If you’ve ever been served an Instagram Ad for the Always Pan or seen someone raving about a new chic pan that not only does the job of a ton of the tools in the kitchen, but also looks beautiful enough to sit out on the stove all the time — no, it’s not a scam or a hoax.
The company, Our Place, known for it’s popular non-stick, non-toxic pan that steams, sautés, cooks grains, simmers soups and sauces, and more, is truly one of the greatest pans and brands out there. No more using three or four pans just to get dinner on the table — you can do just about everything in this one pan. As promised, the Always Pan will replace eight pieces in your kitchen. Say goodbye to your steamer & strainer (each Always Pan has a steamer basket included!), saute pan, saucepan, saucier (which is just a rounded saucepan), skillet, fry pan, non stick pan, and built-in spoon rest. Not only do they promise to replace eight kitchen pieces in your pantry with one rockstar and ridiculously good looking pan, they also have strong philanthropic initiatives.
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Meet the founders of Our Place
Founded in September of 2019 by Shiza Shahid, her husband Amir Tehrani, and friend Zach Rosner, Our Place began with a mission to bring people together. “Our mission is to create products and experiences that celebrate cultures, honor traditions, and cultivate connections,” they state.
“We invest in factories with safe and ethical working conditions that pay above a living wage so that the people who make our products have time, energy, and resources to connect with the people they love.”
For each of their collections, they find partners who are working to create systems-based change in the communities that they share. The most recent charity that they partnered with was Feeding America. During the height of the COVID-19 crisis, they donated $25,000 and 250,000 meals. Not only did they give back to Feeding America, but they also donated $5,000 to the Equal Justice Initiative to support Black Lives Matter. And they didn’t stop there, Our Place also donated to IMMDEF Equal Justice Initiative, Fuel the People and Vote.org
From small artisan workshops to third-generation businesses creating dignified work for hundreds of people, their partners come from all over the world. The Always Pan factory is based in China and is run by a kickass woman who took over the factory when she married into the family business which dates back three generations.
After visiting 15 factories in person in order to find a factory making goods with the same amount of care that Our Place takes with their business, they landed on this one because of the dedication to balancing top-notch quality production with thought, care, and support for the factory team of 401 makers and administrators. The employees benefit from performance-based bonuses, health care, and regular professional development opportunities.
And if you didn’t know, the brand has a line of essentials outside of the Always Pan. Beautiful hand-blown glasses are sourced from a factory in Thailand that has been operating since 1974. The glasses are made from a portion of recycled glass and natural sand, and are naturally dyed. And that’s not all. For their ceramic plates and bowls, they source them from the Essential Ceramic Factory in China, which was founded in 1997 and has been growing ever since.
How You Can Support
Crafted with great attention to detail, the ceramic materials are made from a blend of recycled and virgin porcelain clay, and each of the Main Plates and Side Bowls are hand-finished and hand-painted. The factory employs 315 makers, which has an elected committee to represent production workers and meet regularly with management to maintain a high level of ethics in their workplace. All of the makers at the factory make above living wage and have full benefits and PTO provided by their employer.
With a deep commitment to the health of the earth we share, Our Place ensures that their products are made from thoughtful and responsible materials. The packaging is 100% free of plastics, is fully recyclable and biodegradable, and designed to eliminate the need for a shipper box. Since the pan is intended to replace 8 kitchen items, it’s also meant to reduce the number of items you need to buy.
This feature is part of our Brands Giving Back Series, where we’ll bring you all the latest news on brands that are giving back to the community, and how you can support by shopping online.
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