How to Start a Candle Business: Sourcing Vessels, Wax, Oils, Wicks, and Packaging (A Practical Guide)

 I'm Sabastian Garsnett, founder of Candle Business PRO and one half of Garsnett Beacon Candle Company. In this post I walk you through exactly how to start a candle business by showing you the sourcing steps we use when building a new brand from scratch — from wax and fragrance oils to custom vessels, wicks, packaging and the small, inexpensive touches that make products feel premium. If you want real, measurable steps for how to start a candle business that scale, this is the detailed guide I wish I'd had when we started.

Why sourcing is the foundation of how to start a candle business

Sourcing is not a one-time decision — it’s the operating backbone of your candle brand. When I talk about how to start a candle business, the first thing I tell people is: keep it simple and build around supplies you can consistently get. Too many new makers chase a trendy vessel, an exotic wax, or the latest “designer oil” and then discover that the supplier discontinues it or the product flops. When that happens, your brand faces painful pivoting: new packaging, new testing, new supply chains, and lost time.

So before you order large inventory, map your suppliers, ask the hard questions, request samples and plan for backups. The rest of this article walks through each category in detail and gives you practical checklists, negotiation tips, and testing protocols to follow as you learn how to start a candle business the right way.

Outline: What this guide covers

• Choosing reliable vessels and why simplicity wins
• Selecting waxes — stability vs. hot throw tradeoffs
• Building a fragrance strategy and avoiding trend-chasing
• Wick selection, coding differences, and why you need stock
• Working with overseas factories: Alibaba, trade assurance, and split shipments
• Packaging strategy: cost-effective presentation that still delights
• Testing methodology: how to test every variable
• Inventory planning, supplier mapping, and minimizing risk
• Merchandise, add-ons, and when not to expand
• Regulatory basics and care instructions
• Sample timelines and a launch checklist
• FAQs about how to start a candle business

1. Vessels: keep it simple and predictable

One of the clearest lessons I learned while building multiple candle brands is: build your brand around vessels that are available long-term. Avoid designing your entire brand identity around a trendy, seasonal jar that might be discontinued in 6–12 months.

Why? Suppliers rotate inventory, colors fall out of favor, sizes change, and many vessels get discontinued because they didn’t sell. If your entire brand relies on a single vessel a supplier stops making, you’ll be forced to repackage, re-test, and possibly refund or discount unsellable inventory. That’s a business-killer when you’re just learning how to start a candle business.

Our scalable core candles started with a simple, reliable 10 oz Libbey-style glass jar. Libbey and similar classic containers are manufactured by multiple companies and sold through many distributors — which means lower risk of supply interruption. We supplemented simple jars with custom-sprayed jars that were manufactured to our specifications and screen-printed with our logo when we were ready to invest in volume.

Practical vessel sourcing checklist:

• Start with standard, widely available jars (e.g., 7 oz, 10 oz) from reputable manufacturers.
• Buy samples before committing to any custom finish.
• If you want custom, be prepared for minimum order quantities (we’ve done runs of 1,200+ for custom screen printing).
• Plan your brand identity around labeling and packaging, not the jar itself — good labels and color accents give a strong brand without exotic jars.

When custom vessels make sense

Custom vessels make sense when you have proven demand and can meet the MOQ without overleveraging your cash flow. For our new brand we decided to manufacture matte black 10 oz jars, screen print our logo, and produce tube boxes to create an elevated unboxing experience. But we only did this because we were certain about the design and could negotiate with suppliers to optimize costs.

Rule of thumb: Don’t custom-order jars until you’ve sold enough of a standard jar to validate demand or you have the budget and/or pre-orders to cover the MOQ.

2. Waxes: the tradeoff between stability and throw

Waxes are one of the most important choices you’ll make when deciding how to start a candle business. Your wax determines scent throw, appearance, cost, and the kind of wick you’ll use. But there’s a balance: some popular, stable waxes are easy to source and consistent; others promise novelty but can disappear quickly.

We built our main business around Golden Brands 464 soy wax for years. It’s widely carried, consistent, and available through many suppliers. That makes your supply chain less fragile. But soy waxes in general have limitations — notably, hot throw is often weaker than paraffin blends or coconut blends. If your brand promises a powerful scent throw, you might choose to test coconut-soy blends, paraffin-soy blends, or other manufacturer-specific blends like IGI or Titan.

