About Us

Vessels

When evaluating the best vessels for my handmade products, I specifically looked for products made with recycled content because glass is readily recycled with little waste produced in the process; less energy and raw materials are needed to produce glass when recycled content is used; and less greenhouse gases are produced in the manufacture process (see https://www.gpi.org/glass-recycling-facts for more information). The Spanish glass vessels I selected for my candles are made from 100% recycled glass. Not only are these vessels a smart environmental choice, but they are also simply delightful to behold.  I love the greenish tint and tiny dimples in the glass.

The 9.5-oz candle vessels are produced in Spain.  The soda-lime glass is sourced from glass containers and collected by a specialized company that transports glass to the recycling plant.  The glass is then selected, treated, and transported to the production facility.  The production facility uses exclusively 100% recycled glass without any additives and complies with all international treaties that commit parties to reduce greenhouse gases. 

In the future, I might choose to add other vessels to my product line, but I will always seek a vessel with recycled content, or vessels that can readily be re-used or recycled. 

Why is Glass a Sustainable Choice?

• Glass bottles and jars are 100 percent recyclable and can be recycled endlessly without any loss in purity or quality.
• Energy costs drop about 2-3% for every 10% recycled glass content used in the manufacturing process.
• Over a ton of natural resources are conserved for every ton of glass recycled, including 1,300 pounds of sand, 410 pounds of soda ash, 380 pounds of limestone, and 160 pounds of feldspar.
• For every six tons of recycled container glass used, a ton of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, is reduced. A relative 10% increase in recycled glass content reduces particulates by 8%, nitrogen oxide by 4%, and sulfur oxides by 10%.
• See https://www.gpi.org/glass-recycling-facts for more information about glass recycling.

Corks

The cork candle lids and bottle stoppers used in my handmade goods are produced from 99% natural cork harvested in forests of Portugal. Each agglomerated cork is treated with a final surface treatment specifically developed for use with organic farming wines. 

Did you know that corks can be recycled? Check for a nearby recycling drop-off location at https://recork.com/us/locations.  Please be sure to contact your local drop-off location in advance to confirm they are accepting cork, and to enquire about specific drop-off hours.

 Packaging

All of the packaging materials I use to protect and ship my products to you is made from recycled materials and most of the packaging can be placed in your curbside recycle bin (or however you recycle). Consistent with the Reduce – Reuse – Recycle framework, I reuse packaging materials that I’ve received from my suppliers including compostable starch packing, air pillows, bubble wrap and brown paper cushioning when boxing up your purchase. If shipping boxes are in good condition, I may even reuse these for your package.  Please check your community recycling requirements before recycling.

When the candle is spent

When the candle is spent, please consider other uses the vessel may serve – perhaps a drinking glass or wine cup, or a container for small items like paper clips, thumbtacks, rubber bands and the like.  Maybe it could become a planter for small plants like succulents or cuttings from other plants. With the help of a flower frog, you could use glass jars as a flower vase.  CHECK OUT OUR VESSEL RETURN PROGRAM :) Consider donating these jars to your local thrift store or recycling the jars if they are no longer of use.  Please check with your community recycling center before recycling spent Spanish glass jars.

Conservation of Resources

I purchase goods and materials to make candles and home fragrances, some of which are shipped from other countries.  I LOVE the spanish glass jars and have not found a USA-based manufacturer that produces similar glassware.  To the extent that I can, I purchase supplies in bulk to minimize the number of trips to deliver my order. I also look for ground shipping options when I fulfill orders. I purchase carbon offsets to account for the shipping associated with my supplies.

When evaluating goods and materials for use in my business, I intentionally look for product packaging and shipping supplies that are produced with recycled content and can also be readily recycled by most curb-side recycling programs.  Seriously, I pour over product pages to make sure that cost-effective recycled content is available in what I’m planning to use in my handmade goods.  The tissue paper I use has 60%-70% recycled content; retail boxes are 100% recycled content; shipping boxes do not state recycled content but are readily recycled in most curb-side recycling programs. I save cushioning materials like air pillows, starch packing peanuts and paper, and I reuse them to package up orders if they are in good condition, .

I also save the by-products of my candle making process, including leftover wax, wick cuttings, and paper towels that I use to clean candle jars and supplies. Several times a year I make wax fire starters from these accumulated materials and give them away to friends and family who will use them in their outdoor firepits.