LAIT

What LAIT does

LAIT is a woman-owned, independently operated artisanal candle studio founded in 2013 and based in Los Angeles, California. The company designs, hand-pours, and sells small-batch soy wax candles under its registered LAIT® trademark, along with complementary home fragrance products including reed diffusers, plant-based room sprays (Maison Parfum collection), and curated gift sets. Production emphasizes cruelty-free, vegan formulations free of sulfates, petroleum, phthalates, and parabens, with 40-50 hour burn times on standard 7-8oz candles and proprietary fragrance blends organized across scent families (woody, fresh, green & herbal, smoky & ambery, citrus & fruity, gourmand) and mood collections. Supporting lines include the LAIT Maison sub-brand for home objects and LAIT Iconique for signature perfected scents.

The business operates as a direct-to-consumer e-commerce brand through a Shopify storefront at shoplait.com, selling primarily to individual consumers and gift buyers in the United States, with unit prices ranging from $12 (discovery tealight sampler) to $138 (deluxe gift sets) and e-gift cards from $25-$200. There is no disclosed third-party retail or marketplace presence; revenue comes from one-time candle and home fragrance purchases, with limited secondary exposure through select museum gift shop placements (Orange County Museum of Art) and in-person candlemaking workshops hosted at partner venues (Composed Living / Valley Country Mart, from May 2025). The company has no disclosed institutional funding or parent company, is bootstrapped, and employs 1-10 people, with founder Jenn Rhee publicly leading product development and brand voice.

Name

LAIT

Legal name

LAIT

Website

https://shoplait.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

LAIT is a woman-owned, bootstrapped Los Angeles candle studio founded in 2013 that hand-pours small-batch soy wax candles, reed diffusers, and room sprays for direct-to-consumer sale via its Shopify storefront to individual consumers and gift buyers in the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Artisan Home Fragrance

NAICS

Toilet Preparation Manufacturing (32562)

SIC

Soap, Detergents, Cleang Preparations, Perfumes, Cosmetics (2840)

akta.pro primary industry

Scented Candles & Wax Melts (Home Fragrance) (CRAJAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Home Fragrance (Candles, Diffusers, Room Sprays) (CRABADAE), Candles, Home Fragrance & Diffusers Retail (CRAIACAC)

Keywords

• Hand-poured soy candles
• Artisan home fragrance
• Luxury scented candles
• Reed diffuser products
• Natural wax candles

Headquarters

HQ city

West Hollywood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Candle Sales: Primary revenue from selling hand-poured soy candles in various formats including standard, travel, and petite sizes. One-time purchase model with prices ranging from $17-$42 for individual candles.
2. Home Fragrance Products: Revenue from complementary home fragrance products including reed diffusers ($48) and room sprays. These products offer ongoing fragrance without burning candles.
3. Gift Sets and Bundles: Curated gift sets including candle trio sets, deluxe gift boxes combining candles with reed diffusers, and seasonal collections. Higher price points for bundled products.
4. E-Gift Cards: Digital gift cards sold in denominations of $25, $50, $100, $125, $150, and $200. No expiration date, delivered via email.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

LAIT is a woman-owned Los Angeles candle studio that hand-pours small-batch, cruelty-free soy candles in standard, travel, and petite formats, complemented by reed diffusers, plant-based room sprays, gift sets, and e-gift cards. All products are sold directly to consumers and gift buyers through the brand's Shopify e-commerce storefront at shoplait.com, with local pickup available for Los Angeles customers. The company emphasizes clean-burning, vegan, and sustainable formulations free of sulfates, petroleum, phthalates, and parabens.

Product overview

LAIT is a woman-owned, independently operated candle studio based in Los Angeles, California, established in 2013. The company specializes in small-batch, cruelty-free, hand-poured soy candles that burn clean and slow with sustainability in mind. The product portfolio centers on three core candle lines: Signature Candles (standard 7-8oz with 40-50 hour burn times), Travel Candles (portable 3.8oz jars with 25-30 hour burn times), and Petite Candles (3.5oz boxed samples for gifting). Supporting product lines include Reed Diffusers and the Maison Parfum Collection of room sprays for flame-free fragrance, plus Discovery Sampler Sets of tealights for scent exploration. The LAIT Maison sub-brand offers curated home objects and accessories. Products are marketed through multiple scent families (woody, fresh/citrus, floral, smoky/ambery, gourmand) and mood collections (rest easy, energizing, calming). The company emphasizes luxury positioning with French-inspired nomenclature, artisanal craftsmanship, and clean-burning, paraben-free formulations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LAIT Maison: A thoughtfully curated collection of one-of-a-kind accessories and objects for the home
• LAIT Iconique
• Maison Parfum

