Vanua Clay Pottery

This time Tai’s freediving trips inspired a fish soap holder. Simple and unmistakeably fishy, this soap holder features 3 draining holes to keep your favourite soap dry.

A fun piece bound to brighten up any bathroom! 

The designs on this fish wall hanging are based on the masi/tapa design (more commonly referred to as Masi in Fiji). Because Tai is from the Lau group of islands, they call the design Tapa, a slight regional difference in name. Masi/tapa is the paper made from the inner bark of the paper mulberry tree. This is a standard masi design for Fijian printing.

Tapa/masi cloth designs are traditionally found in wall hangings, but Tai said 'why not incorporate them into our pottery?'. This gives the Vanua Clay pieces a unique edge; each piece is a culmination of the diverse creativity and beauty seen around Fiji by Tai and Lavenia.  

The Hibiscus is a big, red flower that grows everywhere in Fiji. It has large petals which make it ideal to hold soaps of all sizes, with a drainage hole in the centre of the flower.

This soap dish would particularly suit those who make their own soaps or prefer soaps with more unique designs, due to its larger size.

Hibiscus is also a festival in Fiji which first started in 1956. The Hibiscus Festival is held every August in Suva, with a beauty pageant and crowning of the ‘Hibiscus Queen’.

This Fiji wall hanging is a great reminder of the tropical fish that can be seen swimming along in Fiji’s pristine waters. This simple yet elegant fish wall hanging can be mounted on the wall through the hole at the top, either by putting a nail through it or using string.

A lovely momento of a snorkelling trip in Fiji, or in Tai’s case, freedriving trips in his native Lau waters. This piece is bound to bring a smile to your face and remind you of the sunshine waters of Fiji.