As I write this post, I cannot find another business that offers totally recycled candles anywhere!
I am one step away from putting my products into zero-waste shops in a handful
of places in England and opening my online store, It's been an amazing journey from the first moment I imagined the idea to here and I'm excited about what's coming next.
Late last year, 2020, I wanted to try making candles and after deciding I liked it I wanted more tealight cups but didn't see the need for buying new ones if I could just use the ones id used, but I needed more so thought id post a request on Facebook if anyone local had any used tealights for me, I hoped for 1 or 2 replies but what I got was astounding! I had tapped into a very common dilemma, and found hundreds of people who were eager to donate them,
I learned that there are lots of candle lovers regularly throwing away used containers feeling guilty and wasteful but without another option, many were saving glass containers hoping to find a use for them, but the collection just grew until it was eventually thrown away.
I had lots of kind people deliver them to me and post them, but I was quite disappointed that there were still loads of offers that would get thrown away.
so started looking into starting a recycling service and recycled products to sell.
Since then I have become passionate about the potential positive impact that the recycling of these items will have on household landfills and lowering our carbon footprint by reusing the materials instead of our natural resources. I plan to use only eco-friendly and sustainable materials, and processes that support using a circular system for the business.
I have big dreams and ideals that I'm aiming for, if I could leave a legacy that actually led the way for other chandeliers or other businesses to follow, proved that it's possible to profit while still respecting our planet, that the current consumer wants less unnecessary wasteful packaging and more opportunity to use recycled products, and make a measurable impact on our carbon footprint and landfill, it would be amazing and something to be proud of.
I decided to use vegetable waxes and found out that some soy wax actually played a part in the deforestation of the Amazon and other environmental damage so I use sustainably farmed soy wax or rapeseed & coconut blend that is also sustainably farmed, the wicks that I chose are cotton, organic and burn better without sooting. I also decided to try and avoid using wholesale suppliers and source my materials from bankrupt chandeliers and other candle makers selling unwanted stock on social media, This suits me better and keeps it circular and I can pass any savings onto my customers. I wanted to demonstrate that whether you were making candles at home or in a designer lab it was the same raw materials and methods but the result was the same without fancy packaging and shiny boxes. I make luxurious, quality products that are guilt-free and good value for money.
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