Trends aren’t always easy to predict. However, if you look at the bigger picture,
you can often see the direction of the candle industry. It tends to follow the same path as the other
industries. Simply look around you and
soak up the ideas in your environment.
The Eco
Movement
Clearly the move to sustainable eco-friendly living has made its
mark in several arenas. From all natural
foods to green buildings, every industry is jumping on the band wagon in an
effort to protect the earth and, let’s face it, rack up the sales. In candle making, a very big trend is the
movement to soy candles. Soy is a
sustainable plant based wax produced from hydrogenated soybean oil. Not only is it natural, it is less expensive
and burns cleaner. It also holds a lot
more fragrance giving it a strong scent.
Look to
Decorating Trends
Color plays a very big role in trends. Every season our clothing’s top colors are
dictated by the fashion world. Interior
decorating often dictates the color trends of candles. Typically people choose candles based on
either color, scent or a combination of the two. If you make candles for consumers that prefer
colorful pillars to match their décor, then you’ll need to watch the interior
design trends. Not only should you keep
an eye on decorating magazines, but try taking a look around some of the trendy
home stores. People are choosing pops of
brilliant color to update their looks, and with the still slow moving economy,
shoppers will be more likely to buy a few decorative items, like candles to
spruce up their home, than to entirely redecorate.
You’ll notice bright teals, vibrant oranges and yellows, as well as toned down cool blues and greens. Look at the seasonal Pantone colors to get ideas. While the current trend is moving towards bright, watch for what colors are selling well for you. Many people still choose more neutral and traditional colors for their home.
It Makes
‘Scents’
Scent provokes strong emotions and memories in people. Since 70% of candles are scented, it is
important to follow trends in fragrances as well. Your suppliers are usually very good about
keeping up with seasonal trends, but don’t count out fragrances that seem
common. People like for their homes to
smell familiar in kitchen scents, florals, and spa type fragrances. Some popular fragrances include:
Convenience
and Safety
Flameless candles are becoming all the rage. Many consumers have children and pets, or
they simply prefer the convenience of flameless. Not only are they safe from starting fires,
but many flameless candles run on timers.
No more falling asleep and forgetting to blow out the candles
first. Plus, there is nothing like
coming home from a long day at work and have the flameless candles timed to
come on when you arrive, longing to relax.
Clean and Simple
If you look at the majority of candle packaging and overall
design, you’ll note that the current trends are clean lines, simple text and
elegant clean packaging. The best way to
know your market is to watch it. Pick up
magazines and shop in popular home stores.
Check out local spas or sit and scroll through the Internet. All these ideas are clearly displayed and may
lead you to developing some new trends as you keep up with current ones. The key is to observe the bigger picture of
the industries involved.
Bath Alchemy by The Bonnie Bath Co.
Read More
The Eco
Movement
Clearly the move to sustainable eco-friendly living has made its
mark in several arenas. From all natural
foods to green buildings, every industry is jumping on the band wagon in an
effort to protect the earth and, let’s face it, rack up the sales. In candle making, a very big trend is the
movement to soy candles. Soy is a
sustainable plant based wax produced from hydrogenated soybean oil. Not only is it natural, it is less expensive
and burns cleaner. It also holds a lot
more fragrance giving it a strong scent.
Pair the natural wax with the clean lines of a simple glass
container and eco-friendly packaging, and you have a very popular candle with
consumers. Since there is also a big
push for aromatherapy, it makes sense to combine the natural soy wax with
essential oils. You’ll want to read our
previous article on natural candles to know which essential oils are typically
safe to burn.
Look to
Decorating Trends
Color plays a very big role in trends. Every season our clothing’s top colors are
dictated by the fashion world. Interior
decorating often dictates the color trends of candles. Typically people choose candles based on
either color, scent or a combination of the two. If you make candles for consumers that prefer
colorful pillars to match their décor, then you’ll need to watch the interior
design trends. Not only should you keep
an eye on decorating magazines, but try taking a look around some of the trendy
home stores. People are choosing pops of
brilliant color to update their looks, and with the still slow moving economy,
shoppers will be more likely to buy a few decorative items, like candles to
spruce up their home, than to entirely redecorate. You’ll notice bright teals, vibrant oranges and yellows, as well as toned down cool blues and greens. Look at the seasonal Pantone colors to get ideas. While the current trend is moving towards bright, watch for what colors are selling well for you. Many people still choose more neutral and traditional colors for their home.
It Makes
‘Scents’
Scent provokes strong emotions and memories in people. Since 70% of candles are scented, it is
important to follow trends in fragrances as well. Your suppliers are usually very good about
keeping up with seasonal trends, but don’t count out fragrances that seem
common. People like for their homes to
smell familiar in kitchen scents, florals, and spa type fragrances. Some popular fragrances include:
Kitchen aromas – vanilla, apple pie, mocha, cinnamon, and
Grandma’s cookies
Florals – Lavender, rose, jasmine, gardenia, and lilac
Fruity – citrus, apple, berries, peaches, and melon
Spa – mint, eucalyptus, green tea, sandalwood
Outdoors – ocean, rain, grass, pine
A new trend in candle making is towards the more exotic
scents. Scents such as pomegranate,
mandarin tea, blue agave, bamboo teakwood, and lotus are all sparking
interest. There are also many new scents
that are simply combinations of scents to try as well, such as rosemary mint
and ginger lime.
Convenience
and Safety
Flameless candles are becoming all the rage. Many consumers have children and pets, or
they simply prefer the convenience of flameless. Not only are they safe from starting fires,
but many flameless candles run on timers.
No more falling asleep and forgetting to blow out the candles
first. Plus, there is nothing like
coming home from a long day at work and have the flameless candles timed to
come on when you arrive, longing to relax.
Clean and Simple
If you look at the majority of candle packaging and overall
design, you’ll note that the current trends are clean lines, simple text and
elegant clean packaging. The best way to
know your market is to watch it. Pick up
magazines and shop in popular home stores.
Check out local spas or sit and scroll through the Internet. All these ideas are clearly displayed and may
lead you to developing some new trends as you keep up with current ones. The key is to observe the bigger picture of
the industries involved.Bath Alchemy by The Bonnie Bath Co.
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