Confused about candle labels....

[FaithfulScenter]

I know the 12 oz status jar holds 10 oz of wax, and the pint Mason jars hold about 13 oz of wax. My pint jar candle labels say "Pint Jar Candles; wax weight 13 oz." but I've been testing the status jar candles from DT and I'm wondering how to label these. I've seen other businesses list them as a "12 oz candle" but I feel this is deceptive. Aren't you, by law, required to list them as the weight of the wax? And of course no consumer would ever know because you can't exactly de-jar the wax and weigh it out. Can someone tell me the proper way to market these? TIA!

ETA: Same goes for the 2 oz portion cups!!

Edited October 14, 2012 by FaithfulScenter

[ksranch]

You are supposed to put the weight of the contents - not the package. My DT Status Jars say "10 oz" on them.

[FaithfulScenter]

Thank you! That is what I thought!

[HorseScentS]

If you put "Net Wt. 10 oz" they know you're talking only about the weight of the contents, excluding the jar.

Edited October 15, 2012 by HorsescentS

[Judy, USMC]

This is the link to everything you need to know about candle labeling that the feds require - 500.4 through 500.7 apply. Unfortunately I've seen little to no enforcement because there are just too many small candlemakers who fly under the radar.

I know - too much information - but when there are regulations I like to follow them; most professionals do!

[Catlover]

It's irritating when some candles are labeled as the capacity of the jar, rather than what's actually in there. Makes it look like, for instance, that my 11 oz. (actual contents) candle costs the same or more than someone else's "14 oz" (capacity) candle....in the very same jar.

[FaithfulScenter]

Yes, exactly!!

[HorseScentS]

This is the link to everything you need to know about candle labeling that the feds require - 500.4 through 500.7 apply. Unfortunately I've seen little to no enforcement because there are just too many small candlemakers who fly under the radar.

I know - too much information - but when there are regulations I like to follow them; most professionals do!

I don't see the link, did you forget to include it?

[Beth]

This isn't the link, but here's some info:

http://bittercreekcandle.blogspot.com/2010/10/weights-measures-product-labeling.html

Here's Judy's link:

http://www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/fpla/part500.shtm

Edited October 16, 2012 by Beth

[Judy, USMC]

Here's Judy's link:

http://www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/fpla/part500.shtm

Thanks Beth ~ that's the link !

[Beth]

OR you could do like some local vendors here do- just slap a blank label on the jar & hand-write just the scent with an ink pen. That's it. Nothing else. Zip. Zilch.

[ChandlerWicks]

That sounds soooo elegant!

OR you could do like some local vendors here do- just slap a blank label on the jar & hand-write just the scent with an ink pen. That's it. Nothing else. Zip. Zilch.

[FaithfulScenter]

Now I don't want anyone thinking I'm all uppity with a super fancy label

[Catlover]

Nobody likes an uppity candle. Do you have to put this info on your candles at all? So far, I've been fine with just my logo/fragrance label and warning label...the weights are just on my website, brochure, etc. And gee, we all must be wasting good money on uppity labels when we could just be scrawling "Vanilla Bean" with a Sharpie .

Edited October 17, 2012 by Catlover

[Beth]

Nobody likes an uppity candle. Do you have to put this info on your candles at all? So far, I've been fine with just my logo/fragrance label and warning label...the weights are just on my website, brochure, etc. And gee, we all must be wasting good money on uppity labels when we could just be scrawling "Vanilla Bean" with a Sharpie .

Yep, we're required to put the name, net wt, place of business, etc. It's listed in the links above. But, as I'm discovering, there are a lot of people who sell candles that don't put any of it, lol.

[FaithfulScenter]

Why buy labels, we can just scribble it on the jar, or Ziploc baggie... and yes I am speaking from experience!! I have seen SEVERAL labels with either miss information, or none at all. I try to follow guidelines, except for 1 thing, I do not list my complete physical address. I put the town and state and that is it. I work from home, and I'm the mom of 4 boys. I know I could get fined for it, and that is a chance I am willing to take, you never know who is buying your candles!

[Catlover]

Well, oops! I have everything except the net wt on my warning labels (although also just my city and state...not street address). I'll have to squish the type down a leeetle bit more....and add the weight info....

[Barb]

Was just running the same issue through my mind. I use 8 oz jelly jars, 6 oz. of product per jar. My label reads 6 Oz. It's maddening when I see others who advertise their product by the size of the jar and not the weight of the product. But there's not too much you can do about it.

[Guest OldGlory]

Was just running the same issue through my mind. I use 8 oz jelly jars, 6 oz. of product per jar. My label reads 6 Oz. It's maddening when I see others who advertise their product by the size of the jar and not the weight of the product. But there's not too much you can do about it.

I see it all over east TN - people who don't properly label their goods. We have a big candle supply place in Knoxville so there are candlemakers on every street for 100 miles in each direction. Literally, we are overrun with candlemakers here. I often look in consignment shops, farmer's markets, flea markets, online sales and see "8 and 16 oz candles" and they are using half pint and pint jars. They don't have a clue, and really don't care about doing it right.

Just because you can buy the ingredients doesn't mean you can make a good/safe/reliable/saleable product. We all hear the stories about candles being a big cause of house fires, and I wonder what % of those were caused by improperly made candles. Pretty scary stuff.