Female Founders – Caiti’s Candles

“When I transferred into UT from Austin Community College, I never dreamed I’d have access to so much knowledge and so much support. I have learned, being a non-traditional student (over 25 years old), that it’s easy to feel alone and different on such a huge campus, but the moment I reached out and asked for help, students and professors, and faculty have gone above and beyond to make my time at the school the most enriching of my life. When I discovered and joined the Kendra Scott WEL Institute, I was met with that same enthusiasm, belief, and encouragement, and the benefit to me and my company has been extraordinary.”

– Caiti Ward ‘22

Caiti Ward

Introducing Caiti’s Candles, a multi-sensory candle experience.

Caiti’s Candles is an Earth-conscious candle start-up by Caiti Ward. Caiti saw that mass-produced candles use single-use jars that can’t be recycled or repurposed and commonly contain harsh chemicals from products like petroleum. In asking, “How can I create a low-impact candle and retain what makes them so special,” she scoured the country for ingredients and containers that are Earth-conscious and rejected anything she wouldn’t put in her own home. Over two years of sustainability research has gone into creating her company, and at last, she has launched a product that considers five pressing principles of climate change: Fossil fuels, deforestation, landfill garbage, chemical additives, and animal cruelty.
Caiti’s Candles use wooden wicks from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified American mills, American vegan soy wax, packaging made from recycled material that is 100% compostable, (including the stickers on the jar, the tape on the box, and the mailing labels), carcinogen-free and pet safe scent compounds, and recycled and reusable glass to house each hand-poured candle.

Born and raised in Western Sydney, Australia, Caiti is a full-time psychology major at the University of Texas at Austin and a mental health advocate on social media. She is incredibly passionate about the environment and hopes to continue her education, venturing into sustainability practices for companies and organizations of all sizes. Caiti is also in the process of gaining a GreenFund sponsorship to turn a section of UT’s campus into a native pollinator garden.