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Independent carvers in the Tabaka area of Kisii county, Kenya. Buying a piece supports those makers and the local carving trade directly.

Some pieces are left in the natural grey; others are tinted with a safe mineral colour that deepens the stone's own tones. Both are polished to the same smooth finish.

Wipe with a soft dry cloth. For a bowl, rinse in lukewarm water and dry straight away. Avoid harsh cleaners or soaking, and keep pieces out of direct heat.

Soapstone is soft enough to carve but hard enough for daily use. Treat a sculpture or bowl with ordinary care — handle it by its body, keep it away from hard falls, and it will last for years.

Yes. Each piece is cut from a block, carved with hand tools, sanded and polished by individual makers in and around Tabaka. Because it is handmade, every piece differs slightly in grain and tone.

It is a soft, workable stone quarried in the hills of western Kenya around the town of Tabaka. Its smooth, slightly soapy feel is what gives it the name.