Long accustomed to formal dining, tableware companies are now taking a more casual approach. That much was evident last week at the Tabletop Show in New York as companies set their designs on attracting younger consumers—especially through licensing.

This focus on casual dining is not necessarily a new trend, but rather one that picked up speed during the pandemic when meals were less formal and mix-and-match place settings became de rigeuer. And it is being driven by 18- to 40-year-old consumers who are more attuned to a less formal lifestyle.

Lenox, for example, has cut back its crystal and fine china offerings in favor of more colorful—and licensed—Kate Spade dinnerware, a brand that’s been a company staple for 20 years.

At the same time, Lenox is increasing its assortment of travel mugs, coffee mugs, and water bottles, in large part through its acquisition of Cambridge Silversmiths, said Chief Marketing Officer Andrea Page. This includes licensed travel mugs and drinkware from chef Robert Irvine. (Cambridge previously focused on cutlery, kitchen prep products, and bakeware under the same brand.)

Overall, however, Lenox is narrowing the scope of its licensing program as agreements with Thomas O’Brien (through the purchase of Reed & Barton), Marchesa, Domino, and others are ending, Page said. Moving forward, new offerings will include mugs inspired by major franchises like Star Wars.

“We were previously more focused on adding [new brands], which was a big investment,” said Page. However, those agreements didn’t always generate the necessary return. “Casual is just where people are going and couples now don’t necessarily register [for weddings] for formal and casual, and it’s more about one set that fits all, or casual and holiday sets.”

Certified International has long been focused on licensed artists Susan Winget and Lisa Audit, and introduced new dinnerware, bowls, and platters with their designs in spring 2022. Certified is also emphasizing Chinese fashion illustrator Rongrong Devoe as well as the Lolita brand, whose backstories are almost as important to younger consumers as the finished products themselves, said Ralph Girardi, product development manager at Certified.

“The upstairs, more formal tabletop category has slowed down because consumers are more casual all the time,” Girardi said. “There is a market for the elegant but it’s aspirational, and the new designs are [more] affordable in the $40-$50 range for a place setting.”

The mix-and-match approach also lends itself to multi-purpose dinnerware. Stone Lain, for example, licensed sculptor and celebrity artist Roy Nachum for bowls that could be used for pasta, ice cream, or salad, said Gabrielle Ezerzer,  innovation manager and associate sales director. The company also has an agreement with fashion designer Christian Siriano for dinnerware that will ship in the spring. And Fiskars’ Waterford, which is pretty much defined by formal dining, has opened its first U.S. pop-up store in the trendy Soho neighborhood in New York.

This shift to more causal offerings comes as tabletop companies report that shipping delays, while still unpredictable, are returning to more manageable levels at 3-4 weeks and as pricing for 40-foot containers drops into the $7,000-$9,000 range, down from more than $20,000 at the peak of the logistics crunch, said industry executives.

And while retailers are still working through excess inventory of seasonal goods, they’re returning to a more standard ordering pattern after many new orders were halted earlier in the year.

“I think, in their minds, retailers are cautious but they are not showing that when it comes to buying and things seem to be returning to normal,” said Jamie Frederick, sales and development manager at Zrike.