramics from Byon are of high quality. The type of ceramics used for different products is chosen based on its design and functionality. You will find these types of ceramics in Byons assortment.
Porcelain
Porcelain consists of kaolin, feldspar and quartz. By mixing the various components in different ways you can create materials with varying character and appearance.
Bone china
Bone china in addition to the classic porcelain components also contains calcium phosphate. The china has a distinct white glow as a base and is very durable and impact resistant. Thanks to its strength you can create very thin services and the material is generally seen as both classic and exclusive. Bone china is also slightly more expensive than other types of porcelain. In Byons assortment you will find this material in the services Blackroot and Asparagus.
Stoneware
Stoneware is a rustic material which is made of clay and quartz. Its more porous than normal porcelain and has a grey or brown base which can be glazed in different colours. The material is burned at very high temperatures and is usually oven safe.
Earthenware
Earthenware is by far the most common type of ceramic clay, not entirely different from stoneware. Unlike stoneware earthenware is burned at lower temperatures, around 1000 degrees, which contributes to its rustic and genuine look. As earthenware is very porous its suitable for adding beautiful decorations, but it has to be glazed to be waterproof. Both dolomite and terracotta are various types of earthenware. Dolomite is more porous and fragile than both bone china and stoneware.
Textiles
You will find these types of textiles in Byons assortment.
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Cotton[/b]
Cotton is a type of textile material originating from the cotton bush. The advantages of cotton are many and include among others high wear resistance, washability and good moisture absorption. Cotton is also kind to the skin and resistant to corrosive substances. In Byons assortment you usually find OEKO TEX certified organically farmed cotton.
Linen
Linen is a manageable natural fibre with durable properties and a good ability to absorb moisture and it dries quickly. Linen is a woven fabric made of plant fibres from flax. It differs from cotton by being straighter, stiffer and glossier. Dirt comes more easily loose from linen than from cotton and can therefore be washed at lower temperatures.
Velvet
Velvet is a woven fabric whose face side is covered with dense short pile. The technique to weave velvet is more than 800 years old and velvet was probably woven in Italy already in the 13th century.
In Byons assortment you will find velvet made of both cotton and synthetics.
Wool
Wool has good properties which means you don’t need to wash it as often. The wool in itself is dirt repellent. This is because wool contains natural fats.
Polyester
Polyester is a synthetic material with plastic fibres which are elastic and very resistant to different kinds of weather and wear.
Acrylic
Acrylic is a synthetic fibre. The material has been developed to look like wool and is often used as a subcomponent in for example blankets.
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Metals[/b]
In Byons assortment there are different kinds of metals with varying functions which also create different expressions in their design.
Stainless steel
Stainless steel is very durable but a common misconception about stainless steel is that it doesn’t rust at all, which however it can do in certain environments. Therefore, be careful to wipe the material dry after washing up.
Aluminium
Aluminium is a soft light metal which is silvery to grey in its colour, has a low weight, high strength and doesn’t rust. It is easy to join together and shape. It can for example be cast, galvanized or hammered. In Byons assortment you will find many products in recycled aluminium.
Tin
Tin is a smooth and moldable metal which is extracted from the mineral tin stone. Tin has been used since antiquity and has played a major role in our history.
Sorts of wood
Byon uses different kinds of wood for different purposes in the products. It is about both design and function. These are the sorts of wood found in Byons assortment.
Acacia wood
Acacia trees are a plant species in the pea family. Acacia is a hard and durable kind of wood which is well suited for outdoor furniture. Sometimes called hardwood.
Mango wood
Mango trees are a plant species in the sumac family. You’ll find the wild variety in the southern parts of Asia, but with the help of humans it has spread to most warm and tropical regions in the world. Mango wood is durable with properties reminding of those of the oak tree, but it grows more than twice as fast.
Willow wood
Willow wood has soft and flexible branches which have been used since ancient times. It is common mostly in baskets or furniture where the wood needs to be plaited.
Oak wood
Oak is a heavy, hard and semi-tough type of wood. Oak is naturally durable and has good moisture resistance. Much of Byons oak wood comes from certified grown wood.
Plywood
Plywood is a sheet of thinner cross-laminated veneers which are glued and pressed together under high pressure during heat treatment, into a relatively sturdy and dimensionally stable product.
Bamboo
Bamboo is an excellent material seen from an aspect of both sustainability and environment. Bamboo is a fast-growing raw material which doesn’t demand artificial watering or any pesticides and which can grow in nutrient-poor earth.
Plastic
Plastic is a collective name for a large group of semi-synthetic or synthetic materials. Plastics are divided into two main groups, thermoplastics and thermosetting plastics. Thermoplastics is a kind of plastic which after it has been shaped can be melted down again and reused. Thermosetting plastics however cannot be melted again after hardening without destroying its chemical structure. Byon partially uses recycled plastic, which is so-called thermoplastic.
