The place where clay becomes art has existed since 1980. For over four decades, this ceramic workshop has been shaped by skilled hands and embraced by people who cherish handmade craft. The name VAIDAVA CERAMICS, however, is a more recent chapter of that story. It is the name the workshop has carried since 2019, when it marked a new era in its journey. In 2025, as a result of ownership changes, it was determined that this name deserved protection. Both our figurative and word trademarks were registered in the Trade Mark Register, a decision that, frankly, was long overdue.
Shortly after, something rather unexpected happened.
We are proud to share that our figurative trademark was awarded the Latvian Intellectual Property Award "Trademark of the Year 2025" in the category "Trademark of the Year for Latvia". It is the kind of recognition that stops you for a moment, reminding us of the dedication and effort behind our work.
And then came a second award, one we genuinely did not see coming. We received the Sympathy Award of the Latvian National Group of the International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property. Two awards in one day. We left with full hands and heart.
There is something worth explaining about the mark itself and it is a story that goes back much further than 1980.
The visual identity of the VAIDAVA figurative trademark is not decorative for decoration's sake. It draws from the comb - pit technique (in Latvian: ķemmes – bedrīšu tehnika), an ancient and traditionally Latvian method of decorating clay, where a comb-like tool is pressed or dragged across the surface to leave patterned impressions. It is one of the oldest known ceramic decorating techniques found on Latvian territory. The marks it leaves are simple, repetitive and deeply human. By protecting this mark, we ensure that the ancient artistry we have always carried in our hearts continues to find its rightful place on the modern table.