Fair Winds Candle Company
Handcrafted coconut wax candles inspired by Navy life.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
* | N/A | Seed | |
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
Fair Winds Candle Company is a home fragrance brand founded in 2020 by Navy veteran and military spouse, Tenisha Dotstry. The company was born from her desire to create tangible mementos that positively reflect the experiences of military life, a gap she identified after serving and supporting her husband's naval career. Dotstry, a former nuclear electronics technician, began her entrepreneurial journey by making candles for her sister who had allergies to soy and certain fragrances, which then evolved into the business.
Operating from her basement in Maryland, Dotstry and her husband personally handcraft each product. The business model is direct-to-consumer through its e-commerce website, with a wholesale program for retail stores. The company offers a range of home fragrance products, including candles in multiple sizes, wax melts, room sprays, and car diffusers. The core product line features candles made from a luxury coconut wax blend, custom-blended fragrance oils, and clean ingredients free of phthalates and parabens. Each of the over 40 scents is designed to tell a story and evoke memories related to Dotstry's naval service or specific duty stations, with names like "Annapolis" and "Bridge Watch".
The company targets a niche market of current and former military members, their families, and those who support them, aiming to provide comfort and a sense of connection through familiar scents. Since its launch, the brand has sold products in 49 states and has seen its sales double in an 18-month period. Fair Winds Candle Company has also received support from accelerator programs, including Made in Baltimore and Loyola University Maryland.
Keywords: home fragrance, handcrafted candles, coconut wax candles, veteran-owned business, military spouse owned, Navy life, scented candles, e-commerce, direct-to-consumer, artisan candles, phthalate-free, parabens-free, small-batch candles, custom fragrances, room sprays, wax melts, car diffusers, Tenisha Dotstry, military-themed products, home decor