A couple years after going vegan, I ordered a pretty new set of dinnerware. Online, the description read "porcelain" but when they arrived in person, the back of the dishes themselves said "bone porcelain". Having heard of bone china, or fine china, I suddenly decided to search for what that actually meant. Turns out, it refers to the literal (animal) bones it is made with. My plates and bowls obviously went back to the store. Fortunately, the days of registering for this stuff when you got married are phasing out and, while bone china or bone porcelain still exist, there are various alternatives today—from ceramic, stoneware and earthenware to glass and bamboo. Check the dishes to be sure.