Can you believe it's been five years already? It feels like just yesterday when Begonia & Bench was a tiny seed of an idea, nurtured by just the two of us, Darren and Michelle. Today, as we celebrate our 5th birthday, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on how far we've come, and it's a story we can't wait to share with you.
Back in 2018, Darren was just a dude with a candle hobby. We had a whopping batch of 68 candles and a head full of dreams. But as Darren started making those candles, it didn't take long for us to realize something troubling. The amount of waste generated in the process made us pause and imagine what could happen if our little endeavor grew. The thought of introducing even more waste into the system was something we couldn't ignore. We were panicking a bit and wondered how on earth we could deal with this and it felt like an impossible task.
Michelle taught herself graphic design and social media wizardry, and with both of us working side by side, we did our very best to make it all look good. We bought a humble pop-up tent and some budget-friendly items from Ikea, and there we were, ready to take on the world.
We knew we had to approach things differently. It was a turning point for us. We saw an opportunity to take a common household item, something people love and use every day, and find a way to make a positive change without asking anyone to drastically alter their behavior. With this in mind, in 2019 we decided to pledge that for every candle we make, not just sell, we'd plant a tree. This isn't a sales tactic or gimmick; it's a commitment to being socially responsible and accountable for the resources we consume.
Our mission was simple yet ambitious back then, to plant 200 trees on a U.S. National Forest. Fast forward to today, and we're thrilled to tell you that our dream has grown into something remarkable.
We are together—still just the two of us—celebrating our 5th birthday and embarking on our 10,000th tree planted milestone. It's a testament to the power of teamwork, DIY spirit, and your unwavering support. We've grown from 68 candles to something with purpose that's bigger than ourselves.
Thank you for being a part of our story, for believing in us, and for making Begonia & Bench what it is today.
