as an independent lifestyle mecca, kapok always look for like-minded individual and meaningful small businesses when sourcing new discoveries, and that applies across all areas: fashion, lifestyle, beauty and beyond, and home fragrance is no exception.  scented candles, incenses and room diffusers have long been very popular among our fans, and this season, we have something new from around the world to answer the insatiable demands.    

APOTHEKE

Apotheke Fragrance is an artisanal, handmade fragrance brand. their products are blended, produced, packaged, and shipped by crafters at our Chiba, Japan workshop. the brand name is derived from the German word apotheke, meaning a place where fragrances and medicinal herbs are prepared, or in more modern parlance, a pharmacy. like your neighborhood pharmacy, Apotheke Fragrance stays true to their customers’ lifestyles, prescribing scents for their everyday lives. 

the brand story begins ten years before its birth. founder Keita Sugasawa, in his travels to different countries, was both impressed and surprised at the number of shops selling scented oils and incense. he was also surprised at the lack of such shops in within Japan. after returning to Japan, Sugasawa took a position at a Japanese fragrance maker as his first step to learning the ins and outs of the craft. In 2011, he established his own atelier in his boyhood home of Chiba Prefecture. this atelier became the new home of this hand-crafted fragrance brand. 

they admire the simple elegance and analog textures found only in the fruits of handmade labor. this is also why they blend and produce products naturally, with their own hands, applying brand seal to product labels and even packing products in boxes with the care of artisans. what once began with a single product lineup of purely candles has now become a wide range of fragrance items, including room sprays, incense, and more, you can find many of them at kapok.

HAECKELS

Hæckels was founded in 2012 by volunteer beach warden and coastal enthusiast Dom Bridges. disillusioned by the production ethos of many larger skin care companies Dom wanted to create simple hand crafted products that showcased the surrounding coasts natural ingredients in the hope that the products themselves would then promote Margate heritage of healthy coastal living. 

when Hæckels was just starting out Dom would collect seaweed and local botanicals along the Margate coast and bring them bring back to his family kitchen to experiment. Dom’s wife Jo soon said it was time to get a proper lab and turn a passion into a business as every saucepan in the kitchen was starting to smell like a skin care product. taking his wife's advice he acquired the Lab on Cliff Terrace in 2013 where more product formulas were developed to complete the range, this season, we received their latest invention on home fragrances.

each candle Hæcekls create is connected to Margate and the environment surrounding it. created and developed in our own lab these are truly original. each is heavily related to nature.  

with eco-friendly and sustainability in mind, Hæckels goes an extra mile on packaging by using mycelium instead of plastic foams, mycelium comes from the root system of mushrooms (fungi) and is usually found underground where its tiny white threads weave together. after being used for its intended purpose, it can be reused, composted or planted in your garden to improve soil quality.   

the seed paper is made from recycled paper pulp mixed with wild flower seeds. instead of throwing away, you can place the paper on top of a pot of compost and water well. make sure the paper has access to light and warmth and keep the soil moist. once the seedlings have grown big enough, you can transfer them to your garden for the birds and bees to enjoy!

read more about Haeckels here.

FAZEEK

Fazeek is a contemporary fragrance, beauty and homewares brand from Melbourne, Australia. founded in 2017, Fazeek creates hand-crafted, stylish products that are ethical and cruelty-free. their candles, soaps and liquid products are all vegan, ethically-sourced and hand-crafted, so you can feel good while they look great. superior design and high quality is important to Fazeek. 

inspired by sleek architecture and interior design, their contemporary handmade soaps and hand poured terrazo candles are practical statement pieces and home decor in its own right.  

Fazeek believes style and sustainability play perfectly together. each Fazeek piece, scent and even the packaging is painstakingly chosen to complement their natural and sustainable practice.  thoughtfully designed and hand-crafted to be admired, cherished and practical, Fazeek is passionate about offering a distinct and creative living and bathing experience. 

combining monochromatic hues and pops of subtle colour, they use all-natural clays because they know that beauty doesn’t require synthetic colouring. the designs are eye-catching and calming, the scents soothing and warm, often taking inspiration from Australia’s abundant flora.  they proudly specialise in signature unisex scents to ensure an inclusive experience that will impress everyone.

WAKS

inspired by the relationship of scent and memory, our fragrances are individually chosen for their sensitive notes and unique characteristics. all Waks products are made in Greece using natural wax and collaborating with ceramicists across the country.   simplicity and vibrance, characterise our products. their scents will blend into your home, from a quiet reading corner to a bustling garden terrace.   

at kapok, we stock the Stoneware Collection diffusers and candles.  made in collaboration with artist Christina Morali, the beautiful jars of fragrances will make the perfect addition to a bright living room or an outdoor space.    these beautiful ceramic vessels can be reused and reinvented. after you enjoy your candle, you can use them for potting, dried foods and anything else you can think of!