History

Our Story

From a Fundraising Initiative to a Deep Connection

What is today a small company with a big vision began in a quiet and challenging time.

The pottery of Taizé has always been a part of the brothers’ life. People from all over the world travelled to the small village in the French Burgundy region to spend a few days in the brothers’ community. At the end of their stay, they would often take home a handmade piece from the monastery – as a reminder of a time of silence, prayer, and simplicity.

But in 2021, everything changed. The Covid pandemic made travel impossible, and as visitors stopped coming, so did the income. During this time, the brothers lived exclusively on fruit they had grown themselves. They did not complain. They worked, prayed, and trusted. For the brothers do not accept donations – this would contradict their principle of “Ora et Labora”. Only what they earn through their own work should sustain them.

During this time, our founder Charlotte streamed the prayers from Taizé every day, seeking comfort and guidance in the silence. When she learned about the brothers’ difficult situation, she wanted to help. But donations were not an option. So she had an idea: she purchased a large quantity of the pottery and offered it online. Anyone who wanted to help could do so by purchasing a piece from the pottery.

The response was overwhelming. Taizé friends around the world were delighted to finally have access to the pottery outside the monastery as well. The brothers themselves do not ship ceramics. Charlotte does. At first, from a tent in her garden in Salzburg. From there, the first packages made their way in every direction – each piece a symbol of connection.

What began as a relief initiative became a true labour of love. An idea grew into a close partnership. Today, we work in deep connection with the Communauté de Taizé and are privileged to exclusively distribute the brothers’ unique creations. In this way, we continue to support the community to this day – with every piece that finds a new home.