Hawick mill sees the light in Landels’ candles

A Borders candle-maker has been waxing lyrical about her artisan products, as they are now to be sold alongside luxury cashmere in Hawick.
Hawico managing director Ewan Thomson with candle-maker Lesley Landels.Hawico managing director Ewan Thomson with candle-maker Lesley Landels.
Hawico managing director Ewan Thomson with candle-maker Lesley Landels.

Owner and founder of Love Scottish, Lesley Landels – whose Hawick-based hand-poured candle and lifestyle brand has continued to flourish since its inception on her kitchen table three years ago – has been asked to set up shop within Hawico Scotland’s visitor centre.

And with the imminent launch of a brand new flagship store on Melrose High Street, the mum-of-two is the first local trader to sell their products alongside the prestigious mill’s high-quality goods.

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“It’s an exciting new development for my business, and I was really pleased when Hawico approached me,” Lesley told us. It gives me a committed retail space in the town, and will give people a chance to buy from my range.”

And having worked for Hawico at the age of 18 as an office administrator, before completing a degree in printed textile design at Heriot-Watt University, the 35-year old entrepreneur’s return to the Duke Street factory has been welcomed.

Hawico managing director Ewan Thomson said: “We have always kept in touch with Lesley, and really liked the candles she began producing, which over a year ago led to us commissioning some to be made for Hawico, as gifts for some of our best customers. They were beautifully done, and in some of our European stores we were being asked where people could get them, because they thought they were great.”

And Mr Thomson says providing retail space for Lesley’s white label products is the perfect collaboration between two brands which are part of Made in Hawick – the label being used to promote the exceptional products created in a town renowned for manufacturing.

“Now that the shop has been expanded, we are delighted to be able to offer Love Scottish Candles an area, because there is great value in additional products when they are made here.”

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