Our principles

Candles I have always loved. They’re transportive, calming, and just what I needed in the middle of a scary time. When I began my candle-making journey, I realised that not all candles are made the same. Some use paraffin wax, some with harmful chemicals. I didn’t understand why those candles existed, in all honesty, when there were so many other alternatives available. Right then, I knew that I wanted to make candles that had less of an impact on the environment that I loved.

Archaeology and the environment are intrinsically linked. The planet’s changing climate means that archaeology, even sites which were safely preserved underground, are now at risk of damage due to changes in temperatures, sea-levels, floodplains, and soil chemistry. These impact how we preserve the past and so, it was important for me to find eco-conscious alternatives for our candles.

An AshWood candle is handcrafted to the highest quality and with the utmost care and attention. Here, we only use clean burning soy wax and cruelty-free fragrance blends. All of our packaging is recyclable, biodegradable and some are even compostable!

A little bit about us

For me, the past has always been an important part of my life. It was something I was always interested in and that passion drove me to seek out adventure, knowledge, and connection. I began studying archaeology in 2012 and I soon realised that there was much more to the ancient past than stuffy lecture halls. The past is all around us. It shaped our landscape, carving out monuments from them, changing the environment and natural world around us forever. And ultimately, it shapes how we interact with each other.

When the pandemic hit in 2020, many of us couldn’t visit these sites and connect with the land around us. The world suddenly became very small. For me, it felt like very long string, tying me to the people of the past, was unexpectedly severed. I didn’t quite realise how much I missed the world around me, until I experience it anymore. And well, turns out, my living room was quite dull. I felt the need to seek out comfort and connection with the world again, but I couldn’t visit those sites that had always grounded me. And so, I had the idea to bring those sites into my home. In the form of a candle.