Nimbin Candles have been manufacturing beautiful candles for over 45 years. It was first established in Nimbin back in 1973 by Rob Allan. Rob had been making candles in Melbourne and selling them sucessfully through St Kilda Markets whilst studying electrical engineering at Uni. He joined the wave of students travelling to Nimbin for the Alternative Lifestyle festival known as the Aquarius Festival and stayed. He established himself on a farm on the outskirts of Nimbin and set about providing the ever expanding population of Nimbin and its surrounding areas, with a candle which could be burnt in confined conditions such as tents, tepees, caravans and huts. Word soon spread, and demand grew allowing Nimbin candles to expand its production by relocating into the Old Nimbin Butter Factory in 1990. Rob sold his legacy to us in 2004, we had 12 months training before he was happy for us to go it alone.
Nimbin Candles is now a family run business dedicated to keeping the dying craft of candle making alive and well into the new millennium. (Most Commercially produced candles are manufactured in China or Thailand using huge molded candle machines producing 500,000 candles at a time using inferior wax and wicks stiffened with zinc)
Craig and Lisa Fry with their son Josh and daughter Rae are very passionate about making candles. We take great pride in supplying a Nontoxic, traditionally made candle to the world. All our candles are hand crafted using the traditional method of dipping the wicks continuously to produce a perfect candle every time. Nimbin Candles are made for the user in mind, not the market, we guarantee a perfect burn every time.
We also produce beautiful Pyramid and Pillar candles, some of which utilise the off cuts of the tapers, minimising waste and recycling the high quality wax back into beautiful candles. We use one of the only water powered dipping decks in existence.The design for our dipping deck was found and adapted from a book o f medieval machinery and is similar to what you would have found in 11th century monasties when most candle making was done by monks.We're told our candles are the best candles to meditate by, they're also used extensively in ceremonies, colour therapy, spells etc. We are happy to try and fulfil all individual requests for whatever purpose. We can over dip to create colours to match fabrics or we can do Red/Black tapers etc... for all your spell requirements.
People who use our candles continuously tell us they would not burn anything else.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1:Why do you use paraffin wax, isnt it bad for the environment, contain toxins and carcinogens
A1....Most of the commercially made candles in the marketplace today are made using semi refined paraffin. Semi refined paraffin is the cheapest wax available, it has a low melt point so acids and hardeners are added to bring the melt point up. In large candle producing countries like China and Thailand, candle molding machines are used. These machines can product 1000s of candles per hour. The wicks are stiffened with zinc and in some cases lead is still used. The wax used in all Nimbin Candles is a fully refined, food grade paraffin wax. It contains no ashes or resins and is used extensively in the food industry in products like grease proof paper, paper plates and milk shake containers. Its the same wax you find around cheese products and is even used on organic bananas. It is a medical grade product and is used in the treatment of arthritis. It has a high melt point of 62 degrees Centigrade so no acids are required to harden it. We use unbleached Australia cotton wicking. Nimbin candles are made using the age old method of dipping the wick continuously which gives you a perfect candle every time. Nimbin Candles have been laboratory tested and have been proven to be a Nontoxic candle. When people talk to us about the effects oil refineries are having on global warming and why we arent using alternative products, most people arent informed of the processes required in producing these alternative fuels. Soy Bean wax is made using Hydrogen created out of fossil fuels like coal and is a highly processed product. Palm wax and Palm Oil products are the main culprits in the devastation of rainforests and the elimination of the Orangutan habitat and after viewing documentaries on the plight of these beautiful gentle human like animals, we could never contemplate using or support such a product. We feel fully refined paraffin is a product which is available and used in many, many applications, it is a by product with an existing carbon footprint, were as soywax and palm wax arent used outside the candle and cosmetic industry, are creating new carbon footprints and are even more highly processed products then our food grade wax. Nimbin Candles specialise in a hand dipped, nontoxic, long burning candle. Waxes like soy bean, palm and beeswax are soft waxes and are not suitable for tapered candles; they are best used as container candles. Beeswax is a beautiful wax, however, it is a soft andhas a slugistburn.Most commercially produced beeswax candles are a blend of 70% semi refined paraffin 30% beeswax. To create a smokeless beeswax candle, again high amounts of processing is required just to give you a smokeless candle. Can you justify the extra energy produced and required just so your beeswax candle won't smoke
Q2....You use a clothes iron to polish your pyramids! How long does your irons last
A2...We only ever use second hand irons, the older the better. The wax doesnt seem to harm the iron and most irons are retired due to scratches on the plates rather than mechanical malfunction.
Q3...what dyes are used in Nimbin Candles
A3...The dyes used are the same dyes used in Batik art. They are vegetable based and will fade over long periods of time or if left in sunlight. (We hope no one is leaving their candles in the sun!)
Q4..Do white candles burn brighter
A4..Yes. The lighter in colour the candle, the brighter the light.
Q5...Do you only sell your candles through your factory outlet
A5...No. Nimbin Candles are available in all good Health Food Stores, independent grocery stores, like Ritchies IGA, AUR, Five Star, Spar along with Naturopaths, Herbalists and Natural Healing Centres etc. We have over 4000 speciality stores throughout Australia as well as retail outlets in the US and Europe. You can also buy direct from Nimbin candles via our website of course!
Nimbin Candles
Unit 5 Old Butter Factory
2 Blue Knob Road
Nimbin NSW 2480
Phone : (+61 2) 66 891010
email : nimcand@bigpond.net.au
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