Tips for wax selection:

• Prefer waxes that multiple suppliers carry.
• Don’t chase every new “designer” wax — test and verify it’s stable and available long term.
• Match your wax to your target customer and price point (e.g., premium candle buyers expect strong throw).
• Consider blends that increase hot throw, but be prepared to test wick compatibility and fragrance load.

Wax availability and risk

When you’re planning how to start a candle business, prioritize waxes that won’t cause supply chain panic if one supplier runs out. If a wax is only available from a single distributor or small batch suppliers, it may be risky for scaling. Ask suppliers about lead times, pallet purchases, and whether the wax can be sourced through multiple vendors.

3. Fragrance oils: strategy, duplication, and avoiding trend-chasing

The fragrance oils you choose are central to your customer experience and brand identity, but they are also subject to trends and supply risk. When learning how to start a candle business, never build your foundation on a single, hard-to-get designer oil. Instead, use reliable base ingredients and build signature blends you can recreate if a supplier disappears.

Examples and cautionary tales:

• The fragrance supplier 1617 was popular for high-end designer oils — and then they abruptly closed. Makers who relied on their unique oils had to scramble to find replacements, and many popular perfume dupes were poorly reproduced elsewhere.
• Some fragrance dupes that flooded the market after a brand goes away simply didn’t perform well in candles or didn’t smell right after hot throw.

Our approach:

• We blend our own signature fragrances. Chad creates blends for us that combine multiple oils to achieve a stable, distinctive scent.
• We source oils that are widely available where possible. For premium scents that mimic niche perfumery (think Jo Malone or Le Labo), we work with fragrance houses that can duplicate and produce to our spec.
• For high-volume best sellers, we consider having those oils duplicated under private label, which reduces per-pound cost when you hit the required minimums.

Duplicating oils: pros and cons

Once a scent proves itself, duplicating the fragrance with a fragrance house can cut costs significantly. For example, you may be able to lower costs to under $20/lb by committing to larger minimums. But duplication has minimums (often a 7 lb minimum or more) and up-front costs.

Consider these factors when deciding if you should duplicate:

• How consistent is the fragrance in sales? If it’s a top seller, duplication is often worth it.
• Are you comfortable with a 7 lb or larger initial outlay?
• Do you need faster delivery or privacy (you don’t want competitors to replicate your exact blend)?

4. Wicks: coding, compatibility, and why you should stock up

Wicks may seem small, but they make or break a candle. Wicks are coded, sometimes coated with soy or paraffin, and the same wick name from different suppliers may behave differently. That inconsistency can cause burning performance issues if you switch suppliers without testing.

What to keep in mind:

• When you buy a specific wick style from a supplier, document the exact part number and supplier code.
• Do not assume identical names from different suppliers will burn the same — coding and coating change the burn characteristics.
• Stock an extra supply of the wick you commit to, so you’re not forced into a last-minute substitution that changes performance.

In our classic line, we use multiple wick sizes across our 10 scents because fragrance load and wax blends affect how a wick performs. You’ll probably need more than one wick size across your SKU list.

5. Working with overseas factories and Alibaba

If you plan to source custom vessels, boxes, or branded items from overseas, Alibaba is a powerful platform — but you must use it wisely. Here are hands-on tips we use when sourcing through Alibaba to reduce risk and cost when figuring out how to start a candle business.

Trade Assurance: your buyer protection

Always work with suppliers that offer Trade Assurance on Alibaba. This service holds your payment until the supplier provides delivery and you confirm you are satisfied. If the supplier disappears or fails to deliver, Alibaba can refund your money (within the platform’s time limits). We once used Trade Assurance successfully after custom wick trimmers failed to arrive — Alibaba issued our refund after we filed a claim.

Important notes on Trade Assurance:

• Familiarize yourself with the claim timeframes — don’t be too lenient waiting for delivery if it pushes you past the claim window.
• Keep all communication and shipping documents within Alibaba as much as possible — this makes claims easier.

Ask for DDP quotes (Delivered Duty Paid)

When requesting quotes, always ask suppliers for a delivered to our door (DDP) price, not just FOB (freight on board) or to-port pricing. FOB pricing often hides additional costs — taxes, customs clearance, inland freight — that add up when the shipment reaches you. DDP pricing gives you a clearer total landed cost.

