Cinnamon bark thin bark curls tightly and cracks easily, while bark from a tree that has lived long is thicker and holds a wide curl. That is the first reason we choose bark from cinnamon trees about fifteen years old, because only at that age does a length of bark have the strength to become a cup.
Our cinnamon bark comes from handcraft workshops in Tra Mi and Tra Bong, Quang Ngai, under purchase contracts and framework agreements. That land has long been tied to the cinnamon tree, and the people working there have hands used to stripping, sun-drying and then sorting each length of bark. When the bark reaches the Van Phuc workshop, the first task is still selecting: by thickness, by curve, and above all by how sound the inner face is, because this face will hold hot wax for many dozens of hours.
The time to finish one jar is about twenty-four hours, and most of that stretch is waiting. The bark needs to settle its shape after forming, the lining layer needs to dry, and then the wax needs to cool slowly so the wax surface is smooth and the wick stands straight in the middle of the cup. Pour too fast and the wax surface sinks around the wick, so in the workshop we pour in small rounds and accept going slowly.
Two layers of scent in one jar
Cinnamon gives a spiced, warm and sweet scent. Before lighting, the scent you meet comes from the outer bark itself, so opening the lid you notice it at once. When the candle burns, the essential oils we compose release with the heat of the melt pool, and those two layers of scent sit beside each other all evening.
Each jar holds one hundred and twenty-five grams of soy wax blended by ZUNGZA, and comes with a wooden lid so you can close it after blowing the flame out. Many people choose a set of two or three jars as a gift, and if you message us we can choose together to suit the occasion.
A few questions you often send us
Why choose a fifteen-year-old cinnamon tree
Because at that age the bark is thick and holds a wide curl, enough to be built into a cup that holds wax.
How long can the cinnamon bark cup be used after the wax is gone
The cup holds the scent of cinnamon for many months; you can keep it in the wardrobe, the bookcase or on the desk.
How long is the shelf life of a candle
Three years from the date of production, kept somewhere cool and out of direct sun.
You can see the candle jar on the RUNG GIA page, or read more about ZUNGZA.