Mini Ceramic Vase
Highly decorative mini ceramic vessels for the cutest mini arrangements
These decorative vessels are handcrafted in a family workshop in the community of San Juan de Oriente, Nicaragua.
They make lovely gifts and wonderful ornaments.
*Please note that these are unsealed, so are not meant to hold water
They also come in hundreds of different shapes and colours so we will try to match your request as closely as possible.
The beautiful patterns have been etched by hand in Nicaragua by using sharpened bicycle spokes in a technique called "scrafitto."
Approximate size
7.5cm tall x 5cm wide
Care
Clean with a soft cloth
Do not put in the dishwasher
How these mini ceramic vessels are made
These mini ceramic vessels are made in Nicaragua from freshly collected clay on a traditional manual kick-wheel and fired on a large outdoor kiln.
The artisans are masters of a very detailed geometric work that can be seen on these ornaments. Each piece is gridded out on the vessel and then the surface is meticulously scratched using a sharpened bicycle spoke, a technique called "scrafitto."
How your purchase can make a difference
Known as the "land of lakes and volcanoes" Nicaragua is also home to the second-largest rain-forest of the Americas and a popular tourist destination. However it is also among the poorest countries in the Americas and 48% of the population of Nicaragua live below the poverty line, with 79.9% of the population living on less than $2 per day
Fairtrade benefits to communities
Your purchase will help support families like Don Leopoldo Potosme and Sara in the ceramic community of San Juan de Oriente, Nicaragua.
In this community house and workshop are often integrated as one. The home of Leopoldo and Sara is no different, and with nine family members sharing the space, they literally eat, sleep and breathe pottery. The Potosme family has four children, two of whom, with their spouses, help to produce the orders for Women of the Cloud Forest.
With the proceeds from their Fair Trade crafts, they have been able to send their youngest son to medical school!
About the suppliers
Women of the Cloud Forest has been working in fair trade since 2001 and have direct, long-term relationships with small family workshops and cooperatives in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Peru. In addition to placing consistent orders with their artisan partners, they provide business training and product development/design and offer no-interest micro-loans and direct grants for workshop capacity building.
This holistic approach to business enables their artisan partners to grow their businesses and access new markets without creating cycles of dependency.
Karakorum introduces you to artisans of the world and the beautiful stories behind their products. This ethical home decor brand is a joyous celebration of traditional crafts, small business and fair trade practices.
Karakorum is named after the former capital of the Moghul Empire, one of the most important cities on the Silk Road, despite its small size. Likewise, the brand is a small-but-mighty route for trade from around the world.
A scroll through the Karakorum collection is like looking into the shop window of global artisans. Find candles crafted in Eswatini alongside Indian throws, Moroccan lanterns and Guatemalan sugar skull mugs.
All Karakorum products have a special story and significance. Even more importantly, everything in the range is ethically made and sourced. That means the makers get a fair wage, there’s no exploitation in the supply chain, women are treated equally and the local community benefits from Karakorum’s trade.
Whether you’re after a memorable, meaningful gift or a piece you can show off in your own home with pride – the Karakorum collection is the place to find it.