Split shipments: speed vs. cost

If you must meet a launch timeline but ordered a large MOQ to hit price breaks, ask the supplier about split shipments: ship a small initial quantity by air to meet urgent demand, and send the remainder by sea. We did this with custom boxes: ordered 2,000 units to get a great unit price and had 200 shipped by air for a fast initial run while the rest came by ocean freight.

Supplier due diligence

On Alibaba, prefer suppliers with strong ratings and many positive reviews. I generally pass on suppliers with fewer than 100 reviews or ratings under 4.8 unless there’s strong evidence they’re high-quality. Product photos can be misleading — lean on verified transaction history and third-party inspections when possible.

Negotiation tips

• Consolidate orders when possible (vessels + perfume bottles + boxes from the same supplier) to lower shipping and leverage volume discounts.
• Negotiate split MOQs across product lines if you’re unsure about demand — many factories will accommodate if you can hit combined minimums.
• Confirm artwork files, screen printing colors, and sample approvals in writing before production begins.

6. Packaging: make it thoughtful without overspending

Packaging should support your brand and the customer experience, but it’s often one of the most expensive line items when learning how to start a candle business. You don’t need luxury packaging to look professional. There are inexpensive ways to create a great unboxing experience.

Where to cut costs without hurting perception

• Use a quality sticker or a stamp on plain boxes instead of fully custom-printed cartons to reduce initial costs.
• Stamp tissue paper with your logo instead of ordering expensive custom-printed tissue.
• Use simple but thoughtful inserts — a candle care card with burn instructions and a handwritten note on the back adds personal connection.
• Buy a small custom stamp (we spent under $25) for shipping boxes; it looks professional and is inexpensive to use at scale.

Lids vs dust covers

We went through this personally. Lids add structure and can protect fragile wax during wholesale shipping, but they add roughly $1 per unit in packaging. For most direct-to-consumer candles, dust covers or no lid are perfectly fine. Before adding lids across a SKU, poll your customers and test. In our case, many customers said they preferred no lid for sustainability reasons; we added lids for wholesale stability and found many customers simply leave the lids at purchase.

Packaging examples and costs

Here are real-world examples to help you plan:

• Custom-printed tube boxes from China: We ordered 2,000 boxes for about $1,200 delivered — roughly $0.60 per box. That’s hard to replicate with domestic printers for the same price.
• Small initial air shipment of 200 boxes to meet launch needs, rest shipped by sea — split shipment saved us time while keeping the landed cost low.
• Personalized candle care cards from a domestic printer: inexpensive, professional, and can be used as a thank-you card if you leave space on the back for handwriting.

7. Testing protocol: how to test everything before scaling

Testing is essential to how to start a candle business successfully. Do not go all-in on a scent or packaging suite without exhaustive testing. Every variable — wax type, wick size, fragrance load, vessel, and label — can affect burn, melt pool, and scent throw.

Testing matrix (practical)

Create a matrix in a spreadsheet that lists each variable across columns and rows. Example columns:

• SKU name
• Wax type
• Fragrance oil(s) + % load
• Wick style & size (supplier + code)
• Vessel type & finish
• Room temperature hot throw (scale 1–10)
• Cold throw rating (scale 1–10)
• Burn time (hours)
• Melt pool time (min to full melt)
• Soot or smoking issues
• Notes / adjustments

Test in consistent conditions: same room, same vessel, same wick placement, and log every burn. Adjust one variable at a time — for example, change wick size without changing wax or oil. If you change more than one variable, you won’t know which change affected the result.

Minimum viable testing plan

1. Order small quantities of wax, wick, and oil samples.
2. Create small test burns for each fragrance at multiple fragrance load percentages (e.g., 6%, 8%, 10%).
3. Test wicks across sizes to find the smallest wick that gives a full melt pool without excessive smoking.
4. Burn for multiple hours and record full melt behavior, tunneling, and soot.
5. Repeat with the actual production vessel finish (e.g., matte black vs clear glass).
6. Document everything and store results in a centralized file to recreate formulations.

8. Inventory planning and supplier mapping

When you're learning how to start a candle business, map out every SKU and see which supplier offers the most of what you need. Consolidating sourcing reduces shipping complexity and leverage. If one supplier can provide wax, wicks, labels, and packaging goods, you save on shipping and simplify reorders.

