*Artist note: No matter how many precautions we take and no matter how "safe" or "non-toxic" resin companies may claim to be, resin pieces are formed through a chemical reaction that, when not careful, can cause harm to a person's health. Please always be mindful about how you are treating and using anything made out of or coated in resin, whether it comes from our shop or someone else's.
Food Safety - Are your resin pieces food safe? Is it safe to eat food off of your coasters/trays/etc?
The resin we use is food safe once fully cured. Resin takes 24 hours to harden, but 72 to 96 hours to fully cure. As we make pieces with multiple layers, a full cure is complete at the 96 hour mark for many of our products, and will reach our customers several days or weeks later.
*Placing hot drinks such as coffee or tea cups on resin coasters or warm plates on top of large resin trays is still safe to do. But we do not suggest eating hot food directly off of a resin coated item or placing hot pots from the oven/stove on top of resin-made or resin-coated items. Extreme heat will cause the resin to melt and release odors and toxins, rendering the piece unsafe for food use. Resin is NOT microwave or dishwasher-safe.
As an added precaution, all resin items are fully sanitized and washed with mild soap and water, before being individually packaged before shipping.
Heat Safety - Will your pieces melt in the heat? Are your pieces safe to be near heat?
Resin is best thought of as a sort of plastic. Plastic + heat = melting. Which isn't good, is it? Our cured resin can withstand warm temperatures, such as hot coffee or tea cups, or warm plates. But it cannot handle pots that were on the stove or in the oven. It is also not microwave or dishwasher-safe. Extreme heat will cause the resin to melt and deform, and in this process, discoloration as well as foul odors and toxins may release. Again, we would like to remind you that the resin we use is safe enough to be near food, but NOT when extreme temperatures change its properties, rendering it toxic.
What if I purchased a tsurikawa/Japanese handle from you, and want to put it in my car window/bumper/grill/underneath? Will it be affected by the sun?
Truthfully, overtime, yes. Like all resin pieces, whether it be from our shop or someone else's, resin will change color from being exposed to sunlight. The resin we use has UV stabalizers in it's mixture which helps to prolong the color quality of our pieces, but naturally over time, it will slightly change color from being in your car which may be exposed to the sunlight pretty often. If this is the case, please be mindful of the style of tsurikawas you are purchasing and where you will be displaying them. For example, if you purchase a design with transparent parts, we recommend not displaying it on the outside of your car as the sunlight may change its color properties much quicker than if it were inside, where you probably have tinted windows protecting it.
If you'd like more information on the resin we use, you can find it here!