How to Choose a Candle Vessel

How to Choose a Candle Vessel 

Choosing the right candle vessel is an exciting part of the candle making process! 

Your vessel doesn’t just hold your candle it defines its look, burn quality, and even your brand’s personality. So let’s go over some important things you need to know when choosing a vessel.

Heat Resistance

This is single handedly the most important part when choosing a candle vessel. Just because you saw a cute used teacup at a thrift store turned into a candle, doesn't mean it's safe! The teacup might not be able to handle the temperature of the candle when lit and it could crack and break causing a huge fire hazard.

Here are some safe vessel materials:

Glass

Metal

Ceramic

Concrete

Never use plastic and always check with the manufacturer if the material is heat resistant, most suppliers will have this information readily available on the product listing.

Size and Shape

The size and shape of the vessel will affect how much wax and fragrance you need in order to create your candle. If you are selling your candles this is something you want to keep in mind when figuring out costs and how much you are going to sell for. If you are making them as gifts or just for yourself then the skies are the limit!

Your Brand

If you are selling your candles and have an idea of what you want your brand’s story to be then keep that in mind when you are searching for the perfect vessel. For Outer Cape Trading Company I chose clear glass with a black lid because I liked how classy and timeless it looked and it felt like it would go along with my brand’s theme of upscale candles with a coastal theme.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

Rustic & cozy: Mason jars, amber glass, or metal tins.

Minimal & modern: Matte white or black ceramics.

Coastal & natural: Clear glass or frosted glass with soft pastel tones.

Cohesion across your offerings is key in making your brand look professional if you decide to sell.

Functionality

Vessels that are beautiful are great but think about your overall sustainability when choosing a vessel. Is this jar something the customer could reuse? Would they want to reuse it? Will this jar just end up in a landfill? Be eco conscious when doing your research.

Costs

The cost of your vessel impacts your pricing, especially if you’re selling at craft fairs or online. Order a few samples before buying in bulk in case you don’t like how your vessel performs, choose a supplier who keeps stock consistent, and don’t forget to factor in shipping for your heavy vessels.

Testing

Always do a burn test! Every wax and wick combination behaves differently depending on the vessel’s shape, size, and material. 

Take notes on how your candle burns, how the wax melts, what the hot throw and cold throws are and how long the candle burns for. Testing might feel tedious, but it’s the key to creating a candle that’s safe, clean-burning, and high quality.

When you light a candle you want the pool of wax to melt all the way to the edges of the vessel so the candle melts properly all the way down and prevents tunneling. Allow the candle to do this before you extinguish and if it isn't reaching the edges you might need to add a second wick or a larger wick. 

In conclusion, heat resistance, shape and size, functionality, costs, and brand story are the most important factors when choosing a vessel for your candles. But remember TESTING is what will ensure you have a successful product your customers will enjoy and keep returning to you to purchase from!