The Milk Jug by Selab + Alessandro Zambelli

Estetico Quotidiano starts with objects we throw away after use—plastic water bottles, cups, egg cartons, sugar bowls, food trays—and recreates them in porcelain or glass. The design corrects almost nothing from the original: the ridges of a molded bottle, the square section of a milk carton, the lid that tops a jar all remain. What changes is the material, and with it, the object's lifespan: what once went into the trash is now washed and put away. The porcelain pieces are dishwasher and microwave safe. The volumes are those of disposable items—small, stable, and easy to stack—which makes them better suited for the everyday table than a display case. The collection was born in 2006 from the meeting between Seletti and Alessandro Zambelli and now includes about forty items, which can be combined without forming a matching set.

Where the design comes from

The manufacturer summarizes the collection in one sentence: simple shapes inspired by single-use products, where the everyday object becomes a design object. It is also the first collaboration between Seletti and Alessandro Zambelli, and remains the most extensive in his catalog for the brand.