A look at the art of candle making
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From votives to aromatherapy did you ever wonder how scented candles are made? NY1 paid a visit to the New York Candle Company, where owners helped shed light on the process.
“Candles are not that hard to make themselves,” said Frank Fundaro, the vice president of the New York Candle Company. “The trick for us is the art of perfumery. The trick is in the fragrance oils. But candles are basically just wax combined with fragrance.”
At their factory on Staten Island, New York Candle Company produces thousands of candles a day.
“We have three different types of wax that we use,” Fundaro said. “One is a paraffin wax that comes in on slabs. We have a gel wax, which is gelatinized mineral oil, and we have a natural soy wax that comes in as flakes.”
Here, the process is all done by hand.
Much like a recipe used in a kitchen, the ingredients in candles are carefully selected and measured. First, the wax is melted down in a tank. The color and fragrance are slowly added.
Then, votive candles are created by dipping the containers into the mixture.
“After we dip it the first time and let it cool down then its time to add the wicks,” Fundaro said.
The wicks are simply dropped into each one and the candles are left to cool.
“We have to double dip it a second time, and this gives it a nice smooth top,” he said. “And when it cools off we will have the finished product.”
Candles in apothecary jars are a little different. In those, the hot mixture is poured into the jar, cooled, and then placed under heat lamps to create smooth finish.
Either way, the process is relatively easy. The hard part is creating fragrances. Members of the family-run business have a background in perfumery, so they are constantly testing scents at their on-site lab.
The factory operates early in the morning, but during the day school groups are welcome to visit so kids can learn the science behind candle making.
Once you know how the process is done, you can then try it out on your own. New York Candle Company offers home candle-making kits that come with all the supplies you’ll need.
And if you have an event but don't have the time to make your own, the New York Candle Company can personalize labels or customize candles. But that’s a whole other ball of wax.
To take a look at some of the New York Candle Company's products, log onto www.newyorkcandle.com
From votives to aromatherapy did you ever wonder how scented candles are made? NY1 paid a visit to the New York Candle Company, where owners helped shed light on the process.
“Candles are not that hard to make themselves,” said Frank Fundaro, the vice president of the New York Candle Company. “The trick for us is the art of perfumery. The trick is in the fragrance oils. But candles are basically just wax combined with fragrance.”
At their factory on Staten Island, New York Candle Company produces thousands of candles a day.
“We have three different types of wax that we use,” Fundaro said. “One is a paraffin wax that comes in on slabs. We have a gel wax, which is gelatinized mineral oil, and we have a natural soy wax that comes in as flakes.”
Here, the process is all done by hand.
Much like a recipe used in a kitchen, the ingredients in candles are carefully selected and measured. First, the wax is melted down in a tank. The color and fragrance are slowly added.
Then, votive candles are created by dipping the containers into the mixture.
“After we dip it the first time and let it cool down then its time to add the wicks,” Fundaro said.
The wicks are simply dropped into each one and the candles are left to cool.
“We have to double dip it a second time, and this gives it a nice smooth top,” he said. “And when it cools off we will have the finished product.”
Candles in apothecary jars are a little different. In those, the hot mixture is poured into the jar, cooled, and then placed under heat lamps to create smooth finish.
Either way, the process is relatively easy. The hard part is creating fragrances. Members of the family-run business have a background in perfumery, so they are constantly testing scents at their on-site lab.
The factory operates early in the morning, but during the day school groups are welcome to visit so kids can learn the science behind candle making.
Once you know how the process is done, you can then try it out on your own. New York Candle Company offers home candle-making kits that come with all the supplies you’ll need.
And if you have an event but don't have the time to make your own, the New York Candle Company can personalize labels or customize candles. But that’s a whole other ball of wax.
To take a look at some of the New York Candle Company's products, log onto www.newyorkcandle.com
