The story of Paratiisipaja began in 2003, when the first thoughts of making candles started to form in my mind. The time felt right to establish my own business, and the original idea for candles came from my mother, Aija, who had previously founded Kustavin Savipaja. There was no experience with candles or making them, but the enthusiasm was great. Now, after years of entrepreneurship and product development, I can admit that I founded the company, made rental agreements, and secured startup funding before I had ever made a single candle in my life. I thought it must be possible to learn if others had managed it too 🙂
For the first few years, we carried out our production in the center of Kustavi and ran a small summer shop in the courtyard of Savipaja. We worked incredibly hard, and the positive feedback we received for our products encouraged us and helped us keep going. For years, I lived and breathed candles, attended fairs, and gained retailers, and there was a wonderfully positive vibe to the whole endeavor.
In 2006, I started to feel that I wanted to develop the business further, and I wanted to bring production and the shop under one roof. The wish was to serve customers more comprehensively and to offer other home decor products in addition to candles. After many stages, we were able to open the doors of our new factory shop in June 2008 (meaning 2018 is our shop’s 10th anniversary!). Over the years, our factory shop has become a popular destination for many, offering not only our own candles and detergents but also a carefully curated selection of home decor items and clothing.
The last 10 years have been interesting, full of work, and multifaceted. They have included many wonderful moments, successes, and inspirations. New patterns and product families have emerged. Much has been learned and new things created, and we’ve tried to live in the moment. The period has also included recession and challenges, which have certainly affected many others besides us.
I want to look forward with curiosity and joy, and see what else is yet to come. A new (or actually old) passion of mine is clothing, and exciting things will be happening in the shop related to it… Stay tuned if you’re interested in colorful and feminine clothes (also in plus sizes)! On the home decor side, I always want to find something nice and new for our shop, preferably something not found in every store. I hunt for these lovely items at fairs across Europe. Some products can be found in our online store, and some are best discovered by visiting us in person to find their way to your home.
And then, the candles…
Here at Paratiisipaja, we want to make beautiful candles that brighten people’s everyday lives, create atmosphere, and sometimes even bring comfort in sorrow. This has been the most important and guiding idea from which everything began, and it is still in my mind as I watch a new batch of candles being made in their molds. I wonder who will light all these candles, and I hope that moment is special.
Best regards, Pia from Paratiisipaja
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