Steven and Laura are the founders of Nest In Peace Candles, a business that they started whilst on furlough during lockdown in 2020, selling beautifully scented candles.
Their brand is all about comfort and wellbeing, making your house a home, and plays on the phrase “rest in peace”, with the intention of creating a cosy nest at home. For example, one of their four scents, “Amber” conjures up the feeling of sitting in front of a warm log fire, enjoying a glass of whiskey. They have even matched playlists to each of their scents, which they encourage you to listen to whilst burning the candle, and so creating the perfect atmosphere for relaxation and cosiness.
They have been considering sustainability since day one, and it has factored into every decision they’ve made, and they are already doing some wonderful things in order to be sustainable, but they acknowledge that it’s a journey and they are continually looking to improve the way they do things, and have some ideas for 2022 – we love this mindset of continually questioning and always looking to improve!
We asked Nest and Peace a few questions:
What do you need to consider to ensure your business is as sustainable as possible?
- The wax we use: we currently use soy wax (which is paraben free), but we will look to find an even more sustainable alternative in the near future
- Opting for wooden wicks that produce less carbon when burning than standard wicks
- Considering batch sizes, so the candles are not mass produced, in order to reduce the likelihood producing unnecessary stock that then may go to waste, whilst considering energy efficiency of each batch
- Packaging materials: using recycled paper labels, reusing as much packaging material as possible, avoiding tape (and opting for paper tape if it can’t be avoided), and using hay packaging rather than bubble wrap or starch peanuts (packing each candle in its own little nest!)
What do you love about running your business?
“It’s a real creative outlet and we love being able to call all the shots. It’s also been a real learning opportunity, and we have honed skills that wouldn’t use in the day-to-day otherwise, but that are really valuable. We have also met some other really lovely independent businesses, which has not only made us feel part of a network, but also encouraged us to shop small too.”
And finally, what do you love about Birmingham?
“We are both born and bred in Birmingham! We have seen Birmingham grow and transform in the last 10 years, which Brummies are all really proud of – the city centre now has a wonderful grandeur about it, and we have so many amazing restaurants and independent businesses, it feels like we are using our industrial past to push through into the future – it’s so cool to be part of it!
Can’t wait to burn a Nest in Peace candle?! Find them on Instagram (@nest.inpeace) and look out for their website which will be coming in the next few weeks.