Plastic and industrially lacquered objects keep their appearance for a very long time, then fail once and fail completely. Natural materials take another road: they change continuously and slowly, and most of those changes actually make them easier to look at.
Wood darkens and takes on a sheen where hands often touch it. Stone dulls and shows water marks. Unglazed ceramic absorbs colour from oil and water. Coarse cloth softens and fades. These four processes are normal rather than signs of damage, and knowing them in advance helps you choose the right place to put things.
Every material ages in its own way
- Wood: changes colour through light and through the oil from hands. What it fears most is standing water and sudden changes in humidity, because that is when wood cracks and warps.
- Stone: very strong against force but not against acid. Lemon juice, vinegar and strong cleaners leave dull streaks on a stone surface.
- Unglazed ceramic: porous, absorbing water and oil, so it changes colour according to how you use it. Glazed ceramic is far more stable.
- Linen and cotton: softer with every wash, and shrinking a little each time. Direct sun fades the colour fastest.
- Bark and woven pieces: very sensitive to humidity. Too dry and they turn brittle, too damp and mould sets in.
Three things that decide most of the outcome
The first thing is to avoid direct afternoon sun, because ultraviolet light fades colour and makes materials brittle. The second is to keep humidity from swinging sharply, which means not placing wood and woven pieces right in front of an air conditioner or dehumidifier. The third is to dry water off at once rather than waiting for it to evaporate.
Making cinnamon bark cups, we have found the bark itself is the part most sensitive to these changes. Bark left in a dry room for several weeks shrinks and its cracks open a little wider. This is an observation from the ZUNGZA workshop and also why we often tell customers not to put a cinnamon bark cup next to a cold draught.
Marks of use and marks of damage
You can tell the difference with one question: did that change come from using the piece properly, or from an accident. A surface that has taken on a sheen, an even darkening, edges rounding over time, these are marks of use and should be kept. Deep cracks, mould, dull chemical streaks on stone are damage and should be dealt with at once.
A few questions you often send us
Should wooden pieces be re-oiled
With wood finished in oil or wax, yes, on a cycle of a few months to a year depending on use. With wood under a gloss lacquer, no, because oil cannot penetrate and only leaves a sticky film on the surface.
Does the scent of a material fade away
The natural scent of wood and bark fades over time as the volatile components escape. It usually does not disappear entirely but retreats very quietly, and returns more clearly when the material is warmed or lightly rubbed.
Does a new piece need wiping before use
Usually a soft dry cloth is all that is needed. Avoid a soaking cloth, avoid cleaning agents, and avoid spray polish, because that coating attracts dust and seals the surface.