flair Posted September 30, 2014 Share Posted September 30, 2014 I asked this question on another thread on this site but wanted to post it here to see how many responses I could get.. I am a newbie and my question is am I fooling myself to think that a homemade, hand poured candle can equal the quality of Yankee or Gold Canyon??? Can a small candle maker make the scent throws that the big time guys do??? I am just trying to find out honest answers and opinions... Thanks!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flair Posted September 30, 2014 Author Share Posted September 30, 2014 And the answers so far on the other thread have been great BTW... the website has been really helpful so far and I really really really appreciate it!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trappeur Posted September 30, 2014 Share Posted September 30, 2014 Yes, as said on the other post, most definitely yes and you could do even better...but it takes money, money, and time and patience and the will to succeed. If you have a true belief in yourself, you can do it. But it is not a get rich scheme that happens over night. As in your other post where you stated that you want to make a business out of this to make extra income I wouldn't count on it for a long time. To create candles and put out to the public, you have to think safety, you have to put out a candle that is properly made with correct wick, correct melt pool, you have to down the road after you have mastered even 1 jar think about how you will sell the candle; ie website, knocking on doors to stores to make a presentation to sell your product, insurance for your product. Many things to consider. Just the other day I was reading quite a a few blogs of how people give a supposed receipe for a diy candle that can be made and even put out to the public like school fund raisers to make extra money and it really disturbed me the responses from people reading these blogs saying they made a candle and were actually going to get with the school system as they had come up with an idea to make money by making candles....And they had only made a candle or 2..... To be quite honest, if you are trying to think of this a great way of making extra money, I wouldn't recommend it at this point. I would at this point just have fun and enjoy doing this as a hobby for right now and learn as much as you can and play and experiment and get involved on the forum here.. Unfortunately you probably don't want to hear this, but I would look for a regular job to supplement income and just not rush into anything such as this. I don't want to hurt your feelings, but that's the truth of the matter. Trappeur 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flair Posted September 30, 2014 Author Share Posted September 30, 2014 Oh no... I am a teacher and my wife works with me at the same school but as a teacher you have to supplement your income unfortunately.. When I say we are passionate about candles and the process of making them I am telling you the God's honest truth. We have been candle lovers FOR YEARS and YEARS. We don't need to have money tomorrow from this... but sooner is better than later with regards to money, LOL. Would I like to be able to retire from my teaching job and work side-by-side with my wife making and selling candles, ABSOLUTELY and that is what we are shooting for. I am also retired military but our thing is we want to work together doing something we love, and that is candles. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest OldGlory Posted September 30, 2014 Share Posted September 30, 2014 You will get the same answers on this thread as you've gotten on the other thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jcandleattic Posted September 30, 2014 Share Posted September 30, 2014 I agree with Trappeur, and the others. Short honest answer is yes, you can make better candles than commercially made candles. Long answer is, yes, you can make a better candle, but (as others have stated), it takes time, effort, money (and lots of it) and a willingness to be patient. I have been making candles for 15 years now and just recently (in the last 5 years or so) have seen any sort of quantifiable profit. Before that, IF there was a profit, it all went right back into the business with purchasing new supplies, etc., I know others have seen a profit sooner than this, of course, but I work full-time and had to stop for a year or two here and there, but even without those hiccups it still took me 2 years of testing all the different combos of wax/fragrance/wicks/jars etc., to get the candles good enough for me to sell. And that was after thousands of dollars in supplies. So then it took years to recoup that loss and another few years to make a profit. Now I have a decent flow of income from my shows etc., but having other items to sell adds to that. As others have said, we are not trying to discourage you at all. We just want you to realize the reality of making a decent, safe, sell-able candle. When bad handmade candles get sold, it reflects on all of us, not just the seller of the bad candle. We see a lot of people, especially this time of year, come in and want to start making them now, to give for THIS holiday season, and it just isn't that simple is all. We wish you the best of luck, and keep that passion alive! That's what you will need during the daunting testing period... