Green Glazed Stoneware Bowl From Target’s Hearth & Hand With Magnolia Line by Chip & Joanna Gaines.
I had recently tested some small Pioneer Woman ceramic bowls, and found them to be positive for Lead (Pb). As a result, I started looking out for other kitchen products with celebrity names attached to test for potential toxicants — and came across the Hearth & Hand with Magnolia line (for Target) by Chip & Joanna Gaines. Since the Hearth & Hand line had several small ceramic bowls similar to the ones from Pioneer Woman (and other products that might test positive for Lead), I decided to order a few products from this line (direct from Target) – with some help from my readers – so that I could test them for Lead myself.
Related: #AskTamara: What do you use to test for Lead?
In scrolling through the Hearth & Hand with Magnolia products on Target’s website, I saw several items that would be good candidates to test with an XRF instrument – as my experience (testing similar items made of the same or similar materials by other companies) suggested they might test positive for Lead.
While I always hope that these products end up being Lead-free, I have tested enough products that I have found to unexpectedly have Lead (even a few that were/are marketed and sold as “Lead-Free”!) – that I never really trust that any product will necessarily truly be Lead-free without doing some actual testing myself.
The XRF test results for the small green bowl pictured here were as follows (each test done was at least 60 seconds long and multiple tests were done on each component to confirm the levels.):
Green Glazed Portion of Bowl:
- Lead (Pb): Non-Detect (ND) / Negative
- Cadmium (Cd): Non-Detect (ND) / Negative
- Arsenic (As): Non-Detect (ND) / Negative
- Mercury (Hg): Non-Detect (ND) / Negative
- Barium (Ba): 3,243 +/- 144 ppm
- Chromium (Cr): 4,522 +/- 244 ppm
- Antimony (Sb): Non-Detect (ND) / Negative
- Selenium (Se): Non-Detect (ND) / Negative
- Zinc (Zn): 18,600 +/- 600 ppm
- Copper (Cu): 170 +/- 48 ppm
- Iron (Fe): 1,352 +/- 201 ppm
- Vandium (V): 5,681 +/- 267 ppm
- Titanium (Ti): 11,500 +/- 500 ppm
- Zirconium (Zr): 4,151 +/- 128 ppm
- Cobalt (Co): 294 +/- 95 ppm
- Magnesium (Mn): 1,043 +/- 349 ppm
Unglazed Ceramic Bottom of Bowl:
Multiple tests were done of the unglazed bottom of the bowl, some were positive for very low levels of Lead (as noted below) and some were completely negative. This is just one sample / representative set of results from the bottom of the bowl.
- Lead (Pb): 31 +/- 12 ppm
- Cadmium (Cd): Non-Detect (ND) / Negative
- Arsenic (As): Non-Detect (ND) / Negative
- Mercury (Hg): Non-Detect (ND) / Negative
- Barium (Ba): 917 +/- 61 ppm
- Chromium (Cr): Non-Detect (ND) / Negative
- Antimony (Sb): Non-Detect (ND) / Negative
- Selenium (Se): Non-Detect (ND) / Negative
- Zinc (Zn): 60 +/- 20 ppm
- Iron (Fe): 21,500 +/- 800 ppm
- Bismuth (Bi): 63 +/- 14 ppm
- Vanadium (V): 522 +/- 58 ppm
- Titanium (Ti): 4,525 +/- 212 ppm
- Magnesium (Mn): 2,833 +/- 343 ppm
So overall, I was pleasantly surprised with the levels on this bowl!
I was excited to find the green glaze (which is consistently and thickly applied) is Lead-free (and free of other toxicants as well).
I would give this product a “Grade A-“, and while given my own super-stringent “zero tolerance” policy (as a stand, I believe that – while it isn’t necessarily always easy – it is definitely possible to achieve products that are consistently literally completely Lead-free), I might not choose to have a full set of these in my home, with “trace” readings as low as these, I would certainly regard these bowls as “Lead-safe” — and would be comfortable eating off of them if you served me food in them when I was visiting your home.
These bowls are actually super cute too. I like this new trend of asymmetrical forming of new ceramic items (seemingly rough edges and wibbly sides, that are molded and the same across all pieces.)
I think it’s truly terrific that they obviously made an intentional effort to make sure the glazes are lead-free. That doesn’t happen by accident!
As always, thank you for reading and for sharing my posts.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Tamara Rubin
#LeadSafeMama
To see more ceramic items I have tested for Lead, Click Here.
To read more about my concern for Lead in pottery and dishware, Click Here.
Hi Tamara,
I don’t know if you have seen – Target now says that they have 3rd party tested all food contact items and that they meet safety requirements for lead and other potential toxins.
Here is an example of a question asked about the “Made By Design” glass dishware and mugs:
Q: Are these mugs lead free?
submitted by
Sharan
— 2 months ago
A: Hi Sharan – Great question. At Target we take the safety of our guests and the products we sell seriously. As a result all Target food contact items have been tested by independent 3rd party laboratories and meet all FDA requirements for food contact items, including phthalates, BPA, and lead. We hope this information helps! – Missy
submitted by
Missy — 2 months ago
Here is the link to that product:
https://www.target.com/p/glass-stackable-mugs-12-5oz-white-set-of-6-made-by-design-153/-/A-53142661
In my search on Target’s site, I saw similar questions about lead and other toxins answered by different Target representatives with this answer. Do you have any recommendations about this?
My feeling is that the FDA standards are most likely not as stringent as we would like.
Thank you for your help.
Hi Melissa!
It sounds like someone at Target corporate may have watched our videos – LOL! I expect that all new Target-sold product passes leach testing, but that does not mean it is lead-free. My concern is for the longevity of pieces that contain lead and the fact that they may pass leach testing at the time of manufacture – but may fail leach testing after regular normal use for years. As a result I do not believe that leach testing standards are sufficient to be protective of human health in the long run. Here’s my post discussing that: https://tamararubin.com/topics/does-vintage-and-new-functional-pottery-and-dishware-have-unsafe-levels-of-lead/
Tamara
Thanks very much Tamara. This is really helpful.
Sending blessings to you and your family!
Thank you for this, I’ve been looking and shopping around and this is now one possible candidate to replace my stuff with.
You are welcome! thanks for commenting!
T
Have you tested the Elama dinnerware from Target? It’s pretty but its made in China so that makes me wonder if it’s safe.
I haven’t tested any new target-sold brands in the last year or two. Is it a new one? Can you share a link with me?
Thanks!
Tamara
Hi Tamara,
Could you please test this water bottle from Target?
https://www.target.com/p/zulu-swift-40oz-stainless-steel-water-bottle-black/-/A-83522360
Thank you!
Have you tested there silverware? I know that it’s stainless steal, but what about the coating that makes it black?