Pioneering candle recycling company relocates to Chorley

Richard came up with the idea of recycling candles as a young boy, when one of his favourite hobbies was making candles using specialist kits. He says: “I loved the craft but even back then I was conscious about the need to reduce waste. So I started experimenting with ways of reusing spent candles rather than binning them.”

After moving to London to study drama, where he ran a side hustle making recycled candles to sell at craft markets, Richard met Sargon, an architect, who spotted the business potential. “The rest, as they say, is history,” laughs Richard. “I put my acting ambitions to one side and, after refining our processes to ensure the recycled wax meets stringent safety requirements, we launched The Recycled Candle Company.”

The concept immediately caught the imagination of consumers increasingly concerned about the environment and issues around landfill - and sales went through the roof.

The recycled candles are sold online and through selected retailers with supplies of used candles and wax coming from a variety of sources, such as hotels and restaurants, places of worship, high street brands and food manufacturers. Members of the public and community groups also make donations, either posting wax or using candle recycling points around the UK including Reeds Refillery in Chorley. Recently in York, the first residential kerbside candle collection was started by the Friends of St Nicholas Fields.

A green ethos is at the heart of the company, Richard explains: “We monitor everything we’re doing to make sure we are ticking as many boxes as possible. For example we use sustainably sourced dyes and essential oils, eco-friendly wicks, and we reuse packaging to send products out to customers.”

This year The Recycled Candle Company was bought by major wax producer, Kerax, prompting the move north. Sargon says: “We’re still heading up the business, but it’s great to have the resources and support of a long-established company behind us, and together we’re looking at ways of increasing the commercial viability of recycling wax.

“For us, this is a really exciting development that’s allowed us to step up production to meet the growing demand for our products. And perfect timing, too, as the run up to Christmas is our busiest period.”

The new production facility is located at Moorland Gate Business Park. Candles are hand-poured to achieve the brand’s quality and look. In a single day, Richard and Sargon together with their first Chorley-based employee can make 60 pillars, 60 octagons, 40 hearts, ten three-wicks, 400 tins, 430 large and small versions of their popular Christmas tree candles, plus two ‘giant’ Christmas trees.

Currently the multi-award-winning company keeps around 400 tonnes of old wax out of landfill each year, most of which is used to make new candles. “And then, when those candles are spent, they can come back to us again to be reused once more. It fits the model of a circular economy perfectly,” adds Sargon.

To find out more and learn how to recycle your candles visit: therecycledcandlecompany.co.uk