Next store opening: 30 November 2025 @ 10:00 AM (Adelaide time — UTC +10:30)
Featuring original works by Hints and Spices, collaborations and releases from friends of the studio.
About Hints and Spices
Hints and Spices was first established in 2010 by Adelaide designer Shane Haddy. The studio is dedicated to producing work that evokes enjoyment through the medium of art toys. Ranging from one-off sculptures to production pieces, Hints and Spices’ work has been exhibited in galleries and museums around the world.
What Are Art Toys?
As a relatively new art form, art toys encompass a broad range of styles and influences. At their core, they are sculptural works shaped by the visual language of childhood toys. Hints and Spices follows the Japanese methods and practices of soft vinyl toy production, commonly referred to as sofubi.
What Is Sofubi?
Sofubi is a Japanese term for soft vinyl. Unlike automated moulding processes, sofubi is made through a hands-on and highly skilled approach that requires a technician to actively control heat, timing and material flow. Similar to the way ceramics and glass shifted from industrial manufacturing to studio practice, this early plastics technique evolved into artisanal output.
The defining feature of sofubi is slush moulding, an early plastics manufacturing method that has largely disappeared from mass-production industry. Without deliberate intention, the method was preserved in Japan through small workshops, where artists and designers began creating their own toys. The ability to produce small runs allowed makers to experiment with designs, explore new finishes and iterate on ideas. Over time, sofubi became a respected craft and a creative field in its own right.
For more information, feel free to contact [email protected]