Candle Making Business Ideas Investment Profit
Have you ever wondered how beautiful candles are? Have you tried your hand at making a few candles yourself? If you think it is a fun hobby, you might actually have talent for making it in the candle making business. Of course it takes more than just knowing how candles are made, to make a successful business. So in this article we will tell you all the details of candle making business and how to be successful at that.
If you are passionate about making candles and if you are thinking of selling them already, why not start big? But as with all businesses, just by thinking it will not become successful. You will have to view your goal and then your current situation and then assess how you will bridge the gap between the two. We will provide you with all the tools (information) but the strategy has to be your own. So what are you waiting for? Get those thinking caps on already, as we being by telling you how to make candles first and foremost.
Candle Manufacturing Process
This comes in two processes – making candles at home and making candles at factory. In case you are taking large orders, you will need to produce them at a factory. How will you do that? Let us find out –
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Prepare the wick: This is the first step of making the candle. You must braid the cotton or linen wicks and then treat it with inorganic salt solution or chemicals. At this point it will bend at a 90 degree angle while it burns. However, if the wick is not treated, it will burn far more quickly and the flame will extinguish the melted wax.
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Prepare the wax base: At the factory, the next step is to create the wax base. The molten wax base is carefully filtered and any perfume, if needed, is added at this stage.
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Molding the candle: This is usually done in Morgan’s candle making machine. The wick is pulled from across the mold. The tip usually has a hole which allows the wick to pass through. After this the wax is cooled above its melting point and then it is poured into the molding table. The wax is then treated through each mold and the molds are also pre-heated. The wax flows evenly through them.
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Extrusion: This is usually done in place of the last step. Crushed paraffin wax is forced through heated steel under this step, at high temperatures. The extrusion machines, unlike molding machines, will produce a continuous candle wick, which has o be cut then into different sizes.
If you want a simpler version of this without the extrusion machine or the molding machine, etc. then you can make candles at home.
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Get the equipment and clear out an area Working with wax can be messy. It can melt, leave droplets everywhere and cause hassle. Use newspapers and towels around your workspace. Get a spatula, thermometer and other working equipment.
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Now melt the wax Put the wax on a boiler and put a good quantity of water inside it. Stir it well and make sure to break off the big c hunks. This will take only 10-15 minutes. Measure the temperature; make sure it is around 160-170 degrees at all times.
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Add a wick to the container Adhere it to the bottom of the container right when you dip the wick into the melted wax. After a couple of minutes it will harden. When it does, it will stick to the bottom.
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Add essential (fragrant) oils and cool Add these oils to the completely melted wax. The optimal temperature when you should pour the wax is around 130 to 140 degrees. Wait for some time in the boiler before you pour it into the set.
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Secure the wick Now attach the wick to the bottom and then sway the liquid wax to adjust the wick accurately. Make sure it is centered and stick properly to the bottom.
Material and cost for making candle
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You must get raw materials like wax, fragrance or essential oils, craft supplies and some coloring for making candles. The fragrance is optional and depends upon your tastes.
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Also, to make your candles more attractive you can buy some ornamentation items as well. As far as raw materials are concerned, you can purchase bowls, jars, etc.
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You will get wax at about Rs. 50 – at the most it can be around Rs. 85 per kg. The wholesale prices are about Rs 50 per kg and they are imported from countries like Germany, China, Korea, etc.
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Stearic acid: You will also need to make candles stiff and hard and for that you will need to put 5% of the stearic acid. However, if you are using high quality wax, then this is not needed.
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Boxes: Don’t forget the boxes. These are essential for establishing your brand and you will easily get them from anywhere. You can use some craft papers to make them more attractive, though.
Candle making machine, kit and equipment
Candle making equipments are easily available online. First of all set up your work area. Then you need a computer to manage your orders and your other business details. You must then buy the kits and the basic molding and extrusion machines as per your requirement. Some of the kits include taper candle tools, rubber plugs, pouring pots, glue dots, wax-melters and thermometers. More kits can be bought depending upon your requirements.
Where to get the machines and how much they cost
You can get these machines online. A basic machine would cost you around Rs. 36,000 per unit. There are candle making beginner’s kits available for Rs. 3600 as well. It all depends upon your requirement. Usually when people start receiving bigger orders they buy bigger kits.
