A Family Craft With Caribbean Roots
Candle Hut Barbados carries forward a family candle-making craft built around real ocean forms, hands-on work, and a lasting connection to Barbados.
In the 1970s, Michael Franco's father began creating sculptural candles from real shells, coral, starfish, and other ocean forms. The natural objects were used to develop reusable molds capable of preserving their ridges, curves, grooves, and distinctive textures in wax.
He later protected the original designs through U.S. copyright registrations. Those forms and the process behind them became the foundation of a family craft.
After learning the process from his father, Michael Franco brought the craft to Barbados and launched Candle Hut Barbados on June 6, 2019.
The family introduced the candles to local customers, visitors, cruise passengers, and retailers. Michael taught the production process to his son, Jacob, while his daughter, Ellie, helped operate the Barbados shop.
The Next Chapter
Candle Hut Barbados is now establishing small-batch production in Orlando, Florida, bringing the family craft to a wider U.S. audience while preserving the process behind every piece.
Barbados remains the heart of the brand. Florida begins its next chapter.
Be Part of the Next Chapter
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