Good for your health and your pocketbook — West 30’s soy candles burn longer than the average ones.
When Jotanya Belton discovered soy candles on a trip to New Orleans in 2005, she fell in love with the clean-burning creations, which use soy, a renewable, easy-to-grow resource. She decided to make her own — and soon after, West 30 Candles was born. Her products are handmade from start to finish in her South Side studio, and they incorporate healthful, eco-friendly cotton wicks (as opposed to wicks that contain wire, which yields black soot and releases chemicals when it burns). Soy candles also burn longer than average alternatives; West 30's last between 35 and 40 hours.
Find Belton's handiwork at Sheppard Street Antiques (103 S. Sheppard St., 355-7454) and online at west30candles.com. Bestselling fragrances include Bluestone, which contains smoked cedarwood, bergamot and amber; Spa (Belton describes this as "perfume-y"); and Vetiver, featuring a smoky aroma. This summer, West 30 Candles plans to release a new line of Richmond-themed scents for Very Richmond Gallery & Gifts (1051 E. Cary St., Suite 104, 644-3613).
