4 Quick Tips to Improve Your Candle Line

Hard to believe summer is weeks behind us and for many it seemed like there never really was a summer and before we knew it everyone was talking about “Back to School”. The good news with summer being over is the holiday buying season is rapidly approaching. This past summer was tough for many retailers but there was some encouraging news that retail did grow a modest 1.1% for the month of August.

If you have not started, now is truly the time to really jump start sales and add new products and "reposition/market" your lines. Some of the suggestions can be simple little editions to your line while others may require a little more testing and product development. As all businesses have learned you are no longer able to just hope that what you were doing in the past is enough to get you through another year.

There are many new and exciting product changes that can still be put into your candle line in time for this holiday season but you will need to work fast and be able to implement these changes/products.

Wood Wicks

Without doubt the most exciting new product to come along recently is the wood wick. The wood wick candle has been out for a few years but for many finding quality wood wicks from suppliers has always been difficult. The wood wick is not designed to replace your existing candle line but is a way to attract new customers to your products.

The wood wick is limited to use in containers but is great to use with all soy waxes and paraffin waxes. The wood wick can add a nice touch and unique burning property to your candle. Your candles can have that nice crackling sound people love to read and relax by but without the need to use the fire place. The wood wick definitely should be considered especially with some new or unique pieces of glassware.

Last year we wrote about other great ideas and in today’s economy they are worth repeating and if you didn’t add them last year this would be the year to consider these new and exciting products.

Natural Candle Wax

Natural wax candles are here to stay and if you haven’t tried it yet now is the time. Soy is great in that it is all natural and produced here in the US which can have some great marketing appeal. A unique way to launch your soy wax line might be to add a line using travel tins. Travel tins are relatively easy to make because the exterior surface can hide many of the blemishes that occur when using glass containers. Tin containers do not break when the heavy shipping season occurs. (Be sure to check out our September 2007 issue on how to make these candles).

Custom Labels

There are many things about a candle that can appeal to the consumer one of them is the label. With today’s technology and printers it has simplified the process of making custom labels. Nothing is more appealing to small retailers and manufacturers then to offer items that cannot be found in the mass markets. Custom labels can be a tremendous asset for fundraisers and local craft shows and events. One site that we have always liked for help on custom labels is http://www.avery.com.

Luminaries

One of the new products that we received numerous compliments and companies really like the suggestion was to add luminaries to the line. For those that may not be familiar with this, these are the candles used in downtowns and neighborhoods by lining the streets with Luminaries.

One of the great things about the candles used in this application is they do not necessarily have to be white or a specific color. They can almost be any color because they are placed in the bag. What better way to use wax that may be colored but does not meet your color specifications or a custom order canceled at the last minute.

Some other helpful hints would be contact the coordinator of the event and ask (in exchange for a discounted price) can you apply a label on the bag advertising your company. Be sure to check with various downtown districts and neighborhood civic associations to promote this idea. Many downtown events are in early December and will provide for some last minute advertising. For other items be sure to check out September 2008 issue.

With 2009 drawing to a close it is time to consider all opportunities that may become available. Many of the above can be started with minimal investment.

Hi! I'm Chandler! I can help you learn how to make candles.

CHANDLER'S CORNER

As we approach the busy season it appears the number of emails I field each day has been increasing dramatically.  Because of this I will try and respond to identify 2 or the more frequent questions I receive.

Are any additives needed to make a wax mottle?

If the proper wax is used no other additives should be used to make a candle mottle and in fact most additives will impede the wax from mottling. Not all waxes will mottle and if it is "blended waxes" chances are that it has been designed to hold the fragrance and not mottle. The best waxes to use for mottled candles would be the 2530 for containers and the 3035H for votives and the 4045H for pillars.

Can the fragrances I purchase from you be used in soaps?

On our fragrance landing page we have several key icons that identify how the fragrances can be used.  All of our fragrances can be used in paraffin, soy and palm waxes. Those identifying the red heart icon with hand are safe for soaps. The icon with the triangle with a flame can be used in gel candles.  

We hope you enjoyed this issue of the En-Light-ener.
Thank you for your continued interest and support.
Our goal is to make this newsletter as entertaining and educational as possible.
Let us know if you have any ideas on how we can improve.

Candlewic Company 3765 Old Easton Road Doylestown, Pennsylvania 18901 800-368-3352

Issue Index

November 2009 -- Tom Turkey on Candle Making, Candle Kits vs Buying Indidual Supplies, and more...

October 2009 -- Taking the Scary out of Candle Making, Snowball Candle Project, and more...

