In a Consett residential street, the aroma from one particular utility room isn’t that of laundry but the beautiful fragrances used in small-batch candle production. Derwent Candles handcrafts beautiful candles, wax melts and reed diffusers from the small utility room at the back of their house.
It smelt so lovely as I chatted to Caroline whilst she stirred wax, and prepared pots and wicks to make a small batch of candles in jars. Candle-making is a craft. Caroline explained how she had researched pet-friendly fragrances, coconut and rapeseed wax and the best wick for each type of container used.
A lot of testing goes into creating the perfect match of container, wax, fragrance and wick. These things are important to ensure a clean even burn, a great smelling candle and a quality product. The incorrect type of wick can result in tunnelling. Trimming the wick and keeping it straight makes a difference when caring for your candle. Each candle includes a guide to help you get the best from it.
Derwent Candles was created in 2021 during lockdown and is Caroline’s passion. The ingredients are sourced as locally as possible and the products are sold in local shops. These eco-friendly, cruelty-free, vegan candles and products live up to their name as they truly are Derwent candles.
Story and photographs by Sarah Loveland, Consett in Focus – Work and Trades 2024
