Business partners Hannah Russell and Ben Bartlett set up a vegan candle business, Happi Candle, motivated by their ethics
Ben was the first to go vegan and start exploring the benefits of being vegan. He always used to be a huge meat eater and thought that he couldn’t live a vegan life.
Both of us love an active lifestyle, going to the gym and taking part in our own challenges. So Ben started to research the health benefits of being vegan and how it could help his body.
He read a lot of articles and did so much research. In turn, he started to talk to me about it a lot and it got us both thinking. Ben gave it a trial over a couple of weeks and noticed a huge difference in terms of inflammation he had in his joints and muscles.
He noticed he was able to run faster and train for longer, he was fuelling his body through the plant-based diet and noticing huge changes. He has been vegan for nearly a year now and it has been a fantastic change for him, including finding his favourite new recipes – black bean burritos and mushroom chilli.
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Embracing Change
Seeing the difference in Ben, I wanted to give it a go. I’m already a huge animal lover and have 16 rescue pets at my home in the Yorkshire Dales.
I’ve never been a huge meat fan and always gone through stages of my life being vegetarian. I was diagnosed with coeliac disease when I was younger and recently found out I am lactose intolerant, too.
Lactose is found in most dairy products, so I made the change to becoming vegan. I feel a lot healthier and there are so many foods I enjoy eating. I think I thought being vegan there would be no food choices and not much variation, but it’s the opposite!
I absolutely love it and I feel amazing. My new favourite dish is called ‘pleasant pea pie’ – it’s a vegan shepherd’s pie recipe I made myself, it includes lots of vegetables and is packed full of goodness.
After becoming vegan, we started to do some research into vegan products. We were looking to start a candle company together earlier this year. Both loving candles, we wanted to create something unique and different, which was vegan-friendly and eco too.
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CONTINUE
After months of research we had finished products and a new brand name – ‘Happi Candle’. A lot of people are becoming vegan and interested in the benefits of a vegan lifestyle and vegan products, because they want something as natural as possible. We focus on making the purest candles possible with no impurities or additives – what you see is what you get at Happi Candle.
In April 2020, we launched the brand with three candles – Fresh Lavender, Juicy Juicy Orange and Fresh Linen. All of our candles are made with eco wicks, which are vegan friendly.
The wax is soya wax, which is renewable and natural, and the tins are recyclable. Our oils are 100% natural and any dyes we use are non-toxic dyes. We are really happy with the finished product and so far we have had a great response online.
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Mind Collection
We’ve recently launched the new mind collection of candles, to help raise awareness for mental health and fight the stigma that goes with it. It’s a topic close to home for us both, after facing challenges ourselves.
The Juicy Juicy Orange candle has been the best-selling candle in the collection so far, and it is packed full of sweet citrus smells, leaving your home smelling amazing.
My personal favourite is the relaxation candle. I love to sit down with a good book of a night and have it burning in the background, while Ben’s favourite is the mental clarity as it helps him focus while he is working.
Find out more about Hannah and Ben’s Happi Candle venture on their website www.happicandle.co.uk
Want to try making your own vegan candles at home? Find out how here.
