This charming orange heart is hand-made from soapstone and decorated with great carved detail. This eye-catching heart make the perfect gift idea for any good friend. The heart measures approximately 5cm x 5cm. Please note that as these items are all hand-made they can vary very slightly from piece to piece. This means they are unique pieces but as we are never sent anything of a poor quality meaning we are sure you will love the item sent as the differences are only ever slight. The Kisii Soapstone is mined in south Kenya, not far from Lake Victoria. Once mined it can vary in colour but is a soft stone and easy to handle. It’s firstly cut into manageable blocks and then grated and rasped to the final shapes by the artisans. Each piece is sanded to get the quality finish and then dyed to the required colours. Patterns are incised with a very sharp knife by skilled workers and finally the item in polished with a natural wax to create a beautiful finish. Fair Trade and Environmental Policy: The aim is to buy high quality, ethically sourced and environmentally friendly products from disadvantaged producers from across the developing world in order to help people trade out of poverty. Our importer of the Kisii Soapstone items works with individual artisans, co-operatives and small businesses across the developing world. They are recognised by BAFTS, the British Association for Fair Trade Shops, as a Fair Trade importer. They make advance payments for materials to help suppliers buy raw materials and this ensures that the producers don’t have to take on debts in order to complete our orders and regular inspections to check that Fair Trade standards are adhered to. They also ensure that the workers are paid a fair price for the goods made. They also strive to make sure that men and women are paid the same rate while also aiming to ensure that no children under the age of 16 are involved in the production of any products. Another progression is that home workers produce many of these items, which provides them with a useful additional income whilst allowing them to look after their homes and families. Regarding the Environmental Policy. All these items are hand-made so no machinery or energy is used in the making of the products. Our importer does not air freight any of these items and they are imported in by sea to reduce the carbon footprint further.
