Career in Crafts - Candle Making

Making candles is a hobby for some but it is now fast emerging as a sound business proposition for many in India. Every year, candle-making for the festive season starts from Janamashtami and continues till Diwali, churning out nearly 1,100 metric tonne. The majority of candles sold are made by household businesses or by small entrepreneurs running their own candle making unit. The business is easy to enter, has low start up costs and can grow in proportion to your marketing and entrepreneurial abilities. The options within the business are many. You can make

 

• soy wax candles
• beeswax candles
• gel candles
• paraffin-based candles
• scented candles
• candles for special occasions like Diwali, Christmas, Valentine's Day, Birthdays, New Year
• aromatherapy candles
• box, floating, and all kinds of festive candles
• high-end candles with the natural ingredients

 

The Job

• Creating new designs and making initial samples - designs can be made on the computer using candle making software or by hand
• Meeting prospective bulk buyers like interior/home decoration stores, gift shops, artifact shops and corporates to generate orders
• Buying wax, decorative materials, moulds and equipment for candle making
• Making candles as per the design - this will involve preparing the wax by mixing chemicals and setting it
• Training people working with you in making candles as per the design and quality you desire
• Packaging the candles attractively
• Shipping orders received
• Setting up shops in festival sales, fairs and markets selling the candles
• Learning and experimenting with new styles and ways of making new types of candles
• Constantly innovating in design and styles keeping in mind customers tastes

 

Personality traits

• Creative with a talent for new designs
• Significant entrepreneurial ability to find new markets, develop clients and make sales
• Ability to work for long hours using chemicals and other equipment
• Ability to train people to execute your ideas
• Team management skills
• Curiosity to learn new things and the enterprise to experiment with new ideas

 

Prospects and Remuneration
Most candle makers run their own small home business. The initial start up costs will include essential equipment you need like paraffin or beeswax to melt down, molds, wicks, dyes, scents, and a pan to melt the wax. The largest expense will definitely be the moulds as some of them can run as high as Rs 1,000 each. On an average though they cost about Rs 50 a mould. Mould will have to be bought in sets of 50-100 to achieve a fast and high scale of work. All told, you can get started making candles for less than Rs 50,000 but you will still need to consider a computer, office equipment, and perhaps even candle making software if you intend to take your candle making business to a significantly profitable level. The space needed can be as small as one corner of your living room but you may need to hire a small room or garage as your business grows. Larger scale of work will need larger investments.

On an average, a home business in crafts can earn Rs 15,000 - Rs 20,000 per month after about a year of operation, once they gain experience and develop clients. Bulk sales are made to gift shops, home decoration shops and to corporates for corporate gift items. However, if one is making candles in a factory employing a small workforce and automating some of the work, earnings can go up to Rs 50,000 - Rs 75,000 per month.

Earnings follow a seasonal pattern, peaking around Diwali up to New Year. Often candle makers also make other craft items for corporate and general gifts to boost income in lower seasons.

Study Routes

There are no formal routes to study the craft and no minimum eligibility to enter the profession. Learning how to make candles is as easy as reading some instructions and trying them out at home. The internet offers many sites that provide stepwise instructions for a beginner. One such website is http://www.candlehelp.com/, http://www.homebusinesscenter.com and 123india.com.
Other online courses can be found at http://www.universalclass.com.
Candle making can also be learnt at craft and hobby classes that are often held locally by people running their own home business and through books. Some of the courses that could be considered in Delhi include:

• Alps Academy, Lajpat Nagar
• Limelight Candles, 15 Khan Market
• Creative Candles, 372/1 Kanhaiya Nagar,Tri Nagar
• Crafting Heritage, B-4/9, Safdarjung Enclave
• Fevicryl/ Camlin workshops
• Juhee's Creative workshop, A 13, New Friends Colony

 

Author: Compass One

 

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