Kenshi Candles

In 2018, a 14-year-old Melbourne boy, Liam Foldi, started up his own social enterprise. His idea was simple; make a product that people want to buy and use those funds to fight hunger in Australia. He started making candles in his bedroom. From there he moved to the family kitchen and then the family garage. At each stage, he kept improving the craftmanship of each hand-poured candle.

In 2019, Liam began a partnership with the Chin refugee community from Myanmar, who live in Melbourne’s west. The candles are now made by the Chin community in Melbourne, providing them with vital employment and income.

In September 2021, Kenshi Candles grew big enough to warrant having its own home. They moved to a new candle-making facility in Sunshine with the capacity to make over 500 hand poured candles and diffusers a day.

The sales of Kenshi Candles ensure the continued employment of Chin refugees in Melbourne as well as funding many tonnes of food for homeless people and families in need all over Australia and the Chin people in Myanmar. In 2023, more than 12 tonnes of pasta and rice were distributed.

These candles have been a huge hit since landing in Only Just.

All candles

• are hand poured
• use 100% natural soy wax
• use high-grade Australian fragrance oils
• use 100% cotton wicks and sustainable packaging. 

Kenshi is a proud member of Social Traders. This means that Kenshi is independently audited each year to ensure they are donating a minimum of 50% of their profit to fund pasta and rice for people in need in Australia and Chin State, Myanmar.

Want to know more? Watch Liam’s inspiring story here.