Our Place Cookware with FabFitFun

Our Place cookware and dinnerware is a startup co-founded by a husband and wife team and focused on direct-to-consumer business model. The company believes that every community opens up best in the kitchen and while sharing a meal, so this is why they are choosing kitchen as a place to start changing the world one home at a time.

Co-founder and chief executive, Amir Tehrani, spent his life in the cookware and kitchen business, while another co-founder, his wife, Shiza Shahid, co-founded the Malala Fund and spent a big part of her life supporting women education around the world. She also co-founded Now Ventures, an impact seed investment fund in Los Angeles.

When those two teamed up together, they created a company based on the principle of social mission and entrepreneur spirit that is aiming to transform communities, and also steeped in Amir’s knowledge of cookware business. Those both sides are responsible for a venture that focuses on consumer, celebrates cooking and uses it to inform everybody while selling high quality pots, pans, plates, and glasses to people who can afford them and who care about social responsibility. Overall it presents us with a well-rounded model of modern business that cares about a lot more than just making a profit.

The third partner of the startup is chief operating officer Zach Rosner, who helped build Everlane and MeUndies before and possesses insider knowledge about the inner makings a successful direct to consumer business.

The project is taking off with $2.35 million investment backing from FabFitFun and Will Smith’s Dreamers VC.

What else do we need to know about Our Place?

The first line of dinnerware and cookware was made in China and the first glassware was manufactured in Thailand. In the future the company plans to change it and have its collections made by artisans around the world that live in emerging markets. The next collection is being made Oaxaca, in the homes of local artisans. Everything is be made by hand and to perfection.

The company aims to teach local artisans to produce products at scale without sacrificing their exceptional quality, artisan nature and idea.

The end consumer is going to be informed about the cultural context of everything he buys, this way spreading the message about social impact and transformation of communities.

Direct-to-consumer market hasn’t been affected and disrupted by technological innovations because it is essentially made possible by technology from day one. And the industry is plenty big with lots of room for growth. In fact, cookware and dinnerware market is projected to be over $21 billion, while mattress industry is going to reach just $14 billion in US by 2021.

Amir Tehrani knows this industry inside out thanks to his grandfather who founded TableTops Unlimited, known for supplying white-label kitchenware, cookware, and dinnerware for decades. It’s this experience that brought big names like FabFitFun or Will Smith over to Our Place.

Those investors understood the potential and capabilities that Our Place possesses and they wanted to be a part of that. Cosmetics and beauty can definitely use some partnership from stylish cookware with a positive message of support and change for communities around the world.