About Us

Wayfarer: (wey-fair-er) – noun. A traveler, esp. on foot.

Wayfarer Candle Company was founded in 2005 in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. We left New Orleans after the storm and “temporarily” moved to Naperville, IL. We started pouring soy wax candles in our kitchen and soon thereafter we moved our operation into a garage. Continued growth led us to find our first real retail/manufacturing space in downtown Naperville.

We still sell the candles under our Wayfarer brand, but soon realized that there were many businesses out there looking for affordable, quality private label candles for their boutiques, gift shops, and for corporate gifts. And so we now supply premium soy wax candle lines for a number of companies that otherwise might not be able to afford private label candles.

The next evolution in our services led us to provide toll-manufacturing services for some brand name candle companies. We now make candles for a number of companies that are sold in Nordstrom Rack, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Barney’s of New York, J. Crew, Anthropologie, and others – a testament to the quality and attention to detail that we provide our customers with the candles we make.

And – NEW IN 2011 – we are proud to announce that we are the exclusive supplier of Kristal - the world’s first (and only) natural-based clear palm wax taper candles. These candles are the latest evolution of natural waxes. The transparent wax burns extremely clean with a brilliant and steady flame. You have to see them to believe them.

These are not your Grandma’s taper candles – Kristal taper candles will lend a unique luminary experience to your next entertaining event. From intimate dinner settings and elegant party settings to weddings and corporate events, Kristal tapers will amaze and fascinate your guests.

Soon we plan to introduce a variety of spectacular scented container versions of the clear palm wax that burn incredibly clean and last as long or longer than most soy wax candles. Stay tuned, Kristal container candles will be coming soon!

We still hand pour each and every soy wax candle. We feel this is the best way to bring the candles to you. It adds a touch of humanity and character to the product. It’s not just another candle rolling down some massive assembly line.

The wax seal on the side of the glass is the final step in the production process that provides an element of elegance and serves as our “Seal of Approval” to show the candle has passed the quality control standards we have set for ourselves.

A Word About Soy Candles

There is a reason why soy wax candles have become so popular. Invented in 1992, soy wax has a number of benefits over traditional paraffin wax candles.

Soy burns virtually soot-free
Soy is water-soluble, so spills clean up with hot soap and water
Soy burns approximately 30% longer than paraffin wax candles – our 8 oz. tumblers burn for over 60 hours, 4 oz. travel tins burn over 20 hours.
Soy wax comes from soy bean oil which is a renewable resource primarily grown by U.S. farmers (close to 50% of the global soy production comes from the U.S.)

We are often asked why we don’t offer colored candles. The reason is simple. We prefer to avoid the petroleum-based color dyes used to make the rich, dark colors you often see in candles. Anything you put into a candle must burn out – so we are very selective about our ingredients and avoid unnecessary additives.

There are additives that help prevent the wax from pulling away from the sides of the glass or give the wax a smooth, creamy texture, or that prevent discoloration when the candles are exposed to sunlight. Again, we prefer the slight variations that give the hand-made look over putting chemicals into the wax that will have to eventually burn out.

Community Service and Charity

Wayfarer candles is dedicated to giving back to our community and other charities. We have contributed thousands of dollars to local schools and organizations to help raise money for their causes including:
Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, Embrace a Family, Williams Syndrome Association, Neuqua Valley Booster Club, American Cancer Society, Naper Elementary School, Naperville North High School, Naperville Cares, United Way, Infant Welfare Society of Chicago, Camerata for North Central College, Community Career Center, Support Our Troops Illinois Inc., and others.

Since our humble beginnings on the kitchen counter we have donated over 3000 candles to charity. We have sent over 2000 candles overseas to our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. We thank them for their sacrifice and willingness to serve.