Community Highlights: Meet Nick and Andrew of Alternative Wax

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nick and Andrew.

Hi Nick and Andrew, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
It all started with an amazingly artistic beer can by Victory Brewing. We loved the light blue, pink and white cheetah print so much that we wanted to find a way to reuse it and continue to enjoy it! Crafting it into a candle seemed like a unique and fun solution. And thus, Alternative Wax was born! We started by crafting our favorite empty beer cans into candles and listing them on Etsy. It was a slow start, but our commitment to highlighting local breweries created a distinct niche that was appreciated by our community! We now frequently attend maker’s markets throughout the Raleigh-Durham area and can be found in a few local stores, including Rustic Phoenix in Zebulon, NC, and Preston Flowers in Cary, NC.

Would it have been a smooth road, and what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Three challenges come to mind. First, how do you get the tops off the cans? This is a great question and something we had to experiment with for some time. We tried different methods of removing the tops of cans. Some methods left scratches on the labels and even crushed the can! Finally, we found a method that leaves a clean, smooth (and safe!) finish. Another challenge was managing the logistics of having a product susceptible to North Carolina summers. Because we choose to use 100% soy wax in our candles, we have to use a wax recipe that won’t melt in the heat. Finally, from our candle ingredients to our shipping materials, we strive to be intentional about our impact on people and the planet. Finding the right fragrance oils was a serious undertaking. We were thrilled to find Candle Science because they’re based in the Triangle area and offer “clean scents” – a line of fragrance oils held to rigorous health standards and excluded harmful chemicals ubiquitous in many store-bought fragrances. It also took some work to find the right shipping and packaging materials. We now take pride in compostable wax melt bags and 100% recyclable shipping materials, which sufficiently protect our fragile products without using materials like plastic bubble wrap.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next, you can tell us more about your business.
Our goal at Alternative Wax is to provide our community with a repurposed, eco-conscious product. We hand-make our candles with 100% soy wax, a natural, renewable resource derived from soybeans. Most candles you’d find in a store use paraffin wax or soy wax blended with paraffin wax. Paraffin is made from petroleum, which isn’t something we’d want burning in our homes! Our signature item is our upcycled beer can-dles. We take used cans and repurpose them into beautiful candles, giving a second life to the container and its beautiful artwork. Our most popular can-dles are the New Belgium Old Tuffy’s and the R&D Storm Brews – Raleigh classics! In addition to our beer can-dles, we also offer wax melts, glass, and ceramic jars for those looking for something more upscale or minimalist.

How would we have described you growing up if we knew you were growing up?
Andrew: Both of my parents influenced me and helped to inspire our work at Alternative Wax. My father’s entrepreneurial spirit and my mother’s love and care for our planet were instilled in me from a young age. I grew up helping with my father’s vending machine business and his appliance repair projects. This taught me that there are a lot of unique ways to make a living for yourself and that you can have a positive impact on the world while doing it (I’m still blown away at how many perfect appliances would get thrown away if my dad wasn’t there to repair them!) Meanwhile, my mother taught me that our responsibility is to be mindful of how we treat the earth. I have beautiful memories of spending time outdoors as a child, learning about different species of flowers and birds. As I grew older, I was troubled by how our economic system devalues our planet and its many inhabitants. It’s a dream come true to work for ourselves while finding creative ways to repurpose something that would have otherwise been discarded and being intentional about the ingredients and materials we use.

Nick: Looking back on my childhood, I’m not surprised that I enjoy crafting candles, meeting new people at markets, and telling them about our products. My siblings and I were all very involved in extracurricular activities when we were younger. Numerous fundraisers came with each sports team, club, and class trip – chocolate bars, magazines, take-and-bake pizzas, Butter Braids, etc. I was a shy kid, but since my siblings weren’t always eager to do the fundraising, I found myself doing most of the door-to-door solicitation. Fast forward twenty years, and I still consider myself an extroverted introvert. Setting up at craft markets is my ideal situation! I come alive when sharing our products with others. Crafting candles gives me a creative outlet. I’ve been involved in music and arts and love making something with my hands.

Pricing:

• 12oz upcylced cans: $20
• 16oz upcylced cans: $25
• Glass jars: $15
• Ceramic jars: $30
• Wax melts: $10

Contact Info:

• Website: www.alternativewax.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alternativewax/
• Other: https://alternativewaxco.etsy.com