Supplier mapping steps:

• Create a table with every material and potential suppliers.
• Note minimum order quantities, lead times, and DDP pricing.
• Identify two backup suppliers for critical items (wax, oils, and vessels).
• Track supplier reliability via customer reviews and community feedback — use groups and forums (or our community) to vet suppliers quickly.

9. Merchandise, add-ons, and when not to expand

Merchandise can extend brand reach, but it introduces complexity. T-shirts add many SKUs (sizes & colors), inventory headaches, and customer service questions. My advice when teaching how to start a candle business: don’t launch t-shirts and multi-SKU merchandise until your candle SKUs are stable and you know your sales patterns.

Better early add-ons:

• Room sprays — inexpensive to produce, high perceived value, great for promotions and bundling.
• Tote bags or one-size accessories that don’t require many SKUs.
• Stickers and small branded freebies — inexpensive, great for marketing, and easy to ship.

We produce room sprays in matte bottles for less than $2.50 per unit and sell them for $16 to $18 with strong margins. They’re great promotional items, bundle incentives, and impulse upsells.

10. Regulatory basics and candle care

Candle safety, labeling and compliance are essential when you decide how to start a candle business. Regulations vary by country; in the U.S. you should be familiar with the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) guidelines, state-level packaging laws, and any fragrance-specific requirements (e.g., IFRA standards for certain perfume ingredients that have maximum usage rates).

Practical labeling items to include:

• Product name
• Net weight or volume
• Company name and contact information
• Burning/care instructions — e.g., trim wick to 1/4 inch, burn until full melt pool, never leave unattended
• Safety warnings — e.g., keep away from flammable materials
• Ingredients list if required in your market

Include a candle care card with every order — printed professionally or ordered from places like VistaPrint — and leave space on the back for a handwritten thank-you note. These small touches improve unboxing and reduce burn-related returns or complaints.

11. Sample timeline and launch checklist

If you’re wondering what a realistic timeline looks like when you start building the physical aspects of your candle brand, here’s a sample plan for the sourcing and testing phase. Our process for this particular brand took place over multiple weeks, and here’s an example seven-to-eight week timeline that we used as the foundation for launch planning.

Sample 8-week timeline

1. Week 1: Finalize brand direction, list required materials (wax, oils, vessels, wicks, labels, boxes).
2. Week 2: Source suppliers, request samples of wax, oils, wicks, and jars. Order a few packaging samples (plain and custom-printed if needed).
3. Week 3: Begin small-batch testing with selected waxes and oils. Start wick trials and document results.
4. Week 4: Narrow to top 5–7 fragrances and continue wick/wax optimization. Decide on vessel finish and order custom jar samples or painted jars.
5. Week 5: Finalize packaging design. Place MOQ orders for packaging (use split shipment if needed). Order private-label fragrance duplication for top scents if budget allows.
6. Week 6: Receive initial air-shipped packaging samples and start packaging tests. Finalize care cards and shipping labels. Start product photography with current packaging.
7. Week 7: Receive ocean-shipped inventory. Perform quality control checks on vessels and packaging. Finalize SKU pricing and COGS using a tool like Inventora or a spreadsheet.
8. Week 8: Build Shopify store, add product pages, photos, descriptions, and test checkout. Prepare marketing and email launch sequences. Plan soft launch and influencer seeding.

That timeline assumes you already have branding and trademarks finished. If you’re still working on domain registration, logos, or IP, add time for that work before you begin production runs.

12. Cost of goods and early pricing strategy

Understanding COGS is central to profitable scaling and is part of learning how to start a candle business that lasts. Include every direct cost in your COGS calculation: wax, fragrance oil per candle, wick, vessel, label, box, packaging materials, labor, shipping, and import duties. Tools like Inventora (which we use) speed this process up and produce SKU-level margins.

Price strategy considerations:

• Establish your target gross margin (many candle brands aim for 60%+ gross margin for D2C).
• Consider perceived value: good photography and a premium matte jar can sustain higher pricing than a generic clear jar.
• Use add-ons like room sprays and bundles to increase average order value without radically increasing acquisition costs.

13. Quality control and receiving overseas shipments

When ordering overseas, plan for incoming quality control (IQC). Have a checklist to inspect arrivals: jar finish, print quality, boxes for scuffs, correct quantities, and sample burn tests for a small subset of the batch. If you have a logistics partner, consider using third-party inspection services to verify production before it ships.