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moonshine Posted September 30, 2014 Share Posted September 30, 2014 (edited) IMO the big guys candles are nothing fabulous after I have learned I can make just as good if not better you pay for a name that's well known- yanks burn like crap and soot like nothing I have ever seen and tunnel horribly BBW have some decent ones but again I feel they get to hot and do not throw as well as I would expectGold canyon I have never tried so I cannot comment on themPartylite I used to sell and thought was the bomb....until I mastered my ownI bought a paddy wax candle because my sister loves a certain scent....I can't even smell it!I was a faithful yank tart purchaser and I realized how many I was going thru at 2 bucks each unless I hit their dollar sale- I would have to change the tart at least once daily to get the throw I wanted and the crash of 2008 I thought I was going to come up with my own product and get rich quick.....well I accomplished getting my product that I feel is superior to any of the above but the rich part has still yet to come- those companies spend millions on advertising and store fronts which obviously work very well- they have a big name they must be good so people buy You can make a product better them- it's possible and if you have the interest and patience and money you will get there- and it's so fun and addicting getting to that point and there is always room for improvement which is where all the constant testing comes into play- I still play with new formulas looking for better But like in your other threads if income is your only priority in this craft it won't happen _ if you love candles and want to pursue the craft jump in and enjoy it- there is a big support team here and a wealth of information to help you get started Edited September 30, 2014 by moonshine 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vicky_CO Posted September 30, 2014 Share Posted September 30, 2014 I agree with the others Yes you can make a candle better than the big boys but making money from this is a lot of very hard work. Even if you produce an off the chart candle if it's not marketed well you are sitting on a dead end street. Here is my advice make one kind of candle and make it well, ignore those that want a ton of different scents or try to rush you to sell. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puma52 Posted September 30, 2014 Share Posted September 30, 2014 I asked this question on another thread on this site but wanted to post it here to see how many responses I could get.. I am a newbie and my question is am I fooling myself to think that a homemade, hand poured candle can equal the quality of Yankee or Gold Canyon??? Can a small candle maker make the scent throws that the big time guys do??? I am just trying to find out honest answers and opinions... Thanks!! YOU HAD BETTER BELIEVE THAT WE CAN AND WE DO EVERY SINGLE DAY !!!! Sorry...got a little excited there...LOVED your question. But yes, I WISH I had a dollar for every time someone has told me that my candles smell better/burn better than Yankee, Virginia Candle...all of them. It is NOT hard to beat them if you have a love of this craft, appreciate your customers and BELIEVE in what you do. You WILL beat them every day if you create your product with the finest in waxes, scents and presentation. On top of that customer service is first and foremost. At the top of that learn your craft inside and out wanting and needing to give your customers the very best and safest product that you can create and sell to them. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puma52 Posted September 30, 2014 Share Posted September 30, 2014 (edited) Oh no... I am a teacher and my wife works with me at the same school but as a teacher you have to supplement your income unfortunately.. When I say we are passionate about candles and the process of making them I am telling you the God's honest truth. We have been candle lovers FOR YEARS and YEARS. We don't need to have money tomorrow from this... but sooner is better than later with regards to money, LOL. Would I like to be able to retire from my teaching job and work side-by-side with my wife making and selling candles, ABSOLUTELY and that is what we are shooting for. I am also retired military but our thing is we want to work together doing something we love, and that is candles. Sir, I also want to THANK YOU for your service to our country!! I for one (and there are millions of us ) appreciate your service and sacrifice for this country.... more than you will ever know !! You and your wife sound like wonderful folks....you being retired military, I KNOW you will have the drive and patience to create a wonderful business with your wife. Sending you