Profile: Pigeon Candle Co.
There’s never been a better time to improve the ambiance of your space, or to lift a friend’s spirits with a thoughtful gift: meet Pigeon Candle Co.
Photos courtesy of Pigeon Candle Co.
Hey peeps, let me begin by wishing you all a FELIZ AÑO NUEVO! I’m super excited to be shining some light on this wonderful new business that has launched right here in our beloved KC during the pandemic! Get ready all you candle connoisseurs to meet PIGEON CANDLES!
Primero, lets get you acqainted with the Co-founders Jenifer Leung and Leah Steinberg. Jenifer moved to Kansas City from Vancouver, BC, Canada in the spring of 2018. As a new homeowner with a background in digital design, it felt natural for when her love for home design grew as well. While designing her home, Leung became deeply interested in the idea of finding safe and non-toxic products. One common product that almost everyone has in their homes? (HINT: it usually smells great!)
Similarly, Leah moved to Kansas City from Wisconsin in the Summer of 2018. Steinberg has a background in sustainability, and sourcing clean, non-toxic and environmentally-friendly products has always been a priority of hers. Together, this dynamic duo combined their passion for design, their ambition to source clean ingredients and their commitment to operating a sustainable, woman-owned business and created what they proudly call Pigeon Candles.
Some of the first questions these powerhouse ladies get about their candles is: Why Pigeon? Well, their brand is inspired by the idea of the English Carrier Pigeon or the “Messenger Pigeon”. The OG FedEx or UPS, some may call it. All around the world, people relied on these birds to deliver messages. The idea was simple: deliver a wonderful-smelling candle with a thoughtful personal note, so that friends and family can be surprised with a one-of-a-kind gift that they can hold on to for a long time. Each Pigeon candle has a personalized label, where you can read the message each time you light the candle and bask in the warmth of the flame and good vibes from friends.
Starting a new business in the middle of a pandemic was definitely no easy feat, but that was not going to stop these entrepreneurial-spirted birds. When they had an opportunity to pause (even if it’s not by choice!) they got creative with their ideas and executed on a shared passion.
We all had to adjust to a “new normal” during Covid. What excited Jenifer and Leah is their ability to be the messenger that delivers personal and thoughtful gifts to people in a time where they may feel the most disconnected. “We couldn’t have thought of a better time to launch our brand, which is centered around the idea of connecting people even when we can’t all physically be together,” Leah said.
As a small business, it has been overwhelming to see the amount of support and love the local KC businesses have received to include Pigeon! Pigeon Candles has a goal to become a Certified B Corporation by 2022. There are only 3 candle companies in the world that are Certified B Corps! This would mean that have achieved the highest standard of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency. As of January 1, 2021, they are officially a 1% for The Planet member, currently making them the ONLY business in Kansas City to commit to this pledge. They join the ranks of other name-brand businesses, such as Patagonia and Klean Kanteen, in donating 1% of their profits to nonprofit organizations working towards improving the environment.
And as for the scents? “As someone who loves to travel, I’ve always been the happiest when I’m outdoors breathing the fresh air of wherever I am. That’s why, when Leah and I were thinking of scents, we wanted to choose fragrances that remind us of our best memories in our in our favorite places!” Jennifer tells us. In case you need help picking, here are their favorites:
JEN’s FAVORITE SCENT: The Mediterranean Sea. It reminds her of hiking through Italy’s coastal trails and smelling the citrus groves.
LEAH’s FAVORITE SCENT: The Woods. It reminds her of crisp summer nights in Wisconsin, sitting around the warm fire outdoors and drinking a glass of vino with friends.
FYI: They launched a limited edition scent this winter, The Evergreens, which smells like a winter forest with a fresh blanket of snow. Keep an eye out for their next limited edition scent, which will be coming this Summer 2021 (SPOILER: Imagine sipping on a coconut Mai Tai while sunbathing!)
Keep up with Pigeon Candles on Instagram, and be sure to welcome this new women-owned business to the Kansas City flock!
