Brightfield, based in Toronto’s Beaches neighbourhood, is redefining home fragrance with handcrafted, non-toxic products that are vegan, cruelty-free and free from harmful ingredients. Founder Christina Gjiri’s passion for wellness and sustainability inspired the brand’s mission to spark joy while making a positive impact. Through their partnership with Second Harvest, every candle sold provides three meals to those in need. Brightfield’s clean-burning candles, room sprays, and diffusers transform homes into peaceful havens, offering more than just fragrance—they offer wellness and kindness. We chatted with Christina to learn more. —Noa Nichol
What was the pivotal moment that inspired you to create Brightfield, and how did your personal experiences with single-use candles and allergies shape your brand’s philosophy?
A pivotal moment for me was a few years ago when I realized I was having daily headaches, rashes and allergic reactions from the products I was using in my home and on my body. I wasn’t feeling good and after doing research, discovered just how many chemicals are used in everyday products. I was also frustrated by the waste created from single-use products, like candles and body care. I believed in creating amazing products that also happened to be non-toxic and refillable. With my nose for fragrance and a strict list of ingredients I wouldn’t use, I spent a year developing clean home fragrances, candles, reed diffusers and room sprays. Today, I get so much joy out of helping customers feel good in their homes and to hear their stories of how we’ve helped them go from stressed to joyful.
Brightfield’s products are crafted to be vegan, non-toxic, and cruelty-free. Can you walk us through the development process for ensuring the ingredients you use meet such high ethical and sustainability standards?
As someone who is very sensitive to traditional fragrances and harsh ingredients, I have a strict list of ingredients that we will never use. One key part of our development process is looking to Europe, where they have higher standards and more consumer protections in place, as well as to respected organizations like the Environmental Working Group (EWG). We read peer-reviewed articles, research and ingredient databases, as well as attend workshops and courses to always be learning. We work closely with our suppliers to understand each ingredient, its origin, and to ensure that they are vegan, cruelty-free, non-toxic, paraben-free, phthalate-free, mutagen-free, carcinogen-free, and made from renewable resources. This is our baseline expectation of any ingredient we use because everyone deserves to use products that are good for them and the planet.
Your partnership with Second Harvest, where each candle sold provides 3 meals for those in need, is a powerful example of using business for good. What motivated you to incorporate this philanthropic aspect into your brand, and how has it impacted your journey as an entrepreneur?
Kindness is at the heart of our small business and to me, that means being kind to people and our planet, and working to help spark joy for others. We proudly support Second Harvest’s mission to keep food where it belongs: On plates and out of landfills. For over one year, we’ve donated to Second Harvest from every candle sold and it’s made my journey as an entrepreneur so meaningful. I’m grateful for being able to use my small business to help others. We are passionate about supporting the work that Second Harvest does in communities across Canada to provide meals to those who need it most.
As wellness and functional fragrances gain popularity, how do you see Brightfield contributing to this growing trend of scent wellness, and what role do you believe fragrance plays in enhancing daily life?
Gone are the days where home fragrance merely smells good. We can actually use neuroscience and research to understand and create functional fragrances that help us improve our mood, emotions and wellbeing. Brightfield embraces this growing trend of scent wellness by utilizing functional fragrances that help people feel good when they use our candles, reed diffusers and room sprays. When used in a daily routine, functional fragrances can be transformative, helping you to unwind, destress, focus, and positively impact your emotions based on how you want to feel. We love creating rituals throughout the day with intentionally chosen home fragrance to support your wellbeing. For example, starting your day with burning a candle or spritzing a room spray that supports the mood or intention that you want to create for the day. While you work, use an uplifting candle, reed diffuser or room spray to help you focus and feel motivated. After work, unwind with a candle or by misting room spray on your bedding that makes you feel relaxed and let go of any stress from the day.
With Brightfield expanding across Canada and potentially into the US, how do you plan to maintain the intimate, handcrafted quality of your products while scaling up your operations?
As Brightfield grows, we are excited to grow our team of artisans who craft each piece by hand and create the authentically handmade home fragrances that we are known and loved for. In a world of mass production, we celebrate artisanal craftsmanship, quality, and legacy. We see our growth as a way to continue building for the long-term and have a greater impact using our small business as a force for good. We take an authentic approach to manufacturing and will continue to prioritize this as we scale. We love knowing that what we make with our hands makes its way to you at home, to be used in your everyday life and shared with friends and family.
Win! A $156 Brightfield Gift Pack!
One lucky Canadian winner will receive a $156 Brightfield Gift Pack including:
- Classic Candle $48
- Reed Diffuser $44
- Glass Candle $32
- Room Spray $32
To enter, head over to Instagram, follow @brightfieldshop and @vitadailymedia and make sure to fulfil all the entry rules in the caption of the corresponding contest post. Contest opens October 16, 2024 and closes October 23, 2024. Complete contest rules and regulations here. Please note: if you are the winner, you will receive a DM (direct message) in Instagram directly from @vitadailymedia. Please be wary of fake accounts, which often use similar handles with an extra or missing letter, number or symbol. We will never ask for a payment or for your credit card number, and we will never ask you to click through a link. If you are unsure whether you have been contacted, via Instagram, by us or a fake account, email us before responding.
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