both the very best of wishes on your new endeavor of learning to become fellow chandlers!! Edited September 30, 2014 by puma52 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flair Posted October 2, 2014 Author Share Posted October 2, 2014 Sir, I also want to THANK YOU for your service to our country!! I for one (and there are millions of us ) appreciate your service and sacrifice for this country.... more than you will ever know !! You and your wife sound like wonderful folks....you being retired military, I KNOW you will have the drive and patience to create a wonderful business with your wife. Sending you both the very best of wishes on your new endeavor of learning to become fellow chandlers!! Absolutely... the quest to make the very best is what pushes us all!!!!! Never give up!!!! Thank you so much I/we really appreciate it!!! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moonshine Posted October 3, 2014 Share Posted October 3, 2014 I think your vision of working side by side with your wife making candles is an awesome one! Start experimenting now and write all your ideas down and it will come....I see a lot of couples at big craft festivals selling their craft I told my husband when the kids finish college and get their jobs and own places I want to buy a motorhome and travel selling candles....kinda like breaking bad and Walter white ...only cooking candles rather than meth in mine! LolThe breaking bad candle company....lmao But seriously I admire your idea and you have to start somewhere so now is the time so your ready when you do retire- and I also thank you for your service, it takes special people to do what you have! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jcandleattic Posted October 3, 2014 Share Posted October 3, 2014 I think your vision of working side by side with your wife making candles is an awesome one!Start experimenting now and write all your ideas down and it will come....I see a lot of couples at big craft festivals selling their craftI told my husband when the kids finish college and get their jobs and own places I want to buy a motorhome and travel selling candles....kinda like breaking bad and Walter white ...only cooking candles rather than meth in mine! LolThe breaking bad candle company....lmaoBut seriously I admire your idea and you have to start somewhere so now is the time so your ready when you do retire- and I also thank you for your service, it takes special people to do what you have!Breaking Bad Candle Company!!! I LOVE IT. Your tag like could be "We are the ones who knock" HAHAHA 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moonshine Posted October 3, 2014 Share Posted October 3, 2014 Love it!!!! I seriously love this idea.....the name alone should peak interest.....could you imagine people's reactions coming out of my motorhome in a full suit and gas mask.....priceless 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jcandleattic Posted October 3, 2014 Share Posted October 3, 2014 Love it!!!! I seriously love this idea.....the name alone should peak interest.....could you imagine people's reactions coming out of my motorhome in a full suit and gas mask.....pricelessNo, not a full suit! A gas mask and only in your tighty whitie underwear and a green shirt. With a rubber apron of course. *snort* OR OR OR You could call it the "The Cow House - you know, where the cows live. Their house" hehehe Sorry, BB was and still is one of my all-time FAVORITE shows. Love love love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck_35550 Posted October 3, 2014 Share Posted October 3, 2014 (edited) Why not set the bar higher? If I could reproduce a Votivo candle (truly remarkable)I would be in seventh heaven. How about Kringle? (son of Michal Kittredge who founded and sold Yankee), Colonial, Circle E, Diptyque, Maison, Archipeligo and so forth. European chandlers and soap makers are centuries old at the art and they create amazing products. Today's hot shots are Tokyo Milk and Lush. This is not to say that all their products burn or funtion perfectly but the fragrances are original and amazing. Votivo introduced a small candle in a tumbler (like Red Currant) that you have to put out after a 30 minutes, because it fragrances every room in your house. I love the simplicity of the Kringle candles fragrances (very realistic and fresh) as well as the design of the label and the whole look. Circle E gave us Bird of Paradise and so many other wonderful fragrances. These guys have staffs of professional perfumers and access to raw materials on a huge scale. That being said, it is possible (after sampling truly great candles) to put your imagination to work with fragrance combinations in a wax/wick/jar medium that knocks people in the dirt. Remember that Michael Kittredge (founder of Yankee) made his first candles with crayons for coloring while a teenager and grew a multi-million dollar empire out of his home. Edited October 3, 2014 by chuck_35550 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest OldGlory Posted October 3, 2014 Share Posted October 3, 2014 