Turning a homemade candle factory into a successful soy wax business 

15min.lt 
2021 09 30 

UAB Balsius has become a member of Swedbank's small business strengthening community "Everyone Can". 

Public relations specialist Eglė Salienė and her economist husband Laurynas started making soy wax candles in their spare time - they would give them to friends as gifts - and slowly, without rushing themselves, set up a successful business.

"Candle production is a long process, I am not involved in it now, I just consult other small producers, look for raw materials, fragrance oils and supply them to Lithuania," says E.Salienė. Last year, during the quarantine lull, sales of soy wax increased dramatically - as Eglė jokes, it seemed that all Lithuanians closed their homes and started making candles.

Eglė and Laurynas, after setting up the family business, split their work - Eglė became the director of Balsius UAB, while Laurynas, as an economist, manages the practical side of the business, employing six people. In the future, Salienė hopes to expand her contacts with foreign producers and offer more innovations to Lithuanians, such as hard coconut and rapeseed wax. 

Set up a candle factory at home

Five years ago, public relations specialist Egle Saliene considered making candles from soy wax to be a hobby: "I had a regular job in a public relations agency, but my husband and I started making candles in the evenings for our own needs. Soy wax was unusual, so I was very interested." When looking for raw materials in Lithuania and abroad, Eglė noticed that soy wax and other inputs (wicks, aromatic oils, dyes) were more affordable when bought in larger quantities, so she decided that she could sell some of her candles and share her experience with others. "Now candle making is only a small part of our business," says Salienė, who opened an online shop at www.soyacandles.lt.

The main activity of the company founded by E.Salienė is the supply of raw materials to other producers of soy candles and other vegetable waxes. The raw material comes to Lithuania from various countries, but mainly from the European Union - Italy, Germany and the UK. "We are not limited to one producer, we are looking for interesting scents, so we have built up a collection of very interesting scents," says the company's director.

An Alternative to Paraffin: Beeswax or Soy Wax

Lithuanians have used wax candles since ancient times. And today, they are popular among those who are looking for alternatives to paraffin candles and want to use more eco-friendly products made from renewable sources.

According to Eglė, beeswax has a rich color and a distinct honey scent, but as a material it is not versatile because it mixes poorly with other colors—the yellowish hue of the wax overpowers them—and it also requires significantly more fragrance.

“Soy wax is plant-based, has a neutral off-white color, and a slight soybean scent; it allows for better color development and brings out the aromatic notes more effectively than beeswax.

By the way, a soy candle should be allowed to cure so that it releases this scent more effectively into the environment,” says E. Salienė.

Soy wax is made from soybean oil and is most commonly used in candle production.

During the hydrogenation process, the liquid oil changes its form and becomes solid at room temperature.

Soy wax is biodegradable, breaks down completely in nature, and contains no impurities harmful to the environment or human health.

Candle Season—From Fall to Spring

Eglė believes that Lithuanians can be considered a nation of candle lovers: “We use a lot of candles—perhaps because we’re northerners, it gets dark early during the cold season, and candlelight creates an atmosphere of coziness, togetherness, and romance.

In southern European countries, candles certainly aren’t as popular. In Lithuania, candle season starts in September and lasts all the way through February.”

Not only do we love lighting candles, but another trend is emerging—more and more people want to make them themselves and are interested in choosing the right raw materials.

“The popularity of handmade candles is also due to the fact that they’re easy to make, especially in a jar.

It’s harder to pour a candle into a mold,” says E. Salienė, who devotes most of her time to providing free consultations.