Equipment and supplies used in the distinct crafts of soapmaking and candlemaking are the focus of this part of our web guide.
Since this is the shopping section of our guide, we will concentrate on the products involved in these crafts here. Additional information and resources can be found in the corresponding category within our Sports & Recreation section.
Crafting soap and candles has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity, with enthusiasts attracted to the creativity, therapeutic benefits, and personalized touch these hobbies offer. Both of these crafts combine chemistry, artistry, and often entrepreneurship.
Soapmaking is a meticulous process that involves combining oils, butters, and lyes to create a chemical reaction known as saponification. This transforms the ingredients into soap, which can then be customized with colors, scents, and additives.
Equipment, supplies, and other products used in soapmaking often include mixing equipment, such as stainless steel or heat-resistant plastic bowls, spatulas, and stick blenders. Silicone molds are popular for their flexibility and ease of use. Safety gear might include gloves, goggles, and a well-ventilated workspace for handling lye.
The ingredients that go into making soap will include lye, a critical ingredient for saponification, as well as oils and butters (commonly olive oil, coconut oil, palm oil, shea butter, and cocoa butter), fragrance oils and essential oils to add scent, and perhaps natural or synthetic dyes to give color to the soap.
Notable manufacturers and retailers serving the soapmaking hobby industry include Bramble Berry, Bitter Creek Candle Supply, and Wholesale Supplies Plus.
Candlemaking involves melting wax, adding scents and colors, and pouring the mixture into molds with a wick to create a functional and decorative candle. It is a process that allows for endless customization and is a very popular hobby.
Candlemaking will include melting equipment such as double boilers, melting pots, or dedicated wax melters, thermometers to monitor the temperature of the wax, and molds in various shapes and sizes.
Candlemaking ingredients include multiple types of wax, including paraffin, soy, beeswax, and palm wax, as well as wicks, which are usually pre-waxed and tabbed. Fragrance oils and essential oils are used to infuse the candles with pleasant aromas, and candle dyes or liquid colorants are chosen to add vibrant hues to the finished product.
Notable manufacturers and retailers targeting the candlemaking market include CandleScience, Nature's Garden, The Flaming Candle, and Bitter Creek Candle Supply.
For many, the crafts of soapmaking and candlemaking are more than mere hobbies; they are creative outlets that allow individuals to experiment, express themselves, and even develop small businesses based on their craft. With the right equipment and supplies, they can make soap and candles for their own use or to sell to others.
Manufacturers and retailers catering to the soapmaking or candlemaking hobby markets are appropriate topics for this category.
Recommended Resources
The creators of the original TS (Tall Skinny) silicone soap mold, American Soap Supplies also offers micas, pigments (neons, lakes, and dyes), chemical and natural additives, oils, fragrance oils, and other types of molds and soap-making tools. Gift certificates, an affiliate program, and special offers are available, and its product catalog may be browsed online through several categories. Other resources include coupon offers, sample packs, recipes, and contacts.
https://americansoapsupplies.com/
Aztec is a popular supplier of candle and soap making materials. They offer a range of products that includes premium fragrance oils, various types of waxes (IGI waxes, Ecosoya, and AAK Soy wax), and other soap and candle making essentials. Located in Knoxville, Tennessee, the company has a showroom that is open Monday through Friday. Its address, contacts, and showroom and pickup hours are stated, and its e-commerce catalog may be browsed on the site though various categories.
https://www.candlemaking.com/
Opened in 1999, Bramble Berry has grown to have thousands of products and more than ninety employees in several Whatcom County, Washington, locations. E-commerce customers can shop by product, craft, or new products. Its products include soap-making tools and accessories, packaging, molds, scents, butters, oils, additives, lye, bases, kits, and waxes. Client testimonials are featured, and the company's contacts, rewards program, and corporate gifting program are featured.
https://www.brambleberry.com/
The Flaming Candle Company is a candle-making supply business based in Hiram, Georgia, in the Atlanta area. Its warehouse location is featured on the site; although the company does not accept orders at the warehouse, customers in the local area may order online and pick up their orders at the warehouse. Instructions are provided on the website, which includes product listings of its candle and soap-making supplies, fragrance oils, and accessories. Recipes are also available.
https://www.theflamingcandle.com/
Specializing in online wholesale candle and soapmaking supplies, Nature's Garden's products are categorized by product type, and also includes fragrance oils, flavorings, and various packaging options, as well as a newsletter and a variety of help files which include tips on marketing, candle and soap recipes, and a scent mixing chart. Seasonal trends, sale items, and new products are highlighted. Gift certificates are also available. The company is based in Wellington, Ohio.
https://www.naturesgardencandles.com/
Founded in 1996, the online retailer. has a store in Hagerstown, Indiana, known as Willow Way. Its address, telephone number, and business hours are posted on the site, which includes its product catalog, consisting of soap cutters, soap molds, vented drying trays, lye, soap-making kits, packaging, tools, soal oil, wax melting tanks, lip balm filling trays, mixing and blending equipment, bottling, discount soap equipment, and custom systems and design. Client testimonials are included.
https://soapequipment.com/
Established in 1999, Wholesale Supplies Plus was created as a way to provide the public with affordable, professional soap-making, skincare, and candle-making supplies. Available for purchase online, its soap-making supplies, candle-making supplies, additives, bases, colors, fragrance oils, molds, containers, packaging, and kits may be viewed and purchased through its website. Customer testimonials, bulk purchase policies, and safe sale guarantees are highlighted.
https://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/
