One of the earliest examples of stacking mugs can be traced back to the 1930s, when a company called Melitta introduced a set of porcelain cups and saucers that could be stacked together for storage. The cups and saucers were developed in response to the need for more efficient and space-saving designs in the kitchen and dining room with the design proving so popular that other companies began to develop their own versions of stacking mugs and cups. In the 1950s and 1960s, stacking mugs became even more popular with the rise of mid-century modern design. Many designers embraced the idea of minimalism and functionality, and stacking mugs fit perfectly into this aesthetic. Some people also collect stacking mugs as a hobby with so many vintage and retro designs available for collectors to seek out from iconic brands such as Franciscan, Pyrex, Fire King.

As with most hobbies and subcultures, the Japanese especially have some of the worlds most incredible collections of vintage tableware and stacking mugs with entire stores dedicated to and full of pieces from the brands above. In recent years with the rise of mid-century modern design or #mcm for those lurking Instagram and Facebook Marketplace for retro bargains, stacking mugs have made a huge revival and are without a doubt some of the most popular products in our store.

The Stack Mug from Japanese brand CHIPS, is hands down the store favourite and is available in a great range of colours including the 'splash' colours which have a confetti or 'hundreds and thousands' style speckled colour through the glaze.