Candle production is undoubtedly a big sector, primarily made up of privately held companies. While this is considered to be a billion-dollar industry, it’s a venture that even small or new business entrepreneurs like yourself can pursue. Candle making is surely a perfect way for creative crafters who want to pursue their hobby while still making money from it.
Not only that but starting a candle making business also allows you to be your own boss and have a better opportunity for a flexible working schedule. As candles continue to be an in-demand handmade craft, there’s certainly no reason for you not to start your own business. Let’s go through the first few steps that you should take.
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Research about the market
Yes, market research is necessary even if you’re planning to sell homemade candles. Target markets in the candle industry are categorized into three parts: prestige, mid-market, and mass market. The first category includes luxury candles that can be priced up to $185 and made from premium fragrances and packaging materials. The mid-market refers to candles available at around $10 and usually come in unique scents such as basil, grapefruit, and rose water.
Lastly, candles in mass market cost about $5 to $8 per piece and are typically available in standard scents such as ocean breeze and vanilla. Apart from that, you’d also want to consider the type of candles that your customers are likely to buy. For instance, you might want to consider making vegan or eco-friendly candles instead of paraffin wax candles, which are harmful to the environment.
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Choose your wax
Now, for the fun part, you’ll need to plan for and purchase the materials you need for your candle making projects. First off, pick the best type of wax for your homemade candles. Among the most popular waxes are bees wax, paraffin, and soy. You can also find blends of these waxes in most suppliers like para-soy. Bees wax are considered to be one of the best choices as they are 100% all-natural and can be used in all candle types such as containers, votives, tapers, and pillars.
As for the paraffin, it’s deemed as the cheapest option and doesn’t have additives and can also be utilized in different types of candles such as tarts and tealights. Third popular choice is the soy wax, which is another all-natural wax ideal for jarred or container candles, as well as tarts and tealights.
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Pick the right scents
If you’re opting to make scented candles, you’d also need to think of the best fragrances to use. Fragrance oils are typically made from aromatic ingredients created by scientific methods but derived from nature. You can easily avail of bulk fragrance oil orders from established market suppliers, which a better option to save money.
Alternatively, you can try using essential oils to create your scented candles. It’s important to note though that these oils tend to lose their therapeutic benefits when burned in candles. Plus, they are usually more expensive compared to fragrance oils. And unlike fragrance oils that are available in a wide variety of scenes, essential oils offer a more limited selection. If you have pets, it’s best to steer clear of this scent option for your candles as they can be toxic to animals.
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List the costs
The next thing you need to do is to list down the initial costs to start your candle-making business. These include raw materials and products such as wicks, wax, dyes, and scents. You’d also need to account for the equipment and tools such as molders, melters, containers or jars, measuring instruments, packaging supplies. Lastly, don’t forget to check the costs for your business’ marketing, from online to offline advertisements.
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Design your candle labels
Another important thing you should forget is to design and create your own candle labels. You can opt to use label design tools online where you can create customize fonts and layouts. Keep in mind that this will represent your brand so be sure it stands out. It’s best to stick to clean yet elegant labels, which are often more attractive. You’d also want to coordinate the colors you’ll be using for the labels with the scents or smells of the candles. For coffee-scented candles, you can go with dark espresso or creamy brown colors.
Running a candle-making business isn’t just a great way to earn money. But it’s also a fantastic way to put your love and passion into handmade products. It is easy to start as you won’t need too much space and tools to hit the ground. Plus, you can definitely find tons of farmers’ markets, craft malls, and gift stores to market your creations.
