In 2008 my wife received a luxury candle as a gift for Christmas. It was a well-known candle brand and it smelled really good but initially, it was the packaging that caught my eye. It was perfect. As a graphic designer, I’m a sucker for branding and well-thought-out packaging. I was intrigued right from the off, so I began to research and test formulas, and quickly discovered that this was going to be a long journey to perfection.
The chemistry involved in candle-making is actually quite complex, especially when using natural plant-based waxes. It requires a huge amount of time and dedication to get it correct, through doing this I quickly discovered why there aren’t many mid-priced, high-quality candles available on the UK market, and if you dig a little further, an incredibly small number of candle businesses are sustainable or try to be eco-friendly. My sustainable candle-making journey had begun.
"What were you doing before Keynvor?"
All my life I have been a creative person, so after studying design in Sheffield, I started my career as a graphic designer, which eventually, having worked around the world, landed me here in Cornwall.
"Where and how do you make your candles?"
All Keynvor products are made in my cosy workshop in Newquay. Sourcing ingredients is a tricky one because I only use what I believe to be the absolute best quality ingredients available. The majority of the ingredients and packaging are made in Europe and the UK, but our wax currently comes from overseas. It is incredible and completely natural, so there is a good reason for it, however, I’m constantly searching for European or UK suppliers that can offer the same quality.
Eventually, every ingredient and every material used will be sourced close to home to reduce air/sea miles as much as possible and further minimise our carbon footprint.
"Where does your inspiration come from?"
Cornwall… just look at it! And travel, but living in a place like this it’s hard not to be inspired. Even on the roughest of days. I love it!
"What's something that you're extremely proud of within the Keynvor brand?"
We are plastic-free! Now, this is not as easy as it seems. To ensure we don’t use any plastic, I had to get a little creative about how the products are made. Our lids, for example, are custom made in Newquay then assembled in the workshop. It would be a lot easier to go and source pre-made candle jar lids with silicone seals etc, but then we wouldn’t be original and we would be adding to the plastic problem. I see it as my responsibility as a business owner to care about how my work will impact the environment, and work in a way that will benefit myself, my customers, and the earth.
"What's next for Keynvor?"
I’m glad you asked! Right now I’m expanding our fragrance portfolio and have a few new knockout candles coming soon as well as subscription boxes and developing a couple of new products that are in the pipeline, but you will have to wait and see.
View the full Keynvor collection here