lpoitras

I came across something on a soy info board about a Skacandle which is sold in beauty salons/spas. They explain it like a hardened lotion that you light. It has some of the same ingredients as this other skinny dip candle and you can wholesale it.

Why is it acceptable for a major manufacturer to make false statements about a product? Here is a link to a major candle company's faq sheet.

http://www.soybasics.com/faq.asp

If that statement on this site is true about not seeing 100% soy wax pillars,why am I seeing some companies with 100% soy wax pillar formula? Is Beanpole lying?

I am by no means trying to false advertise. I changed a fw things on my site to reflect the suggestions that were given to me. Im having an issue comming up with ways to describe soy candles w/o coming across untrue if you will. If I say "soy candles are cleaner, burn colder and produce less soot"

someone will find fault in that statement. so how am I suppose to describe my product?

i think that's perfect. If you do,then USE it. I get the feeling someone on here will always have an opinion on it. It's your business.

I am trying to make a label for some candles that I am donating to a heart association...but Im having a heck of a time finding some clip art of hearts...a heat beat...etc..anyone have any or can point me in the right direction?

Thank so very much!

If you goggle microsoft office clip art and go under clip art/media you should see tons. They have heart flower wreaths and others.

A good deal of "Marketing" is false, and most is never legally challenged. Perhaps the big companies aren't concerned about soy marketing as long as they don't make claims against any particular brand of candles. It is a lot cheaper for the "Big Guys" to defend their copyright than it is to challenge the claims of soy marketers. Also, if a company doesn't defend it's copyright, what is the point in having it? Janette

True, but I was just wondering as you often hear of so many health/beauty products that are taken to task over "false advertising" and wonder why soy makers aren't taken to task over the same thing, if indeed it is false. And we do know the sootless point is false. But I don't think most of those claiming to be sootless are doing it out of spite,I think they are just misinformed as I was in the beginning.

you cannot compare every candle to 1 yankee. And ANY candle will burn like a smoke stack if burned improperly by a moron that can't read the safety instructions.

Just because you cannot see something does not make it better or safe. It makes you a nimrod for ignoring it.

JMHO

Dat

Question: If all that is true, why doesn't Yankme and others go after the soy candle makers claiming no soot, no carcinogens, etc with all their hot shot lawyers? Seems to me they do more damage to Yankme than going after business owners using the word "tart" as was discussed on another forum here. Could it be:

1. they can't prove it's false.

2. they don't care as the soy market isn't hurting them.

I don't get it. I see plenty of soy sites claming no soot and we all know that is false, anything combustable emits soot. I only saw one site in the past 6 months of looking that actually admitted that. And that is what I tell people. I have been verbally tongue lashed at a craft fair by a paraffin maker for using 100% soy (and that's all I use folks) when I had NOTHING on my table stating anything bad about any other waxes. There was someone else there showing pix of a sooted jar (paraffin) and a clean jar (soy) and she gave him hell. Whatever. My point is if the soy press is ALL WRONG why doesn't someone sue over it??

I don't use any mold release. Just straight paraffin, 3 TBS of stearic per lb. of wax, 1 oz of FO per lb., room temp mold and pour each layer at 150 degrees.

Can you do the same thing using 100% soy or would you need a mold release??

With a rustic you have to use a mold release,right? What is that? Can you do 100% soy wax with a rustic pillar? I posted this question on another forum but can't seem to find it again (haha).

Don't you have a problem with the wax color chips blending? What kind of wax are you using?I use 100% soy and thought I was getting a great blend,but then in the bottom of a glass container once in a while I would get color spots. And my liquid blends easier and doesn't seem to fade over time. I do know what you mean about the pastels. I get them from NG and they recommend using Crisco to get a pastel though I haven't tried it. I am also a jersey girl.

Gorgeous. I never wanted to try rustics before but now i do. I read the info and have 1 question, what is a mold release? Is that a spray or an oil?

Truck stops? Interesting. Do you think rest stops along the interstate would work?

Thanks. I misread the site (lone star) and it DOES come in flake form. Yippee.

I am used to soy wax flakes. The brand i want to try for my first votives is Cargill and I think it only comes in a slab. what is the best way to measure it? I am spoiled by my flakes.

That is awesome info. Thanks. Do you think tea lights for fragrance samples would work???? You know, to pass around so they get a whiff??

I am using 100% soy wax from Nature's Garden. Scent is great but melt pool could be better. I am missing about 1/4 inch all the way around. Who sells the best wicks for containers about 4-4-1/2 inches across? I am burning initially for 4 hours but still missing the total wax pool.

Ginger-

I don't know if you want to get out there. I think you have to want to try before you can do anything about it. If you don't want to be out in the public a web site will work for you, and you can email businesses with your brochure/site but eventually you will have to at least have 1 business meeting with them to set up the order. But that would be one on one. I think a partner is an excellent idea unless you want to learn how to get out there. I do not have a social phobia so cannot relate to this but did have some major upheavals about 10 years ago that changed my perspective on EVERYTHING. I can only say this to you-there is much more to life than TV and candles. Meeting people who enjoy your product will really make your work worthwhile. That being said, there is help for social phobia now adays. You don't have to suffer with it. I chose to bring a partner aboard because I thought it would be too much work for 1 person as I already have 2 jobs and believe me it is nice to have someone with you when you do the craft shows. I get tired of talking to people sometimes and just need a break. Never mind the logistics of the table and productst. Maybe your husband would enjoy helping you, if not a friend would be a big assett. Good luck and let us know how it's going.

Thanks.

Thanks. Way too small for a trade show right now but maybe next year.

Anyone know where I can get a good price on candle snuffers? I actually have an order (yeah) for a gift basket in July and the woman requested a candle snuffer and I don't have any on hand, so might as well pick up a few.

I was just going to say the same thing Candle Man said, the June/July gift markets are just around the corner and some may be waiting until after they go to market to decide. I am an exhibitor at the markets and many times my retailers will wait and reorder at the market, i'm assuming so they can smell any new scents. I did a show in March and two of those accounts ordered stock thru the end of the year. I do my last market in Aug and those orders plus my reorders will keep me busy till the next January markets.

You mean the trade shows??

As a shop owner did it matter to you whether the initial first contact was email or phone call?

I guess I got spoiled because the first 5 stores we walked into we got 3 orders. None have repeated yet but it was encouraging. Then a sample went to a store about 1/2 hour from me and she got a big order. So it was too easy. then someone else expressed interest, I gave her a sample, (I always offer exclusive area or private label) and then even offered her about 5 on consignment. No answer yet. Then the next week I sent out emails, one was very excited, went to show the sample, she LOVED my specialty item but her and her partner decided (I left 3 samples) not at this time. since then (early spring) it has been getting harder. I guess I will just have to join a couple of chambers as planned, put out my fundraising packets as planned, complete the web site as planned and learn how to make votives and pillars this summer. And market any chance I get the whole time. I do have an offer for a story in a small publication on my specialty item and a place in an online store for drop ship as soon as my site is up so I can concentrate on that. Was just hoping for a little more $$ from orders before then.....I can dream, can't I??? Thanks guys.

So you show your flyer/brochure to a retailer who expressed interest. Then you do a follow up email/call to see if he/she received it and if they have any further questions. how long before you get an order? I have gotten a lot of interest to emails/phone calls. I do the above and wait about 2 weeks now and nothing. Is this typical for this time of year or do they just not want my candles? How can you tell?

how do you get the angles?