Hoi P'loy (PTY) Ltd

General information

The story of Hoi P’loy

Hoi P’loy is a vintage lighting company, which offer vintage light bulbs and fabric covered cables / textile electrical cable cord, based in Cape Town, South Africa. The brand was created as a play on the Ancient Greek expression “Hoi Polloi” as well as the name on company co-founder, Ploy Phiromnam.

“hoi polloi”

(Ancient Greek: οἱ πολλοί, hoi polloi, “the many”),
a Greek expression meaning “the many” or, in the strictest sense,
“the majority”, is used in English to refer to the working class,
commoners, the masses or common people
- Wikipedia 2013

There is a common misconception that the phrase “hoi polloi” suggests the elite of society. In fact it is the exact opposite, with the translation of “hoi” meaning “the” and “polloi” meaning “many”. So the term rather refers to the masses. We quite enjoy this confusion and hope that we are able to bridge the gap between what would have once been a standard household product and a sophisticated appreciation of retrospective ambiance. Light plays an important role in the atmosphere of our lives and it was the love for a warm nostalgic glow from the past that inspired us to offer products that reflect traditional values.

Our Light bulbs

The light bulbs we offer are based on some of the original designs of the great Thomas Edison. Our range of hand crafted bulbs has been made from high quality materials and are available in 8 different shapes and sizes with a variety of element styles. We cater for both Bayonet (B22) and Screw (E27) fittings so we’re sure to have have a bulb that matches your needs. Unlike some bulbs available in the USA, ours have been designed specifically for South Africa’s 220 volt electricity infrastructure and have been thoroughly tested and certified accordingly. The 40 Watt amber glow creates a soft, romantic light that we know you’ll love.
We currently hold exclusive distribution rights for the range of vintage bulbs in South Africa, and are able to accommodate small and large orders for both the retail and wholesale markets.

Who we are

Hoi P’loy was formed with the coming together of creatives Ploy Phiromnam and Guy van der Walt. Originally from Bangkok Ploy’s experience has been in buying, importing and exporting for leading fashion brands. Guy is a native Capetonian and has worked as an animator and designer since 2002. Both of us have a great love for traveling and finding hidden gems off the beaten track. Having the opportunity to live and spend time in cities like London, Bangkok, Chicago, New York, Tokyo and Ghent has exposed us to a global revival of vintage aesthetics through contemporary subcultures that we’re excited about bringing to South Africa.

Please make an appointment if you wish to visit us our studio via email or phone.