Cast iron cookware specs & selection guide finishes, sizes, weights, logos, packaging, MOQ and export documentation

Pre-seasoned bare cast iron is cast iron with vegetable oil baked on in several thin coats. As a material description, it has no synthetic nonstick coating: the seasoning is polymerized oil that the end user maintains by cooking, drying and lightly oiling. It is the most rugged option, goes on grills and campfires, and is usually the lower-cost finish.

Enameled cast iron carries porcelain (vitreous) enamel fused onto the iron. It needs no seasoning by the end user, suits acidic and long-simmered dishes, and sells on color — glossy, matte or gradient exteriors with a light or matte black interior. Enamel adds process steps and color matching, and enameled pieces need rim protection in packing.

US retail sizes dutch ovens by volume in quarts (1 US qt ≈ 0.95 L) and skillets, griddles and pans by top diameter or length in inches. Camp dutch ovens are named by diameter in inches. Typical retail ladders:

• Dutch ovens: about 2, 3, 5–6, 7 and 9 qt round; about 4–8 qt oval.
• Camping dutch ovens: 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 in, regular or deep (12 in regular ≈ 6 qt).
• Skillets: 6½, 8, 10¼, 12, 13¼ and 15 in; mini 3½–6½ in.
• Griddles: double-burner about 20 × 10½ in; square about 10½–11 in; round about 10½–12 in.
• Bakeware: loaf pans about 9 × 5 in or 8½ × 4½ in internal; pizza pans about 12–15 in.
• Woks: about 12–14 in.

Measuring conventions (top vs base diameter, brim-full vs working capacity) vary by brand, so we state the convention on your spec sheet and packaging.

Weight drives freight cost, carton specification and how the product feels to the end user. Wall thickness, lid style, handle design and machining all change it. Planning figures for pre-seasoned pieces (see the quick reference table below) are approximate; final weights are measured on samples and confirmed per SKU. Cast iron is dense, so containers usually hit their weight limit before they fill by volume.

Cast iron cookware is sand cast: molten iron is poured into sand molds made from a pattern. Surfaces come out with a light pebbled texture; interiors can be left as cast, shot-blasted or machined smooth at extra cost. New shapes need new patterns; existing patterns can be branded and finished differently for each buyer. Casting marks, gate finishing and flatness are checked at sample and inspection stages.

• Cast-in logo — raised or recessed in the casting, usually on the base, lid or handle. Permanent and premium; needs pattern work per design and is best for ongoing programs.
• Laser marking — engraved on bare iron, enamel or a wood handle. No casting tooling, suits small runs or several brands on one pattern.
• Knobs and fittings — branded metal knobs on enameled lids.
• Soft branding — hang tags, handle covers, header cards, gift boxes and care booklets.

Cast iron is heavy and can chip enamel or crack under hard impacts, so packaging is specified per SKU: color or gift boxes with pulp or corrugated inserts, rim protectors for enameled lids, nesting pads for sets, and master cartons rated for the weight. E-commerce sellers usually need parcel-ready cartons with drop protection; foodservice and wholesale buyers often take brown cartons in bulk packs.

What drives MOQ:

• Logo method — laser marking on a stock pattern starts lower than a cast-in logo or a new shape.
• Finish — standard seasoning starts lower than enamel; custom enamel colors and gradients have their own minimums.
• Packaging — printed gift boxes have print minimums; neutral cartons with a label start lower.
• Sets — each set configuration is its own SKU with its own box.
• Mixed SKUs — combining items in one order helps fill a container even when each SKU is small.

MOQ and lead time are quoted per SKU on every quotation. Send your RFQ via the inquiry form.

Food-contact rules, labeling requirements and accepted documentation differ by market and sales channel, and they apply to the specific materials in each SKU (bare iron and seasoning, enamel, knobs, handles, lids, accessories and packaging). We do not claim certifications or publish test results on this site. The process we follow:

1. Tell us your market and channel at the brief stage — country or region, retail, marketplace or foodservice — and any requirements your buyers or platforms specify.
2. We confirm on the quotation which documentation and third-party testing can be arranged for your SKUs, at which stage, and who bears the cost.
3. Testing is arranged per order with an accredited lab chosen or approved by you, on production-representative samples.
4. Labels and inserts — country of origin, care and use instructions and any market-specific warnings — are printed with the content your team approves.

Food-contact documentation and testing are arranged per the buyer’s market requirements and confirmed per order; no result is implied before that.