Staying true to the brand’s circular ethos, the new Café collection by Earl of East features candles served up in reusable diner mugs
The Earl of East Cafe collection features three candles housed in diner mugs that can be reused and repurposed. Photography by Earl of East
Words by Roddy Clarke
Rooted in the spirit of café culture, London-based lifestyle brand Earl of East is staying true to its identity with its new Café candle collection. Embracing circularity, another core value of the brand, the diner mugs used to house the candles can be easily reused and repurposed. ‘It allowed us to lean into circularity in a fun way because the reuse is very clear,’ comments Paul Firmin, who founded the brand alongside his partner Niko Dafkos in 2014. ‘We first offered refills back in 2019 with a collectable ceramic vessel and still see a high repeat refill on these.’ Also offering a recycling service for customers who don’t want to repurpose the vessel for a different use, the duo is passionate to ensure they remain accountable in promoting a mindset of reuse where possible.
The coffee counters in the brand’s London stores have inspired three unique scents: Americano, Iced Matcha and Milk Bun. Photography by Earl of East
Officially launching in June, the collection features a trio of candles, each with their own unique scent inspired by the coffee counters in the Earl of East stores: Americano, Iced Matcha and Milk Bun. From its outset, the brand has been centred around coffee states Firmin while also revealing their first chats just over a decade ago about their dream business was over coffee in the park. ‘Our love for the café goes beyond the drinks that are served, it’s about community and connection,’ he says. ‘We find ourselves hunting out the best cafes wherever we travel.’
Earl of East’s founders Paul Firmin and Niko Dafkos who started the company in 2014. Photography by Earl of East
While the love of café culture inspired this collection, Firmin also explains how they let the customer’s shopping habits lead this launch. ‘Over the past year or so we’ve noticed an increased appetite for the more gourmand scents in our line, with fragrances like Greenhouse and Viagem becoming even more popular. Sweet gourmand scents are steeped in nostalgia and are having a revival globally,’ he reveals. ‘We put this down to a craving for comfort in challenging times and seeing this trend evolve we knew the Café collection would hit the spot!’ And, with the first batch selling out in the first two weeks, this certainly does seem to be the case.
With the candles all made in-house, the company offers a refill and recycling service which aligns with its circular ethos. Photography by Earl of East
The candles are all hand-poured by the Earl of East team in their East London workshop using organic and vegan ingredients. With 60-70 hours of burning time, the scents permeate the home beautifully with each scent evoking a unique fragrance. Americano fills the home with the smell of freshly ground coffee and a touch of decadent cocoa while the Iced Matcha fragrance exudes an earthy matcha scent with notes of cedar. Milk Bun caters for those that crave the sweeter, more nostalgic smells with a blend of almond milk and rich buttermilk coming together in a rich infusion. With its scents becoming a much-loved favourite of customers since the studio’s inception a decade ago, the secrets to success lie in Paul and Niko’s meticulous attention to detail in finding the finest, and most ethical, ingredients. Coupled with the reuse and recycling service it offers, Earl of East certainly is cementing itself as a revered candle house.
When the candle has been burnt, the diner mug offers a playful option for your favourite brew, be it tea, coffee or matcha! Photography by Earl of East
When asked about their own personal café favourites in the capital, alongside the Earl of East coffee counters of course, Firmin says picking one is almost impossible! ‘A visit to a café always features in our days off. Recently we have been visiting Foreign Exchange News which is close to Lancaster Gate – it’s such a great place to pass the time! Allpress Roastery in Dalston features heavily too but that’s as much for the breakfast as it is for the coffee! The breakfast plate is a must!’
The next batch of the Café Collection by Earl of East will be available mid-July and is available to pre-order here.
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