Auckland woman revolutionising herbal smoking industry with Joyclub

Bringing ceremony and sophistication to New Zealand’s conservative herbal smoking landscape, Eva plans to rebrand this culture through a feminine lens.

An Auckland based woman is revolutionising the herbal smoking industry head-on with her new business, Joyclub. Bringing ceremony and sophistication to New Zealand's conservative herbal smoking landscape, Eva plans to rebrand this culture through a feminine lens.

Inspired by North America's egalitarian and open atmosphere for herbal smoking – Eva was sick of feeling out-of-place in New Zealand's market, where she says "As a woman and feminist, New Zealand's been stuck in an outdated culture of judgement and misinformation. It's time for a refresh where consumers can be empowered with community and dignity in their practice".

Joyclub curates designer smoking products, importing chic products from North America and Japan, as well as working with local artists to produce New Zealand accessories and utensils. This light handcrafted selection is set to expand and currently includes the PAX 3 Vaporiser, lighters, pre-rolls, one-hitter pipes and natural smoking herbs.

At the heart of Joyclub is freedom of expression. Promoting fearless fabulous however you want to express yourself. Ultimately this is the middle finger to the social stigma that stereotypes and marginalises people. To explore and share this message, Eva has produced a mini-documentary series called Joy Transforms - highlighting individuals brave enough to be themselves. Part 1 and 2 captured inspiring creatives in Japan - one of the most stigmatised places in the world.