Interesting that you should mention Kringle and Yankee. I was asked over the summer to bring samples of my products to a store that sells Kringle. During a tedious question and answer session with the buyer, the buyer asked me numerous questions that would open up the opportunity to criticize Kringle or Yankee candles. I would not insult them, I would not tell her my products were better than either, even though my customers tell me they are, and their customers tell them they are. You would think these big boys would have some respect, but this buyer told me that the Kringle sales rep doesn't miss an opportunity to insult the current Yankee product. I eventually withdrew my offer to sell to them.It's a dog eat dog world because there's a lot of money at stake. I don't know why we can't all be respectful of each though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moonshine Posted October 3, 2014 Share Posted October 3, 2014 No, not a full suit! A gas mask and only in your tighty whitie underwear and a green shirt. With a rubber apron of course. *snort* OR OR OR You could call it the "The Cow House - you know, where the cows live. Their house" hehehe Sorry, BB was and still is one of my all-time FAVORITE shows. Love love love it.One of my favorites as well- now this I have to try....just for the sake of saying I did....off to buy some whitey tightys! Hehehe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jcandleattic Posted October 3, 2014 Share Posted October 3, 2014 One of my favorites as well- now this I have to try....just for the sake of saying I did....off to buy some whitey tightys! HeheheLOL The last of the BB-Binge is on Sunday. And one of my favorite episodes as being one of the best/worst. Ozymandias. I practically cried over what happened to Hank. And then in turn what happened to Jesse. I say this very often - Vince Gilligan is a freaking genius! Anything he's had his hands in I've loved. P.S. - sorry to hijack the thread!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck_35550 Posted October 3, 2014 Share Posted October 3, 2014 Kittredge reportedly sold Yankee for 350 million dollars. Yankee started going downhil after the change of owners and isn't the quality product it used to be IMHO. My wife gets irritated with me over in the candle aisle smelling candles but I like to see what the other guys are doing and listen to people as they shop. The basic customer wants a reasonably priced candle that will fragrance and burn correctly. Nothing is worse than trying to dig out a tunnel and keep the wick lit in a pourly designed candle. There are those people who will pour a little fragrance oil on the top of the candle to cover up no or poor grade fragrance in the rest of the candle. People don't remember that candles and luxury items were not very available like they are today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest OldGlory Posted October 3, 2014 Share Posted October 3, 2014 Re: Yankee and Kringle-Every single Yankee apothecary I bought (I stopped buying them 12 years ago) was of poor quality. I can't compare what they are selling now because I don't buy them anymore, but I know a lot of people who do, and still swear by them.IMHO, there is no excuse for a representative of one company to denigrate the product of another company in a business to business capacity. It reflects poorly on the company giving the commentary. It's a lot like when we hear about Scentsy badmouthing other melts and lying about their product in order to effect the business of the other company. It's so unprofessional. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtChick Posted October 3, 2014 Share Posted October 3, 2014 I don't make candles myself, but I've had two experiences recently that made me want to comment here. I recently bought a Yankee candle, in Pumpkin Spice scent. It smells so yummy in the jar--fabulous even. But when I burn it I almost cannot smell it at all. There is virtually zero scent throw. It has been very frustrating, considering I don't normally buy those candles due to how expensive they are. But they were on sale so I gave it a shot. I was VERY disappointed. In June I went to Hocking Hills, Ohio with the Hubs for our anniversary. We found a wonderful candle and gift shop there--way out of the way and off the beaten path. I can't even recall the name of it now but it was a wonderful shop. Anyway, I bought a small soy candle there, which cost almost as much as the large Yankee candle I bought. I splurged since I was on vacation. The scent of this candle was AMAZING and wonderful. I could smell it in every single room in my house (I can't smell the Yankee candle unless I'm sniffing right above it!). LOVED that candle so much that I burned it up with a week. I still have the Yankee candle, and I'm only burning it because otherwise I feel like I threw away the money I spent on it. So I would gladly buy a candle from the smaller/handmade biz owners than Yankee Candle any day of the week. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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