Sustainability is the hallmark of Scott Fischer's business

For the past 25 years, Scott Fischer has worked an an engineer at several big-name companies. Little did he know back then that he would move to Lewes and start making candles in 2023.

After months of research, he created the Enlightened Coast soy candle business earlier this year.

In a small candle-making shop in his house, Fischer is making a big statement about sustainability and reuse.

Fischer is doing everything possible to reuse, recycle and purchase eco-friendly materials.

While the majority of candles are made of paraffin, a petroleum-based product, Fischer uses natural soy wax. He also reuses glass jars for his candles thanks to customers and friends who give him their used jars. He can pour candles in just about any size jar.

“I'm keen on sustainability and that's why I picked soy wax,” he said. “And I recycle ceramic and glass jars. I'm really diligent that my candle jars don't end up in a landfill when glass is so easy to recycle.”

During his first craft show, he mentioned that he was reusing jars and ended up with glass jar donations from customers. He's also advertising for containers through the NextDoor app. He also has a Facebook group.

He works hard and spends a lot of time cleaning and sanitizing the jars, and offers credit to customers who return their containers.

The scents he uses are made from essential oils, not artificially created in a lab, which is the choice of nearly every candlemaker. “The scents are more natural,” he added.

A new home in Lewes

Scott and his wife Liz moved to Lewes from North Carolina three years ago to be closer to his employer, ILC, in Frederica. Recently, they had their first child, Hannah.

The trained engineer has left what he calls corporate America after 25 years, and devotes his time to his candle business and helping to raise his daughter.

“I wanted to do something as a hobby and I've always been interested in candles and soap,” he said.

He looked at candle-making franchises and decided to take a chance on running his own business. He received his business license this past spring and attended his first craft show in May. Since then, he's done three more shows and has several on the schedule leading up to the holiday season.

He honed in on a unique feature, providing a match-strike lid with the State of Delaware outline on it.

“This is my flair, my signature. It's something unique,” he said.

Fischer also offers custom-made labels and candles with a person's choice of scent, color and logo. With a state-of-the-art printer, he can even put photographs on his candle jars.

Everything Fischer is doing is a first for him – first website, first business and first marketing.

Candle making

The ingredients are simple – wax, color and scent – but there are infinite options involving the colors and scents.

After the wax is melted, the color and the scent are added. “Both can be added in different quantities to intensify the color and the fragrance, or lessen it,” Fischer said.

They are both added while the wax is hot, long before it hardens.

In the world of scented candles, scent options are endless. Fischer orders bottles of scents and even customizes those with his own names based on what a candle smells like. He also solicits votes for names and scents on his Facebook page and at shows. “My customers guide me on what they are interested in,” he said.

Many of his candles have scents tied to the smells of the beach; his best seller so far is a beach linen-scented candle.

Now, he is working on seasonal scents with a variety of pumpkin and apple candles.

At this first show, he had 18 scents on display and sold 15 different ones.

“I search for scents that have meanings in people's past, a memory of something,” he said.

“Tell me what you want and I can make it. A customer wanted the scent of pine trees, so I made a pine-scented candle,” he said.

Sea orchid, berry cheesecake, coastal cloth, sangria, peach, rose bud, fireside, apple strudel, brandied pear, royal pine, lemon, gin-juniper and tropic are just a few of the scents he offers.

A customer in Florida ordered 50 candles as favors at a scrapbooking show in Destin. Fischer captured the fragrance and color they wanted with his Destin Mai Tai candles.

He melts wax 10 pounds at a time and places a wick in a jar. The wax comes out as a pale yellow color and eventually turns white if no colors are added.

And there’s a little bit of science involved, which Fischer likes, because the colors and scents have to be added below their flash point, which varies. In addition, the room temperature has to remain constant for optimum results.

He advises customers to resist temptation and let their candles sit for two weeks. “That way, the oil and wax are properly combined and you get the best scent,” he said.

While craft shows are his main selling venue now, he's hoping to get his candles into stores and even Realtors’ offices. His interest in candles was sparked nearly three years ago when his Lewes Realtor gave him and his wife a candle with a photo of their new house and the closing date.

For more information, go to enlightenedcoastcandles.com or his Facebook page.