The first time we held a piece of dried cinnamon bark curled into a tube, we thought straight away of a cup. It is already round, thick-walled, smooth inside and ridged outside exactly like the bark of a trunk — because it is the bark of a trunk. Our cinnamon bark candle began with that very small thought, and travelled quite a way before it could stand on your table.
A cinnamon bark candle is poured directly into a piece of dried cinnamon bark shaped into a cup. At ZUNGZA the bark comes from trees around fifteen years old in Tra Mi and Tra Bong, Quang Ngai; inside is soy wax blended by ZUNGZA with a single cotton wick. As it burns, the warmth makes the bark itself give off cinnamon, so you smell two layers at once: the scent from the wax and the scent from the cup.
Why we chose cinnamon bark
Tra Mi and Tra Bong have been tied to the cinnamon tree for a very long time, and the craftspeople there know by hand how to peel, dry and sort each piece of bark. We buy under framework contracts with the households and craft groups there, then choose pieces from trees around fifteen years old, because at that age the bark is thick enough and keeps a wide enough curl to become a cup that stands steady.
After being shaped in a mould, each piece stays out in the sun for about thirty days to settle its form, then takes another day for the rim and base to be sanded. That is why no two cups are alike: the grain, the curve and the depth of brown are all marks of one particular trunk that lived through fifteen seasons. Holding a cinnamon bark candle, you hold a one-off.
What a cinnamon candle smells like
Cinnamon is warm, lightly sharp on the tip of the tongue and sweeter towards the end. For many Vietnamese it is the smell of childhood, when children shared bites of small pieces of cinnamon bark, their tongues stinging while they laughed at each other. It runs through our food, through the incense of a memorial day and through the East Asian habit of keeping warm, so when it appears in a room most people feel it as familiar before they can name it.
In a cinnamon bark candle we keep three main notes: warm cinnamon, dry wood and a touch of sweetness at the end. Those three are enough to give a room depth while staying light, and enough for you to sit beside it a long time without feeling full.
Burning a cinnamon bark candle
On the first burn, let the candle run until the surface of the wax melts evenly out to the side of the cup, usually about an hour, and a few other small habits help the candle last longer. Doing this keeps the surface flat and the scent even on later burns. For every burn after that, trim the wick to about five millimetres; a short wick gives a neat, evenly bright flame.
Soy wax gives a natural ivory surface, sometimes speckled with small pits after a few burns. This is normal and familiar with this kind of wax. Once the candle has cooled completely, put the lid back on so the scent stays for next time.
A few questions you often send us
How is a cinnamon bark candle different from one in a glass cup
A glass cup keeps only the scent of the wax and oils inside, while a cinnamon cup is fragrant in itself, so even unlit, a candle on the table already gives you a little cinnamon. Our cinnamon line is one hundred and twenty-five grams and comes with a lid.
Can the cup be reused once the candle is finished
Yes, and that is what we hope for most. Many people wash out the remaining wax and use the cup for pens or paper clips, or set it beside the bed as a small scented object. Dried cinnamon bark holds its smell for a very long time.
Who is a cinnamon bark candle right for
We find it is often chosen as a gift for older relatives, for someone who has just moved house, and for friends abroad who want something with a breath of Vietnam in it. On cold days, cinnamon is also a reason to sit a little longer at the table.
Where to buy a cinnamon bark candle
You can order directly on this page, or visit no. 31, DM6, Van Phuc craft village to hold each cup and choose the grain you like. We ship throughout Vietnam in about two to five days depending on distance, and we can ship abroad as well.
If you would like to go deeper, have a look at the VO QUE LAM candle, read more about cinnamon cup and about the distance a piece of bark travels through the workshop.
Quick questions about cinnamon bark candles
How are ZUNGZA cinnamon bark candles made?
Aged cinnamon bark is selected, pressed in a mould, dried naturally and then finished by hand into a cup. Soy wax blended by zungza is poured inside, with a cotton wick set in the middle. Because it is real bark, no two cups are identical in grain or colour.
What does a cinnamon bark candle smell like?
Warm cinnamon, lightly sharp at the start and sweeter towards the end, with the dry wood note of the bark itself. Even unlit, the cinnamon comes through, because it rises from the vessel.
Does the cinnamon bark candle come with a lid?
The cinnamon bark line comes with a lid. Keeping it on when not in use keeps the surface of the wax clean and holds the scent longer.
How long does a cinnamon bark candle keep?
Three years from the date of production, kept somewhere dry and out of direct sun. Once the wax is used up, the cinnamon cup still holds its scent and can still be used as a small decorative object.
Who is a cinnamon bark candle a good gift for?
It suits occasions that call for something both warm and bare: a housewarming, a thank you, or an end-of-year gift. ZUNGZA has wooden boxes, paper boxes, silk scarves, canvas, jute and linen for wrapping, along with a handwritten note service.
Where can I buy ZUNGZA cinnamon bark candles?
You can order on zungza.com, or visit no. 31, DM6, Van Phuc craft village, Ha Dong, Hanoi, to look at each cup in person before choosing.