Australian candle brand R2 Designs has released a collection with local ceramic company, Robert Gordon.
The collection was many months in the making and includes three new fragrances (black peppercorn spice, coriander and orange zest, and orange and bergamot) in handmade Robert Gordon vessels, and R2 founder Gracie Ferro says she thinks this range is her best yet.
“Robert Gordon is an iconic Australian ceramic company and we are very, very proud of our latest achievement together,” she says. “We always like to honour the makers of the vessels and this collaboration is a true indication of sophistication and elegance.
“There is usually a story behind every range and usually the fragrances and vessels go hand-in-hand. The fragrance needs to set the mood and then the vessels need to rise to the mood that is created.”
Using Australian-made products is important to Ferro, and she is constantly researching the market for fragrances, wax, wicks and vessels to ensure R2 candles remain high-quality as well as fresh and exciting.
“I think R2 Designs candles have been different to others on the market in that we don’t compete with anyone else or follow the trends,” she says. “We have our own style and stay true to who we are and why we began this business in the beginning.
“If it’s not a candle that I would burn at home, then it doesn’t belong at R2. It’s as simple as that. We bring it back to basics with simple design, recycled packaging when possible and always maintaining the highest quality candle.”
Ferro started her business about six years ago after completing a soy candle course so she could make candles that would be safe to burn around her baby son. From there, she began making them for family and friends and now has stockists Australia-wide, as well as in China and New Zealand.
“The biggest challenge is juggling the business and the family,” she explains. “I’m hoping to find more time next year once my two children are both in school to really set the business alight.
“So for now, it’s a lot of late nights and weekend work, but I love it and wouldn’t have it any other way.”
She says the learning curve of running a small business has been a great experience, and she recently took on two new staff members to help with the workload.
“This was harder than it seems, as I am a bit of a control freak and I just didn’t know how to delegate and trust anyone else,” she says. “I now wish I had done this sooner. The new staff are amazing and really care about our business as much as my partner and I do.”
Next up for the brand is a men’s range, which Ferro hopes to release just in time for Father’s Day.
By Ruth Cooper