September 2009 -- 4 Quick Tips to Improve Your Candle Line, Layered Candle Project, and more...

August 2009 -- Is Big Always Better?, Cookie Cutter Candle Making Project, and more...

July 2009 -- How to Set Candle Prices, All Natural Beeswax Garden Flare Candle Making Project, and more...

June 2009 -- 5 Tips for Avoiding Margin Drain, Tri-Color Candle Making Project, and more...

May 2009 -- How To Select a Candle Wick, Chunk Candle Making Project, and more...

April 2009 -- Candle Making Ideas for Summer, Candle Making Projects, and more...

March 2009 -- Mold Techniques in Candle Making, A Simple Candle Project, and more...

February 2009 -- Setting the Right Mood Year Round, Tealight Candle Project, and more...

January 2009 -- Reacquainting Yourself with Candle Making Waxes, Tri-Color Candle Project, and more...

December 2008 -- 12 Days of the Candle Making Business, Candle Making Projects, and more...

November 2008 -- Candle Making Business Cliches, Miracle Molding Material Projects, and more...

October 2008 -- Candle Making Terms Explained, How To Make Mottling Candles, and more...

September 2008 -- Adding on to Your Candle Lines, How To Make Candle Luminaries, and more...

August 2008 -- Candles & Their Fragrances, How To Make Pillar Candles, and more...

July 2008 -- Sunscreen For Your Candles, How To Make Dipped Tapers, and more...

June 2008 -- Fall Candle Season Starts Now, Extraordinary Candle Making Project, and more...

May 2008 -- Green Candle Making, Green Candle Projects, and more...

April 2008 -- Recent Candle Industry Price Increases, Aluminum Mold Candle Project, and more...

March 2008 -- Straight Wax, Exciting New Candle Making Products, and more...

February 2008 -- Business Side of Candle Making, Ice Candle Project, and more...

January 2008 -- Basics of Blended Wax Candles, Rose Floater Candle Project, and more...

December 2007 -- 12 Days of Business, 2007 Candle Making Projects, and more...

November 2007 -- Show Time for Candle Making, Making Snow Candles, and more...

October 2007 -- Ready, Set, GO candle making, Candle Luminaries, and more...

September 2007 -- GREENING Your Product Line and Your Bottom Line…, One-Pour Candle Tins, and more...

August 2007 -- Candle Making's Center of Focus, Making Streak Candles, and more...

July 2007 -- The Latest in Candle Making Products, Votive Candle Project, and more...

June 2007 -- Setting Your Candles' Sale Price, Summer Candle Projects, and more...

May 2007 -- Determining Your Candle Making Costs, Using Extra Candle Wax, and more...

April 2007 -- Natural Wax Buzz Part 2, Layered natural candles, and more...

March 2007--Crucial details of candle making, Candle projects with no melting required, and more...

February 2007--How to choose a candle making mold, Making custom candle molds, and more...

January 2007--"Green" Candle Making, tri-color jar candle project, and more...

December 2006--Looking into the candle making future, 2006 candle projects, and more...

November 2006--Introducing...a candle making introduction, candle projects, and more...

October 2006--Prime time: candle wicks, taper candle projects, and more...

September 2006--Clearly still here:Gel candle making, one-pour tins, and more...

August 2006--Fragrance - the driving force of candle making, a new contest, and more...

July 2006--Planning your production, using granulated wax, and more...

June 2006--Our 35th Year, using aluminum candle molds, how much candle fragrance to use, and more...

May 2006--Summertime candle making, making natural lemon candles and more...

April 2006--Choose the candle wick, making tealight candles and more...

March 2006--Choose the right wick base, blending soy wax with paraffin, making palm wax candles and more...

February 2006--The roll of wax additives in a blended wax world, UV additives, making grubby candles and more...

January 2006--The secrets of soy wax candles, more ways to use candles, making soy wax container candles and more...

December 2005--Planning for the new year, announcing our new home, secrets about wicks, and more...

November 2005--Holiday candle making, ideas to sell more candles, making luminaries and more...

October 2005--Temperture issues when making candles, how to start making candles and more...

September 2005--Choose the right candle mold, ASTM safety standards, and more...

August 2005--Color and Fragrance trends, choosing the right candle making tools, and more...

July 2005--Planning for efficient production, Marketing your Candles, Making Swirl Candles, and more...

June 2005--New market trends in candle shapes and textures, Making Textured Candles, and more...

May 2005--The trends and science of candle fragrances, Making Mottled Candles, and more...