Products and services

• LAIT Signature Candles (Standard 7-8oz) Hand-poured, small-batch luxury candles made from clean-burning, cruelty-free soy wax with sustainable ingredients, available in standard 7-8oz sizes with 40-50 hour burn times.
• Travel Candles (3.8oz) Compact travel-sized candles in portable jars with 25-30 hour burn times, designed for on-the-go scent experiences.
• Petite Candles (3.5oz Boxed) Small 3.5oz boxed candles ideal for gifting or sampling, featuring best-selling signature scents in a compact format.
• Reed Diffusers Flame-free room fragrance diffusers using reed sticks to disperse signature scents continuously for months. Hand-poured in small batches with vegan, sulfate-free formulas.
• Maison Parfum Room Sprays Plant-based room mists infused with signature scents. Made with sugar-derived alcohol and witch hazel, delivering delicate fragrance through a fine mist; also available in 10ml mini travel size.
• Discovery Sampler Set Set of 6 tealight candles in assorted signature scents, allowing customers to sample and layer fragrances before committing to full-sized products.
• Gift Sets Curated luxury gift box sets featuring combinations of candles, reed diffusers, and gift cards, designed for gifting occasions.
• Greeting Cards Artwork-based greeting cards featuring LAIT signature scents, including designs such as Joie de Vivre, Avec Amour, and Suivre le Courant.
• LAIT E-Gift Card Virtual gift cards delivered via email in denominations of $25, $50, $100, $125, $150, and $200 with no expiration date.
• LAIT Maison Home Objects Curated collection of one-of-a-kind accessories and home objects including decorative trays, match holders, and vessels.
• Limited Edition Candles Special release candles including LA VAGUE (The Wave) porcelain candle, LUCIE VESSEL collection, THE LARCHMONT BLVD. collaboration candle, and LA VIE EN ROSE Quartz Crystal candle.

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Jade Ikeda / Larchmont NeighborscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration candle inspired by Larchmont Boulevard and Hancock Park neighborhoods. The LARCHMONT BLVD candle features notes of jasmine, petitgrain, yuzu and guaiacwood, capturing the essence of this LA neighborhood with gold-embellished glass vessel.
• Wall for ApricotscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreative consulting firm co-founded by Brady Cunningham and Katy Burgess. Exclusive FIELD DAY candle collaboration with notes of orris, fresh grass, green tea leaves, and mint. Featured in NYMag Strategist and LA Times.
• Composed LivingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHost venue for LAIT candlemaking workshops. First workshop held May 3, 2025 at Valley Country Mart location in Woodland Hills, CA. Educational partnership focusing on fragrance exploration and custom candle creation.
• MIGAAMminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKorean home goods brand partnership featuring THE KOREAN HAAP candle collaboration - a moon jar ceramic candle embodying Korean heritage and wisdom.
• Milieu FloralsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLA flower shop celebrating 20th anniversary. LAIT featured at celebration event alongside other woman-owned brands including Mantle Jewellery, Serein Botanicals, and Easter Ahn Design.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Homesick: DTC scented candle brand offering extensive catalog of fragrance variants with strong gifting positioning. Comparable as a scaled indie DTC candle company that has expanded into diffusers, room sprays, and gift sets.
• Diptyque: Iconic luxury home fragrance brand with a curated candle, diffuser, and room spray portfolio sold through DTC and high-end retail. Closely comparable premium positioning and French-inspired aesthetic to LAIT's signature line.
• Otherland: DTC artisanal candle brand with vibrant packaging and gift-set strategy marketed directly to consumers. Closely matches LAIT's premium gifting focus, candle trio sets, and discovery sampler approach.
• Brooklyn Candle Studio: Small-batch, hand-poured luxury candle brand emphasizing clean ingredients and minimalist design. Comparable on artisanal soy/coconut wax formulation, premium price points, and DTC gifting model.
• Voluspa: Premium hand-poured candle brand offering clean-burning formulations, decorative tins, and luxury gift sets through DTC and specialty retail. Comparable on premium gifting and clean-burning positioning to LAIT.
• Boy Smells: Independent DTC candle and home fragrance brand known for gender-neutral, design-led scents and DTC storytelling. Directly comparable as a founder-led, design-forward candle company competing for the same premium gifting shopper.

Broad incumbents

• Maison Margiela Replica: Luxury fashion house whose Replica line includes a well-known candle collection inspired by places and memories. Comparable on luxury home fragrance scent stories but operates as part of a much larger fashion group.
• Bath & Body Works: National specialty retailer with a 3-wick candle franchise plus home fragrance sprays, hand soaps, and body care. Defines the competitive ceiling and consumer expectations for scent variety and gifting in the home fragrance category.
• Yankee Candle: Largest mainstream candle brand in North America with extensive retail distribution and broad price-point coverage. Represents the mass-market end of the candle category that bounds the addressable market for premium DTC peers like LAIT.
• Nest Fragrances: Established premium home fragrance brand offering candles, diffusers, and reed-based home scents through DTC and department stores. Closely comparable premium positioning with a broader portfolio and retail distribution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/shoplait
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lait-candles-la

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about LAIT