Hand-carved from soapstone by African craftsmen, this menorah is an elegant way to illuminate each night of Hanukkah. Each piece is mined from the Kisii hills of Kenya, and then chiseled and carved into shape. Because the artisans use rudimentary carving tools following traditional methods passed down through the ages, each piece will have differences in size, exact shape, and texture. Candle holes may possibly not be symmetrical. These nuances attest to the unique, one-of-a-kind beauty of each piece.
Measures 12 x 2.5 x 6 inches. Due to the hand-carved nature, the exact size may vary.
Weighs approximately 15 lbs.
Natural color stone. Colors may range from cream to grey to earthy gold in any single piece.
Soapstone is a soft stone, making it ideal for carving into many forms. Use care when handling to avoid breakage.
Each piece has gone through multiple stages of sanding and waxing, giving the soapstone a satiny finish.
Fair Trade, socially responsible products that help alleviate global poverty.
Story Behind the Art: Each sculpture is artfully hand-carved from a single piece of Kisii soapstone, found only in the hills of southwestern Kenya. Mining the soapstone from surface hills is a labor-intensive process, using little to no machinery. Laborers work with shovels, picks, axes, and machetes to carve out large soapstone chucks, which are then carved into beautiful art.
We believe that hardworking African artisans, producers, and export agents hold the key to their own personal success and that the path to success requires a steady, committed pace. We can extend each artisan's channel of trades from local markets to the global marketplace, all the while providing them with options to work from the comfort of their own homes and communities. Secure in the knowledge that the fair payment they receive will not be reduced by traveling expenses, childcare costs, and haggled prices, most artisans in the network promote their family's future by using earnings to put food on the table and pay educational expenses for their children.
Fair Trade Federation, a group of like-minded companies and organizations that adhere to:
providing fair payment to workers in developing nations
educating artisans and workers to increase their potential for advancement
ensuring the rights of children
developing products and processes that protect and conserve the natural environment
promoting fair trade as the standard in commercial exchanges
