Ironclad Pan Co. Handmade to be Handed-Down

The last few years have taught us a lot about ourselves. We have found new communities, we have discovered just how resilient we are, and, for many of us, we have re-evaluated what is important.

One of the companies to emerge from the pandemic was The Ironclad Pan Co. Their goal was simple: to put the planet, community and quality ahead of profit.

“It was a lot easier in theory than in practice,” laughs Kate Slavin, co-founder and head of design. “All we knew was that we would make good decisions, and ‘good’ doesn’t always mean the most profitable.”

The result was an ethical and sustainable cookware brand that makes products of such a high quality they can be handed-down for generations. Guaranteed.

Goal set, Kate and her husband Levi Slavin teamed up with business partner, Joe Carter and chef and film director, Felicity Morgan-Rhind to release their first product—a 100% recycled cast iron skillet made by hand right here in New Zealand.

At the time, the aptly named Legacy Pan was the only one being made in Aotearoa. Since then a couple of other skillet companies have appeared, but Ironclad is the only that offers a 100-year guarantee.

This little family company was so confident in the quality of their product, they cast their 100-year or Three Generation Guarantee™in iron on the base of each skillet.

That’s a true commitment to quality.

As it turns out, Ironclad’s no compromise approach to sustainability and ethical manufacturing wasn’t just a good decision, it was the right decision. Their ethos quickly caught the attention of like-minded kiwis.

“It was wonderful to see that so many people shared our values,” says Joe Carter, “It’s not easy for a brand to stand for something—I mean, truly stand for something. I think that’s why so many avoid doing it.”

But stand for something they did. And it has certainly worked.

Ironclad’s range now includes a 28cm and 20cm skillet, a sublime Dutch Oven, a family size Grande Legacy, and an innovative Grande Legacy Grill.

They have also released The Recipe Vault, a free digital platform that helps families store and share their treasured family recipes.  

Now the kiwi company is applying their ethos to the whole kitchen. Including an ingenious range of “Planet Safe” knives that use a plastic alternative made from wool.  

The brand has also launched in Australia. “We were getting a lot of requests from Australian customers to ship our products,” explains Joe Carter, “But what makes our product special is that it isn’t mass-manufactured in a hidden factory and shipped globally.”

To maintain their handcrafted quality, and to reduce the environmental impact of global shipping, the team took the leap and opened Ironclad Pan Co., Australia.

The New Zealand brand’s Australian cousin is still family run. In fact, it’s run by Levi’s cousin. With operations handled by Levi and Kate’s brother-in-law.

From humble beginnings as a small, local business, Ironclad Pan Co. is on a mission to create a global community who care about the food that they eat, how they cook it, and the planet that they leave behind.

Shop Ironclad's incredible range online at ironcladpan.com for nationwide delivery.

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