Interview With The Creative Mind Behind P F Candle Co
P.F. Candle Co. is one of the latest accessory brands to arrive on the shelves of the Eco Outdoor® showroom and we’re in love!
Out of a burning desire to create something with her own hands, Kristen Pumphrey began making high-quality soy candles. As the business grew, husband Tom joined working behind the scene were help was needed. In 2013, the pair became joint owners in P.F. Candle Co and have a strong knit team handcrafting candles with delicious scents.
In between juggling the demands of a business and a newborn, we snag 5 minutes to chat to Kristen about the P.F. Candle Co. ethos, influences and outdoor adventures.
How would you describe the PF Candle Co. ethos?
Good products and good people. We’re all about making our customers happy by providing products that enrich their lives. Candles and scents are simple little luxuries, and we strive to make these items accessible.
Can you tell me about the influence nature has on your candle fragrances?
Some of our fragrances are certainly pulled from nature, like Golden Coast which captures the California coastline with notes of eucalyptus, lavender, sea salt, and redwood. We’re also working on developing a line that is inspired by plants – one of my passions!
Why fragrances like Campfire, Summer Breeze, or Sweet Grapefruit? It seems you haven’t gone down traditional the road of cookie dough, berry, and baby powder scents!
Memories inspire a lot of our fragrances. Campfire – I absolutely love the way lingering campfire smells on your hair and clothes. Not for everyone, but it’s sentimental for me.Summer Breeze is now discontinued, but it’s one of my favourites. It reminds me a feeling – the way being young and out on a hot, humid summer night feels.Having a variety of scents allows something for everyone.
What’s your favourite P.F. Candle Co. scent?
Our new scent, Copal, which is inspired by the incense of the same name. It’s resinous and a little citrusy, and I love it in candle and reed diffuser form.
There’s new camp vibes pack which features a stoneware mug that was sourced for a P.F. Candle Co. camp trip. Do you encourage outdoor adventures for your team?
Definitely!We have a P.F. outdoors club where members of our team hike together on the weekends, and have also gone on a few company camping trips! Everyone at work has a varying degree of “outdoorsy-ness”, so it’s fun to do those things together.
Where do you hope PF Candle Co will go next?
We’re expanding beyond just candles into home fragrance and eventually, decor and lifestyle times.
We hear you set yourself a personal goal to visit every National Park in the US, so obviously spending time outdoors is a bit part of your life. Where has that developed from?
My husband and business partner, Tom, and I started visiting national parks together when we moved from Texas to California. California has so many fantastic national parks that are within driving distance, so we started visiting those, and got hooked! The national parks here in the US are amazing, especially the ones out west. We love going on hikes and getting out beyond cell service.
At Eco Outdoor®, we’re all about the simple moments outside and everyday outdoor adventures. How does that translate in your life?
My reset button is going camping or hiking, where you’re unreachable by phone and email. Even on the daily I try to take a walk through the hills of our neighbourhood or spend some time gardening around our house.
Want to know more about the inspiration and team P.F. Candle Co. have a look at this short film created by The Makers Trading Co.
Image Credit: Jack Strutz
