Some ideas are so good, they feel like they were meant to happen. Our latest collaboration with Hijita, an Austin-based brand owned and operated by chocolate maker Ashley, is exactly that: chocolate meets tile, indulgence meets design.
At Clay Imports, we’ve always believed inspiration can come from anywhere, even your favorite sweet treat. Together with Hijita, we’ve reimagined the joy of chocolate into a collection of handcrafted 3D tiles that look good enough to eat.
Ashley from Hijita holds the inspiration in both hands: chocolate and clay, two crafts shaped by tradition.
Chocolate as Heritage
For Hijita, chocolate isn’t just a dessert. It’s heritage. Each bar starts with cacao grown on small farms in Mexico, carrying generations of tradition and flavor in every bite. Hijita’s chocolates are bold, playful, and unapologetically rooted in Mexican-American culture.
We felt an instant connection. Just like chocolate, tile has a way of shaping spaces where people gather, share stories, and savor life. This collection is our way of bringing cacao’s artistry into the spaces where memories are made.
The soft, golden tones of the Mexican Vanilla tile echo the creamy warmth of real vanilla and cacao.
From Bar to Tile
Inspired by the geometric shape of Hijita’s iconic chocolate bars, we created a hexagonal tile with sculptural ridges that radiate outward like a chocolate blossom. Each tile is handcrafted in Mexico, glazed in rich finishes that echo the flavors of cacao.
No two tiles are exactly alike; each piece carries the marks of handcraft, just like a small-batch chocolate bar. That connection between process, texture, and tradition became even more meaningful when Ashley of Hijita joined us in San Miguel de Allende to experience the making of the Tableta tile firsthand. From spending time with our artisans to witnessing the traditional techniques used to shape and glaze each piece, her visit highlighted the shared craftsmanship behind both chocolate-making and tile-making. During our Tile Travel retreat, Ashley also hosted a chocolate workshop for guests, bringing together flavor, culture, and community in a way that perfectly reflected the spirit of the collaboration.
The Tile Tasting Menu
Think of this collection as a chocolate tasting flight, each glaze is a “flavor” that adds its own mood and character to your space:
Cacao
Rich, earthy brown inspired by pure chocolate. Rich, timeless, and grounding, the essence of cacao itself.
Cajeta
A warm caramel glaze that glows with sweetness. Inspired by Mexico’s beloved goat’s milk confection, this tile is indulgence in ceramic form.
Mexican Vanilla
A soft beige with golden undertones. Smooth, creamy, and comforting, like vanilla folded into warm milk.
Spearmint
A refreshing green with a glossy finish. Crisp, cool, and playful, like the bright snap of mint in a bar of dark chocolate.
A Collaboration Rooted in Culture
More than just a collection, these tiles celebrate heritage and craft. They’re a reminder that design can be joyful, rooted in tradition, and made to spark conversation, whether over a shared bar of chocolate or a meal cooked in the heart of your home.
Bring the Flavor Home
Imagine sipping hot chocolate in a kitchen with a cacao backsplash, or hosting brunch with sunlight bouncing off glossy spearmint tiles. With this collection, everyday rituals become moments to savor.
The Clay Imports × Hijita Tile Collection is available now.
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