Common QC checkpoints

• Correct pantone colors and logo placement on printed items
• Even spray finish on painted jars
• Boxes: correct printing, crease lines, and structural integrity
• Wicks: consistent length and finish
• Fragrance oils: smell test to ensure batch consistency

14. Document everything: recipes, supplier codes, and burn tests

One of the most powerful habits when learning how to start a candle business is documentation. Track your recipe for every SKU: wax base, fragrance blends with exact percentages and supplier codes, wick size and supplier reference, pour temperature, and specific vessel details. If you change suppliers, your documentation will let you re-create and troubleshoot faster.

Document it all: If you test 10 fragrance/wax/wick combinations, store the exact results — dates, batch numbers, photos of the melt pool, and notes on issues like smoking or tunneling.

15. Community and supplier recommendations

When you’re building a new brand, community input is invaluable. Join maker groups, message forums, and communities (we run a free Facebook group and have a supply checklist we update regularly). Peer feedback helps you avoid costly mistakes and learn which suppliers are reliable today.

Candles change fast — suppliers that were excellent two years ago may have degraded in service. Check current group threads, supplier reviews, and conversation timestamps to get a real-time sense of reliability.

16. FAQs — How to Start a Candle Business (Practical Answers)

Q: What is the first supplier decision I should make when learning how to start a candle business?

A: Start with your vessel choice. Choose a standard, widely available jar and test your candles there. If the vessel sells well, you can scale and later move to custom finishes once you understand demand and SKU performance.

Q: How many fragrance options should I launch with?

A: Start with a focused line — 4–6 core scents is a good sweet spot. It’s enough variety to appeal to different customers but small enough to test, optimize, and manage inventory and wick combinations.

Q: Should I buy custom boxes from China?

A: If your unit economics support it and you can accept longer lead times, yes. China can provide very competitive pricing. Use Trade Assurance, request DDP quotes, and consider split shipments to meet launch timing.

Q: How much fragrance oil should I stock for launch?

A: Buy samples to test, then stock enough for an initial production run (e.g., a few hundred candles) for your top scents. For best sellers, plan for duplication or bulk buying to lower costs once demand is proven.

Q: Can I duplicate a favorite scent from a supplier?

A: Yes. Many fragrance houses will duplicate scents with a minimum quantity. This reduces per-pound cost and secures supply but requires upfront commitment (often a multi-pound minimum).

Q: Do I need lids on my candles?

A: Not usually. Dust covers are fine for most D2C sales. Lids add cost and rarely improve customer satisfaction. Consider lids only if you have specific wholesale stability issues or it’s integral to your brand positioning.

Q: How do I choose wicks?

A: Test wicks in your wax + fragrance + vessel matrix. Keep at least a few hundred of your chosen wick on hand to avoid last-minute substitutions. Document supplier codes and wick coatings — different supplier batches with the same name may burn differently.

Q: What are common hidden costs when importing packaging?

A: Customs duties, inland freight, port handling, inspection fees, and delays can all add costs. Always ask for DDP pricing to understand the landed cost per unit.

Conclusion: Build for reliability, test relentlessly, and plan for scale

Knowing how to start a candle business is about more than great scents or pretty jars — it’s about building a supply network that’s predictable, affordable, and resilient. Keep your first product line simple, focus on well-supported waxes and vessels, document every burn test, and prioritize suppliers that can supply multiple items to reduce shipping complexity and costs.

When we start new brands, we prioritize repeatability: materials that are available from multiple suppliers, fragrance strategies that can be duplicated, and packaging options that deliver a strong unboxing without excessive cost. Follow the testing matrix, hold suppliers to clear shipping terms (DDP and Trade Assurance when using Alibaba), and be prepared to split shipments if deadlines require it.

If you’d like the supply list we use for our stores, download the free checklist that we keep updated. Join our free maker community to ask questions, share supplier experiences, and get real-time feedback from other candle business owners. Learning how to start a candle business is a journey — the supply decisions you make early will shape your speed to market, priceability, and ability to scale.

A final quick shout out to ToAuto for supporting our work — we rely on quality melters and label printers in our processes and recommend investing in reliable tools for production. If you have specific questions about suppliers, test plans, or how to start a candle business tailored to your target audience, drop a question in the community or reach out — I’ll help where I can.

Ready to get practical? Start by mapping your suppliers today, order the smallest samples you can, and create a testing matrix. Keep it simple, test every combination, and document everything — that’s the proven path to a scalable candle brand.