Hand-dipped Candles

10 hand-dipped candles in assorted colors made by the Q'eqchi people of the Guatemalan cloud forests. Each small candle burns for 1-1 1/2 hours.

6"L x .375"at base

Producer Profile

The candles are made by Q'eqchi women in the workshops of Proyecto Eco Quetzal, a non-profit organization dedicated to addressing environmental and social issues in rural Guatemala. The candles are made from the seed of the Arrayan tree, a native of the cloud forests of Guatemala. The waxy seeds provide a natural alternative to synthetic candle making products. The seeds are collected and heated into wax by indigenous Mayan Q'eqchi women. This activity provides their families with an alternative source of income to support their subsistence farming. The income is also good for the cloud forest. With outside income they are less inclined to slash and burn the forest to grow crops.