Colourful Soapstone Hippo: 8½ x 5cm, Hand Carved | Fair Trade

£4.20

Simple and beautiful
Hand carved in Kenya
Fair trade, ethical

Colour

Clear

🏠 Local Pickup: Ready for collection in 24 hours at our Trinity Market shop.

Description

Soapstone Hippo

This friendly soapstone hippo was hand carved by skilled artisans in Kenya and is both simple and beautiful. It would make a lovely gift for hippo collectors, animal lovers, and anyone who appreciates unusual artefacts.

In a choice of colours, each hippo is embellished with elegant etchings.

What is soapstone?

Soapstone is the name given to rocks that contain a high amount of talc. It is also known as soap rock or steatite. The majority of the worlds soapstone originates from Kisii in the western highlands of Kenya and so is home to the best soapstone artisans and carvers.

The soapstone is immersed in water to make it softer before carving. Using a hammer and chisel the main shape is carved out and colour then added. A smaller knife, known as a kisu, is then used for the engraved design or illustration.

Believed to have calming properties, it is said that soapstone can help a person adapt and cope with change. It is associated with the Root Chakra, the number 7, the zodiac sign Sagittarius, and the element Air

These items are carved and painted by hand so the one you receive could differ slightly from the pictures shown

Did you know…?

No mechanisation is applied to the mining or carving of soapstone – it is all done entirely by hand. Quarries are back-filled and after 5-10 years the soapstone begins to reform, making this a wonderfully sustainable product.

Size: 8½ x 5cm

Material: Soapstone

Origin: Kenya

Credentials: Sustainable, fair trade (from a BAFTS-registered supplier), ethical

See our full range of gift ideas. All ethically sourced, of course!

Postage & Delivery

We want your fair trade finds to reach you safely and swiftly! We use Royal Mail Tracked services so you can follow your parcel’s journey from our shop in Hull right to your front door.

Standard Delivery: From £4.15 (Tracked 48).
Need it faster? Tracked 24 and Next Day options are available at checkout for those "I need it now" moments.
Greeting Cards: Sent 1st Class for just £1.90.
Click & Collect (The Hull Special): Live nearby? Skip the postage and select Local Pickup at checkout. You can swing by our shop in Trinity Market to grab your goodies for free. Why not make a trip of it and grab a Fairtrade brew at KarmaCorner while you're here?

When will we post your goodies? We aim to get your order on its way the very next working day after payment. If you order over the weekend or on a Bank Holiday, we’ll be refreshed and ready to post it on the next available working day.