•Get online
Going online to sell your products is the most ideal way to get a lot of buyers. Use social media to your advantage. Since you started your candle making business from home, you may not have a presence in your community because you don’t have a shop. But that shouldn’t stop you from succeeding. Make some noise on the internet and before you know it, people will be buying your candles left and right.
•Branding
The first step in branding your candle making business is to make a name for yourself. What would you like your business or your candles to be called? Think up creative business names for your business. After that, you should design your logo and print out business cards. Here, packaging is very important.
•Get more skills
Learn other business skills like accounting, financing, marketing and sales. Your candle making skills won’t go very far if you don’t know how to budget your finances and sell your products. As the producer of these candles, you are the one who knows exactly what your candles are and what they can do.
•Supplies
To start your candle making business from home, you need to establish relationships with your local suppliers. Not only will they be able to give you good deals and good payment options for the supplies you buy from them, you will also be able to promote your candles in their shops.
•Raw materials
There are only three basic raw materials needed for candle production, they include candle wax: this is the chief component of candle production and it is sold in large pellets; stearic acid, a colourless, odourless waxy crystalline fatty acid usually sourced from animal tallow and vegetable oils. It is used in the manufacture of candles, cosmetics, soaps, lubricants, medicines, etc., with the chemical formula – C18H36O2, and thread (wick): this is the thread like component of the candle which enables it to be lit.
•Equipment
Candle mould, mixer (manual or electric), burner, hand gloves, stainless or galvanised container for melting the wax, table and packaging materials.
For small scale production, the only important component among all the above listed equipment is the candle mould. The candle mould is the major equipment for candle production and can be fabricated locally.
•Production process
Step 1: Chop the candle wax into smaller pieces and pour them into the stainless steel or galvanised container.
Step 2: Place the container on the burner and allow the candle wax to melt, then add stearic acid and mix properly.
Step 3: Arrange the candle thread (wick) properly in the mould.
Step 4: Pour the melted wax into the candle mould and allow the candle wax to solidify.
Step 5: Pour cold water to circulate round the bars of the mould to allow for fast solidification and allow the water to drain out through the outlet.
Step 6: To remove the candles produced, pour hot water to circulate round the bars of the mould so that the candles can now be easily removed and packaged.