Black Mbabane footed bowl filled with ornamental gourds

Close-up of the speckled black surface of the Mbabane bowl with gourds

Black footed paper pulp bowl with a speckled texture on a white background

Terracotta footed bowl from Eswatini filled with gourds

Empty terracotta Mbabane bowl on a white background

Off-white footed paper pulp bowl with green gourds in sunlight

Mbabane Footed Bowl

Named after the capital of Eswatini, the Mbabane Bowl combines a generous, rounded form with an imposing pedestal base, giving it the presence of a sculptural centrepiece. Its lime surface adds depth to its understated silhouette.

Created in a woman-led workshop in Eswatini, the bowl begins its life as discarded newspaper. The paper is upcycled into paper pulp, shaped entirely by hand and left to dry in the sun for several weeks before being finished with a water-based varnish. This process turns an everyday material into a distinctive design object, with subtle variations that make each piece unique. Despite its substantial appearance, the Mbabane is surprisingly lightweight and moves easily from the dining table to a console or sideboard.

Style it with pine cones or seasonal ornaments to create an ever-changing centerpiece. Left empty, its sculptural proportions and richly textured surface speak for themselves, bringing design, materiality and contemporary African craftsmanship to the interior.

Material: newspaper recycled to paper-pulp, water-based varnish

Dimensions: 31 cm wide

Colours: Black, Off-white, Terracotta

Use: decorative

Each bowl is shaped by hand, so small differences between pieces are part of its character.

€149,00

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Color:

Black Off white Terracotta

Quantity:

Mbabane Footed Bowl

€149,00

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Who made it?

The artisans behind your product

A woman crouches in a gallery space holding a terracotta-colored sculptural vase. The room features minimalist columns, a concrete floor, and other decorative ceramic vases displayed on pedestals in the background and to the right.

Our partner

The woman-led social enterprise in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) crafts superb objects entirely made from 100% waste newspaper from a local magazine distributor. Experimental yet profoundly anchored in the majestic archetypical shapes of the African Continent, it manifests the encounter of imagination and heritage.

A close-up of a person's hand covered in white plaster or clay, smoothing the inside of a handmade vessel. The person wears a purple sleeve, and other clay pots and bowls are visible in the background.

A unique texture

While the collection looks like ceramics, every object is crafted from the paper pulp made in the workshop, then sundried during 4-6 weeks before it reaches us. The irregular texture and the colours originate from the landscapes of Southern Africa, giving the sculptural objects a strong presence and timelessness.

A woman wearing a beige apron over a black long-sleeve shirt sits in a pottery studio surrounded by handmade ceramic vases and sculptural vessels displayed on brick and concrete blocks against a beige plaster wall.

Empowering women

All the products are handmade by women who are employed full time at the workshop with permanent contracts. The team loves to collaborate and create - if you are an interior designer interested in bespoke colours or shapes, we can develop these together!

A woman in a patterned brown and black dress sits barefoot on a brick stool in a gallery space, holding a dark ceramic vessel. The room features various sculptural art pieces, terracotta tables, and a large wooden panel on the wall.

Light & Powerful

The expressiveness of the collections from Eswatini stuns us and as new objects appear, we are impressed by their strength and powerful presence. The collection encompasses lighting, objects and jewellery, all made from paper pulp with water-based varnish, fully sustainable and impactful in every sense.