Lighting the way for innovation
Where did the idea for Wanderlights come from?
In 2015, I was in my design studio, working on a different product for a large candle company. When I finished the product, my client said, ‘If you could design a candle that hangs on its wick, that would be fantastic. We don’t know how to do it.’ That question stayed on the shelf for a long time because we were doing other things. But in 2021, I had some time and picked the idea up again.
What were the main design challenges?
The first challenge was the wick, which needs to be resistant to high temperatures so that it doesn’t burn out. I searched for a company that could make a wick that was really thin but also highly temperature resistant, and finally I found one. The wick made a flame because of capillary action, drawing up the wax, but didn’t burn out at all. It was magic when I hung a piece of wax on this wick for the first time.
As well as the wick, I needed the wax to be highly temperature resistant so that the wax didn’t drip down when the candle was lit. I found that with the candle company I’d worked with previously. It took three years to develop these two technical qualities to make the Wanderlight.
A Wanderlight candle outside – a magic touch ©Wanderlights
Three fascinating Wanderlights seem to float ©Wanderlights
How did your relationship with SCHOTT start?
I needed a way to hang Wanderlights outside. Like all candles, they have the challenge of staying alight in the wind, so I needed to find a company that produced heat-resistant glass tubing that is also easy to clean. There is a glass company in our town that recommended SCHOTT, so I called them and they agreed to supply the glass tubing.
I was worried that we might be too small for a company like SCHOTT, but it was fine. And the quality of the glass tubing was high. I was very happy. The glass is easy to clean and highly resistant to the heat of a candle, which can get up to 1,400 degrees. There was also a company called Laboratory Glass Specialists (LGS), which cuts and finishes the DURAN® glass tubing to the right length for Wanderlights. Klaas Jan Nijboer at LGS was very helpful.
What did people think of Wanderlights?
After I started to promote Wanderlights on the internet and social media, people were amazed. They asked questions like, ‘How does it work?’ and ‘Why doesn’t it break or fall down?’. People were seduced by it and thought it was really special. Everyone has questions about the Wanderlight because it’s based on a flame that hangs, but it’s only when you show it to people that it convinces them.
What’s next for Wanderlights?
I’ve just started promoting them in the Netherlands, so we’re trying to grow and pay more attention to social media and publicity. We have connected with influencers in the Netherlands and will repeat this in Belgium and the UK. People can find the product online so I already export Wanderlights to many different countries. Now we need to promote it more.
What do you like about candles?
I love candles, especially in wintertime. I always thought they were magical, and Wanderlights are extra magical because they are like the flying candles in the Harry Potter movies. They really are very special.DURAN® is a registered trademark of DWK Life Sciences GmbH.