Candle packaging process
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Take a big box: Make sure the box is as big as your candle – if not bigger, it needs to denote the size and fit of the candle perfectly. The box can also have your company’s logo.
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Wrap the candles: Now before putting them in the box you have to wrap them in a bubble wrapper so that their frame is secure. This is very important.
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Box it: Now put them inside the box safely and make sure that they are tucked in nicely. Then secure the box with a tape and repeat this with all the other packages.
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Main box: Put all the small boxes inside a main big box. On each row, put a smaller cardboard so as to make sure they do not suffer wear and tear during transportation.
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Final step: Once all the candles are put in the box this way, secure the top with the final piece of the box and cover it tightly with duct tape.
Candle making business license process
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Register your business: First of all you have to register your business with the Government of India. You can register it as an LLP, a Private Limited company or an OPC.
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Apply for PAN card: Now you have to apply for a PAN card as it is the norm for doing business in India. Whether you have a candle making business or any other form of business, you must get one.
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Trade license: Getting the above is necessary because to obtain a trade license you will need to produce those documents. Make sure you apply at your local authorities to get the same.
Candle making business cost
The cost incurred in a candle making business can vary greatly. The price of a machine itself can cost Rs. 35000 if you are staring large scale. It can go up to Rs. 2 lakh. So you have to think about the higher costs. The higher costs can go up to Rs. 10 lakh including the cost of the manufacturing equipments, man power, rental space and many other things. You have to keep Rs. 10 lakh as a rough candle making cost to proceed if you are thinking of a fully-fledged candle factory. Homemade candles often cost less since their manufacturing costs might also be less.
Candle profit margin
Since you don’t need a lot of pricey raw materials or many employees, you can expect huge profits from this market. While setting the price for your candles, consider the expenses of the raw materials as well as the labor cost for making them. Also, if you are using some modes of advertisement, consider them too.
You can then double the costs and sell it in the market if you are selling it at the wholesale prices. If you are selling it at the shops, you can go as high as 2.5 or 3 times the cost. If your candles are strikingly beautiful then you must sell them at retail prices to get the costs.
Candle business marketing strategy and promotion
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While marketing, be very careful as you are representing your brand. First of all, you can start by visiting religious functions held at different houses, temples, spas, etc.
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You can advertise your candles in relevant businesses and televisions even. You can post an advertisement in a local newspaper or on radio station.
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Put an advertisement out on social media. Make your social media page active and interactive make sure you have daily engagement to make your reach farther.
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Create a billboard and place it strategically in locations that are religious or where more and more people can read it – the idea is to keep it strategically placed.
Target area for marketing
The target demographic for marketing is to house owners or local temples or spas where candles are purchased and used on a daily basis. When it comes to area, it can be any area, as long as it is related to functions associated with candles.
If your business is around during Diwali, you know that your candle’s name should be on the forefront. You must ensure that your brand reaches the maximum number of people so that by the time the season arrives your business becomes a household name. You can also choose those areas which are thickly populated to hand out bills or business cards.
Candle making business precaution
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Always have a business plan: Make sure you have a business plan to avoid reckless spending. It should be backed by solid research. Get to know as much about the market as you can.
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Have a niche: Always have your niches to fall back onto. This will keep you segregated from the rest in the market. If you already enjoy making a certain type of candle – you have it!
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Make sure you have a business space: If you have decided to start a business, you must also have a business space. You need to store your equipment and raw materials at a secure space too – so that your investment doesn’t get spoilt.
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Know the market: Make sure (preferably before deciding the niche), that you know what is “in” and what is “out” and what is making the most money right now.
Candle making business risk
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No market for your goods: This is a risk that is worth pondering. You may see that you are selling one thing but the market needs another. You need to start from scratch then.
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No sale: You may have days when there are no sales. This often happens due to not identifying your target buyers and demographics accurately.
Conclusion
Making it in the candle making business is not tough. But it often takes a lot from you. Therefore you have to make sure that you have got enough experience. We suggest start small. Start with homemade candles and see what the market demands and then progress slowly from there to establish your own brand.
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