Our story
Nina Abbott opened Titka on Veski tänav in 2010.
Our story
Nina Abbott began making candles after a power cut left the household with a box of stubs and a lot of time. Melting the stubs together produced a surprisingly decent candle, and curiosity took over.
In 2010 a unit on Veski tänav came up, with a concrete floor, a sink and a bench long enough for forty jars. The first batch went on sale at a Christmas fair.
Customers wanted more scents, so we learned about fragrance oils, flashpoints and how scent behaves in hot wax. The lessons were mostly smelly failures.
We still do all the pouring by hand, in batches small enough to watch.
How we work
Tested on the bench
Every new scent is burned for a full cycle, noting the melt pool, the throw and any smoking. Only then does it go on sale.
Reusable jars
Our jars are glass or tin, and can be refilled or reused. We offer a small refill service.
Cotton wicks
We use braided cotton wicks without metal cores. They burn evenly and trim easily.
Cured before sale
Wax continues to harden for days after pouring. We wait two weeks so the candle burns properly.
Behind the counter
Nina Abbott
Founder, runs the workshops
Nina started the studio and teaches the evening workshops, explaining wicks, wax temperatures and how to avoid air bubbles.
Sam Mason
Studio manager
Sam runs the front of the workshop: answering email, taking orders, scheduling workshops and handling suppliers.
Grace Fletcher
Beeswax specialist
Grace works with raw beeswax from local hives, filtering it and rolling sheets into pillar candles.
Lily Hughes
Pouring
Lily melts and pours wax in the morning, working with a thermometer and a steady hand.
Jacob Clarke
Quality testing
Jacob burns sample candles from every batch, measures the melt pool and keeps notes on burn times and any problems.