About Vandal Candle Co.

I used to not like candles — they always smelled synthetic or overpowering to me. But I’ve always loved the real, natural scents of the Northwoods of Wisconsin — the birch and pine trees, fresh snow, and quiet lakes. A few years ago, I wanted to bring those smells home, but nothing I found in stores came close to what I was looking for.

That’s why I started Vandal Candle Co. in 2019 — to create candles that smell natural, fresh, and outdoorsy without being overpowering — what felt like a rebellious approach at the time. Each candle is hand-poured in small batches in Gostyn, Illinois, inspired by the Northwoods.

Growing up, I spent every winter playing pond hockey — some of my earliest memories are of skating on frozen lakes. That led to a lifelong love of the game of ice hockey. Combining my love of hockey with my candle-making skills, I created Hockey Puck Candles — Vandal Candle Co.’s core outdoorsy scents, poured into hockey-puck-shaped tins that celebrate where it all began.

Thank you for supporting my small business!

— Jon Wilson, Vandal Candle Co.