Meet local Denver business and From the Hip Photo friend Pearl Street Lights! We recently teamed up with them to provide an excellent set of prizes for our #ShowOffYourLights July photo contest and wanted to showcase this wonderful company. Pearl Street Lights is located in Lakewood, just outside of Denver, Colorado, and makes candles and torches using upcycled beer and wine bottles.
On top of this, this artisan candle company is committed to providing employment for women who were formerly incarcerated or who have faced other barriers to employment. This ties into Pearl Street Light’s commitment to not just reclaiming raw materials for their products, but also helping women reclaim their lives.
Each candle is made with love and care, and is signed by its maker. The wax is non-GMO and the wicks are made of wood, so they provide a soothing crackling sound as they burn just like a fireplace! Although we wouldn’t recommend trying it at home, the candle making process is a sight to behold. Kerry Humphrey, owner and founder of Pearl Street Lights, was kind enough to provide a demonstration for us.
The Process
Each candle jar is repurposed from recycled glass sourced from local bars and restaurants, cut down to size and smoothed around the edge using a blowtorch (wow!). Once the edge has been rounded out to a safe and visually appealing contour, the wooden wick is set in place. Then the wax is melted and various scents are added to that batch in precise amounts. Once the wax has dried completely, the wick is cut into its distinct triangle flame shape and the official labels are placed on the outside.
The Artist
Kerry, the company founder and owner, is a superstar! Not only has she developed her own business that helps others, but she is deeply involved in her community. She is a co-founder of Denver Women’s Mastermind, which is a group that supports women who run their own businesses, and she works with The Delores Project, which provides shelter for women and transgender individuals experiencing homelessness. Kerry is also a graduate of an entrepreneurial bootcamp organized by the Rocky Mountain MicroFinance Institute. (Side note: several years ago we had the pleasure of photographing the wedding of two of RMFFI’s Directors–yay, Stacey & Brendan!)
The Company
Pearl Street Lights is an exemplary local company creating exceptional products while doing wonderful things for the community. We are so happy to share our love for this local business and to have the opportunity to work with Pearl Street Lights. Plus, we think their candles smell unbelievably heavenly!
