We visit Ironbridge Candle Company where people can make their own products in new workshops

Now Ironbridge Candle Company is branching out to give customers the chance to make their own products in the Gorge with its first workshops.

The business, which is based at Jackfield Tile Museum, was founded by

Originally, she sold furniture and home accessories before concentrating on candles to meet the growing demand.

Since then Cherryl has added a wide range of sustainable home fragrance and cosmetic products, from reed diffusers and room mists to soaps and lotions, to their repertoire.

All of the products are made using ethically-sourced materials and the packaging is 100 per cent recycled or recyclable.

As part of their commitment to the environment, the team also offers refill service for most of the products, including candles, bubble bath and room mists.

Customers can bring back their empty containers and have them refilled for a reduced price. “This was at the heart of the company from the beginning, we made a very clear choice of using ethically-sourced materials,” says Cherryl. “If we can make a product refillable, we will,” she adds.

Ironbridge Candle Company is also a brand partner of Nkuku and stocks a wide range of sustainable home accessories.

Visitors to the premises in Jackfield can watch the fragrance and cosmetic products being made as they browse the shop.

Cherryl says the workshops aim to take people even further behind the scenes by allowing them to have a go themselves.

“It’s been a long time coming. We’ve been asked by customers quite a lot but I didn’t have the physical capacity to do them.

“We were thinking of ways to get more people to visit the shop and the area and we decided to start the workshops.

“We have started with a body wash workshop because we thought that would be more interesting because you get to play in a lab-style environment,” says Cherryl.

Leading the body wash workshops, which started in May, is Glyn Ridgeway and in charge of promoting them on social media is Mia Howell-Lynch.

“We wanted to bring people in to give them the experience of making in the Gorge,” says Glyn. “You can select from 25 fragrances to get your bespoke fragrance, what you like and you get to use all of our lab equipment.

“We’ve specially designed mini-lab equipment so you get the full scientific experience of what goes on behind the scenes in cosmetic making.”

People can take their time smelling all of the different fragrances to find the perfect one for them. “We spend a long time going through them because different people like different scents,” says Glyn. “Different people will pick up on different notes in the scents.

“They’re all made in the perfume houses of Paris so we’ve got middle, top and base notes in them.

“So you will really be able to pick up on what you like to be able to smell and create your own creation to take home with you.”

Once workshop participants have made their bespoke body wash, they will complete the process by adding the finishing touches, including bottling, naming and labelling their creation to take home. The first workshops proved incredibly popular and more are planned for the coming months. “People have absolutely loved it.

“They really had a blast and loved choosing and smelling the different fragrances,” says Cherryl. The team hopes to expand the range of workshops in the future and have a number of ideas in the pipeline, including perfume making.

Running alongside the workshops is a series of free events. They include Scents of the Season on October 11 where people can discover the perfect scents to bring the essence of autumn into their home and self-care rituals. Christmas Wrapped Up will take place on November 8. It will include live demonstrations and explore the use of natural and sustainable materials as well as how to add decorative flourishes to Christmas wrapping. 

At both events, visitors will be able to take advantage of exclusive open day discounts.

Since starting the business, which won the Instore Creativity Award at the 2020 Good Retail Awards, Cherryl has continued to adapt in response to her customers’ wants and needs.

“It’s meant having to evolve because of what’s going on in the world and we’re always trying to adapt and change to get ahead in the market,” she explains.

Candles are still a big draw and the team offers a wide range of sizes and scents such as lemongrass and ginger; lavender; and lime, basil and mandarin. Dark honey and tobacco, from the luxury collection, has been the top seller for seven years. “It was recently upgraded to an etched glass and when lit looks stunning. The bridge lights up and flickers when burning,” explains Cherryl.

Making all the different products is still as rewarding as it was when she first started the business eight years ago. “I’ve always loved making the products and I love seeing the customers enjoying the products.

“I get a lot of enjoyment out of that and making,” she says.

For more information, visit ironbridgecandles.co.uk/workshops-events/