April 2005--How to select the proper candle wick, Top Colors, Making "Earthy" Chunk Candles, and more...

March 2005--Selecting the right wax Part III, Our Top Waxes, Making Floral Candles, Our History and more...

February 2005--Selecting the right wax Part II, Our Top Fragrances, Making Fruit Candles and more...

January 2005--Selecting the right wax, Using blended wax, Coloring wax, Making Layered Jar Candles and more...

December 2004--All about candle making fragrances, Making Grubby Candles and more...

November 2004--Choosing Color for your candle making, Making snowball candles and more...

October 2004--Candle Making Busy Season, Making Palm Wax Candles, Speeding Up Candle Production and more...

September 2004--Candle Wax Melters, Making Sense of your Candle Scents, Making Taper Candles and more...

August 2004--Getting Ready For The Season, Using Votive Pins To Make Votive Candles, No Melt Candle Making and more...

July 2004--Some History & What's New, Paraffin Myths, Making Golf Ball Candles and more...

June 2004--Choosing the Right Candle Wax for Your Needs, Making One-Pour Tins and more...

May 2004--Investigating New Products, Burn Testing, Making Freestanding Gel Pillars & Novelties and more...

April 2004--Candle Making Trends, Rolled Candles with Beeswax Sheets, Making Taper Candles and more...

March 2004--Color Theory & Techniques, Floating Candle Molds, Making Tealight Candles and more...

February 2004--Mold Techniques, Computers and Candlemaking, Making Easter Egg Chunk Candles and more...

January 2004--Marketing Natural Wax and Paraffin Candles, Layering Natural Wax Candles and more...

December 2003--Holiday Greetings, 2003 Year in Review, The 6 P's, Making Icicle Candles and more...

November 2003--Building Your Candle Product Line, Making Holiday Ornaments & Soap-on-a-Wick and more...

October 2003--Marketing Your Candles, Polyurethane Molds, Making Lemon Candles, and more...

September 2003--Packaging & Labeling, Essential Oils, Making Rolled Pillars with Beeswax Sheets, and more...

August 2003--Using Palm Wax, Increasing Your Profit Margins, Using Aluminum Molds, and more...

July 2003--Ultra Violet Light Absorbers, Reducing Shipping Costs, Dipping Techniques, and more...

June 2003--Choosing the Right Wick, Using a Wick Stick, Making Floater Candles, and more...

May 2003--New Products Review, Pouring Temperatures, Finishes For Your Candles, and more...

April 2003--Selecting Paraffin, Natural and “Hybrid” Waxes, Using Pillar Pins, and more...

March 2003--Selling & Marketing Candles, Making it Easier to Make Pillars, Wax Art Crystals and more...

February 2003--Pouring Temperatures, Votive Tips, Making Grubby Candles, and more...

January 2003--Candle Making Safety Tips, Instruction Labels, What To Do With Extra Wax and more...

December 2002--Polycarbonate Molds, Making Clear Snowball Candles, and more...

November 2002--Candle Making as a Second Language, The Story of Chandler, Natural F Wax, and more...

October 2002--Candle Making as a Second Language, Projects Review and more...

September 2002--Accessorizing Your Manufacturing, Making Clear Pillar Candles, and more...

July/August 2002--Making Cinnamon Roll Candles, Clear Pillar Base, New Products, and more...

May/June 2002--Back to Basics, Making F Wax Candles, and more...

April 2002--Making Streaked Candles, Wax 101 part 3: Natural Wax, and more...

March 2002--Making Crackled Candles, Wax 101 part 2: Gel Wax, and more...

February 2002--Making Easter Egg Candles, Wax 101: An Overview, and more...

January 2002 --Review of 2001, Frosty Snowman Candles, New Products, Safety Info and more...

December 2001--Botanical candles, making white candles white and more...

November 2001--Chunk candles, clearance sale!, candlemaking books and more...

October 2001--The new candle market, choosing gels, votive wicks and more...

August 2001--New products, new location , new web site and more...

July 2001--Selling & Marketing Candles (part 3), Candle Burn Times and more...

June 2001--Selling & Marketing Candles (part 2), UV Light Absorbers, Wax Additive Recommendations and more...

May 2001--Selling & Marketing Candles, Burning Instructions, Selecting Sustainer Bases and more...

April 2001--Natural Waxes, Candle Burn Times, Wax Pouring Temperatures and more...

March 2001--Making Wax Inserts, Blended vs. Non-Blended Waxes, Colors, Fragrances and more...

February 2001--Whipped Wax, Wax Art Crystal Wax, Gel Candles, Using Containers and more...