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Polyresin[/b]
Polyresin is made of residual materials mostly from ceramics and plastic and mixed into a durable material.
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Stone
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Sandstone
Sandstone is formed through joint cementation of grains of sand. The colour, as well as the tinges in the stone, can vary but sandstone is usually grey, beige, yellow or red and often has inset patterns.
Take care of your Byon products
For your Byon products to last for a long time you need to take good care of them. Here we have collected some useful tips and advice on maintenance.
Keep this in mind!
- Follow the instructions about the product, wash by hand if needed, or dry off with a damp cloth.
- Find out if the product is food safe if you are going to use it in the kitchen or with food.
Care advice for your porcelain:
Thanks to its dense surface porcelain is quite easy to clean. Persistent dirt can therefore easily be removed. With the following care advice your porcelain will remain beautiful for a long time to come:
• Make sure to dose the detergent correctly. In that way the lustre of the porcelain will last, and lime stains can be prevented. To remove lime you can use vinegar mixed with water or lemon juice.
• Tea and coffee can in the long run cause ugly stripes on the porcelain. To remove this discolouration mix the detergent with 2-3 tablespoons of lemon acid. If there is a harder type of coating, you can mix dishwasher detergent with white washing powder in hot water (1/2 dl powder per liter water). Add the solution and leave it for a couple of hours, wash the porcelain and rinse well.
• Since the surface of the porcelain is harder than the metal of the cutlery, this may result in cutlery marks on the porcelain. These show up as grey stripes in the glaze. In many cases they can be polished away with universal panacea or cleaning detergent for ceramic slabs.
• Avoid sudden temperature shocks! A sudden change in temperature can harm the porcelain. You should therefore avoid rinsing hot plates in cold water and avoid heating cold plates too quickly.
• If you want to keep your porcelain in good shape for a long time you should use rinse aid solutions. This minimizes friction and you avoid ugly scratches on your plates when stacking them and the porcelain will be less sensitive to metal markings.
• Remember to rinse your porcelain straight after a meal as leftovers can discolour sensitive decor. This is extra important when you have eaten food with strong acids, for example apples and lemon.
• Try not to slide the plates over each other when stacking them in the cupboard. This is definitely the main reason for creating scratches in the glaze!
• Never heat your porcelain in the microwave oven if its decorated with some form of metal. The metal can react by crackling and flashing.
• If you have burnt food on your oven-safe dishes you can remove it by putting them to soak in water mixed with detergent. After about 30 minutes you can wash away the leftovers. Never use scouring powder, steel wool or similar as it scratches the glaze and the porcelain can become worn and matt.
Care advice for other products:
- Glass expands when you heat it and you should therefore not stack the glasses while they are still warm after being washed up. Then they can get stuck to each other and break. Hot glasses that come straight out of the dishwasher should cool off before you fill them with cold water.
- Place the glasses on the top shelf in the dishwasher and preferably with some space between them to avoid contact during the dishwashing.
- Stainless steel is durable but, if you mistreat it, it can start to rust. Therefore, make sure you keep the material dry after cleaning it.
- Never put a cutting board of wood in the dishwasher - that dries it out and can create cracks in the wood. Environmentally labeled dishwashing detergent and water is good enough for daily cleaning. Remember to wash your cutting board straight after it has been used and rinse it in cold water.
Take care of your furniture:
Our furniture are made of different materials like for example massive wood, MDF, steel, glass and textile.
Wood is a fantastic natural material but it is affected by factors like moisture, light and heat. Even surface-treated, painted or lacquered furniture can be affected by outer circumstances. For example, wood can shrink in a dry climate and expand in a damp environment.
• Wipe up spilled liquid immediately with a dry cloth, some liquids like coffee and red wine can quickly discolour the surface.
• Don’t place furniture in direct sunlight. If it is protected it will keep its original nuance much longer than if unprotected. However, don’t cover the same area for more than a few days in a row.
• Don’t place your furniture close to a heat source (like radiators for example).
• Don’t place warm or damp objects directly on the surface, like plates, glasses, mugs, pots, candles and vases etc.
• Don’t place coloured candles, tape or stickers on the surface.
• Screws and fittings should be controlled and tightened up now and then to keep the steadiness and function of the furniture.
Although the massive wood we use is dried and treated to avoid cracks and deformations, it continues to release and absorb moisture as it is a natural material. Thus, it can shrink or expand which can create small cracks, this doesn’t affect the strength and is not considered a defect. Here in Scandinavia we are particularly affected over the winter months due to the dry indoor climate during this period.