What Are Small Batch Candles?

What Does Small Batch Mean?

Small batch simply means a product is made in relatively limited quantities rather than being produced on a massive scale.

There isn't one universal number that officially makes something “small batch.”

A small batch could mean a few dozen products, a few hundred, or another limited quantity depending on the brand and what it's making.

With candles, the idea is pretty straightforward.

Instead of producing thousands of identical candles at once, a small candle brand might make a smaller number of candles at a time.

That allows the maker to stay much closer to the actual production process.

And that's really the part I care about.

Why Do Candle Makers Make Small Batches?

There are plenty of reasons a candle maker might choose to work in small batches.

For me, it's about control and intention.

When I'm making a batch of candles, I'm involved in the process rather than handing it off to a massive production line.

I can pay attention to the wax.

I can monitor the fragrance.

I can keep an eye on the pour.

I can inspect the finished candles before they make their way to you.

What Does Small Batch Mean for the Customer?

This is probably the more interesting question.

If you're buying a small batch candle, what are you actually getting out of it?

For me, small batch production means I can have a closer relationship with the product I'm making.

I'm not just putting a label on something that already exists.

I'm making the candles myself, choosing the fragrances, working with the wax, pouring the vessels, and paying attention to the finished product.

That gives me a level of involvement that I really value.

And hopefully, you can feel a little bit of that when you light one.

Small Batch vs. Mass Produced Candles

The biggest difference is scale.

A mass produced candle is typically manufactured in much larger quantities and designed for high volume production.

A small batch candle is produced in more limited quantities.

That difference can affect the relationship a brand has with its products.

With a large scale operation, efficiency is the major priority.

With small batch production, a maker can have more direct involvement with individual batches.

Neither approach automatically makes a candle good or bad.

What matters is how the brand approaches the actual product.

For me, small batch is the way that makes the most sense for RANNI.

Why I Make RANNI Candles in Small Batches

I started RANNI because I wanted to make candles that felt personal.

That feeling doesn't really make sense to me if I'm completely removed from the process.

I want to know what I'm making.

I want to be involved in the fragrances.

I want to pour the candles myself.

I want to see the finished product before it goes out the door.

And I want to be able to stand behind what's inside the vessel.

That's what small batch means to me.

It's not just something I put on a product page because it sounds nice.

It's genuinely how I make my candles.

Does Small Batch Mean Every Candle Is Exactly the Same?

Not necessarily.

When you're working with a handmade or small batch product, there can be subtle differences between individual candles or batches.

You might notice slight variations in the surface of the wax or other small visual details.

That's part of the nature of making products by hand in smaller quantities.

What I care about is making sure the candle is still the candle I intended to make.

The fragrance should be right.

The vessel should be right.

The wick should be right.

And the finished candle should meet my standards before it gets to you.

Small Batch Is About the Process

I think the phrase “small batch” can sound like a marketing buzzword when you see it everywhere.

But I don't think it has to be.

When a brand actually makes its products in small batches, it tells you something about the production process.

It means the brand is choosing to work at a smaller scale.

For me, that means staying close to my candles and being involved from the beginning of the process through the finished product.

Take Saffron Veil, for example.

I didn't want to make a fragrance that felt generic or forgettable. I wanted something golden, cinematic, warm, and a little mysterious.

Making my candles in small batches lets me stay connected to that process instead of treating the candle like just another unit coming off an assembly line.

Is a Small Batch Candle Worth It?

That really depends on what matters to you when you're buying a candle.

If you care about supporting independent brands, knowing more about how a product is made, and buying something that has a closer connection to the person who created it, small batch can be meaningful.

For me, that's the whole point.

I'm not trying to make the most candles possible.

I'm trying to make candles I'm genuinely proud to put my name on.

And I'd rather make fewer candles that I can be hands on with than make thousands simply because I can.

Why Small Batch Matters to Me

At the end of the day, “small batch” is really about scale.

But for me, it also represents how I want to build RANNI.

I want to stay close to the products I'm making.

I want to know the fragrances.

I want to pour the candles.

I want to inspect them before they leave my hands.

And I want every candle to feel like something I actually chose to make, rather than something that simply came off a production line.

That's why you'll find hand poured, coconut-soy wax candles made in small batches at RANNI.

It's not just what's on the label.

It's how I make them!