As they point out on their website, just about everything started out with a hammer. It was the peak of technology at some point and probably was for a very long time. Maybe it still is. The important thing is to note what can still be done with some steel, a hammer, and someone swinging it.

From Teroforma:

At some point, the hammer was the leading edge of technological innovation. Used by skilled craftsmen, this invention allowed the creation of entire civilizations, which in turn created more inventions and found new things to build. But somewhere along the way, it seems a lot like our inventions started using us. When we set out to work with steel, we wanted to make sure that our partners were committed to processes where humans still “held the hammers.” Our 18/10 stainless steel flatware is made by two renowned steel foundries in Italy and Portugal whose approach represents a melding of traditional techniques with modern technology.

Teroforma, founded by Anna & Andrew Hellman is essentially a collaboration with 22 artisans from 14 countries. The goal of Teroforma is to produce beautifully hand-crafted objects, ethically crafted and fairly traded. See it all here: Teroforma

Lolo Series designed by José Joaquim Ribeiro (Portugal)

A good designer knows how to reduce an object to its functional essence and then resist the temptation to do much more.