About us

Clean Candles, Proudly Illinois

About Bee Coco Candle — Veteran-Owned, Non-Toxic Candles Handcrafted in Geneva, IL

Non-toxic, soy-free candles you can feel good about lighting — safe for your home, your family, and your pets. Proudly veteran-owned and charity-driven.
Bee Coco Candle studio in Geneva, IL — Eric and Noreen Francis

Why We Started

The home fragrance industry has a problem. Conventional candles — made with paraffin wax, synthetic fragrances, and metal-core wicks — fill homes with chemicals that families breathe in every day. When we started researching what was actually in the candles we were burning, we knew something had to change.

Bee Coco Candle was born from a passion for sustainable, cruelty-free, and vegan candles. We believe that candles can be both beautiful and environmentally friendly. As a veteran-owned, family-operated business rooted in Geneva, Illinois, we built this company on a simple belief: families deserve to know exactly what they are burning in their homes. Every ingredient we use is chosen with intention, and every candle we pour reflects our promise that clean living should never mean compromising on quality or fragrance.

Our Promise to You

We don't just say we're different — we prove it. Here's what you can always expect from Bee Coco Candle:

  • No hidden ingredients. Every wax, wick, and fragrance is fully disclosed on our Non-Toxic Promise page. No secrets. No greenwashing.
  • No wasted jars. Return any empty vessel to us for $2 off your next purchase — yours or even another brand's. We recycle it responsibly.
  • No compromises. If you're not 100% satisfied with your candle, we'll make it right. No questions asked. Because your trust matters more than a single sale.
Read our full Non-Toxic Promise →

What's in Every Candle

We hand-pour every candle in small batches using a premium blend of coconut and apricot waxes — completely soy-free, paraben-free, and phthalate-free. Small-batch production means careful quality control and consistency in every jar we send out the door.

Our fragrances are infused with essential oils and are fully Prop 65 compliant, meeting one of the most rigorous consumer safety standards in the country. Lead-free cotton wicks complete the clean burn — no metal cores, no soot, no compromises.

Giving Back — Built Into Every Purchase

At Bee Coco Candle, purpose isn't an afterthought. It's woven into our business from day one.

  • Liberty Charity Candle: 100% of profits support the Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans in Wheaton, IL.
  • Saint Collection: $5 from every candle sold goes to St. Peter Catholic Church in Geneva — supporting the local institutions that form the backbone of our community.

When you shop Bee Coco Candle, you're not just choosing clean. You're choosing to give back.

Safe for Your Whole Family

We know your family includes everyone — including the ones with four legs and feathers. Many household fragrances contain compounds that can irritate or harm pets, particularly cats and birds. We develop every scent profile with pet-conscious formulation in mind, so you can light a candle without worry.

For families navigating sensitivities, allergies, or autoimmune conditions, our ingredient transparency isn't a marketing claim — it's the foundation of everything we make.

Safe for the whole family — including your four-legged members

No phthalates, no paraffin soot, no hidden toxins. Our candles are crafted to be gentle on sensitivities and safe around children, seniors, and pets. Because the best glow is one where everyone — from your toddler to your tabby — breathes easy.

Pet-conscious formula No respiratory irritants

Built to Last — and Reused

Sustainability isn't an afterthought at Bee Coco Candle — it's built into the product. Our minimalist jars are designed for reuse long after the wax is gone. Storage containers, planters, decorative pieces — the vessel lives on. Because the best packaging is the kind that doesn't become waste.

And when you're ready to part with your jar? Return any empty vessel to us for $2 off your next purchase — yes, even from other brands. We recycle it responsibly. That's closing the loop.

Rooted in Geneva. Reaching Nationwide.

In under two years since opening our doors on Geneva's historic State Street, Bee Coco Candle has earned the 2025 Illinois Made Maker designation from the Illinois Office of Tourism and was voted Best Gift Shop in Kane County in the 2026 Kane County Chronicle Readers Choice Awards — an honor determined entirely by our community.

But the recognition that means the most to us comes from the customers who tell us they finally found a candle they can burn around their dog, their child, or their own sensitive system. That's why we're here.

Service didn't end when we took off the uniform. It just took a different form — one candle at a time.

"We didn't set out to win awards. We set out to make candles we'd feel safe burning around our own family."

But when the State of Illinois and our community started taking notice...
Illinois Made Maker

Recognized by the Illinois Office of Tourism for quality, authenticity, and local impact.

Read the announcement →
Best Gift Shop in Kane County — 2026

Kane County Chronicle Readers Choice Awards. Our community chose us for clean candles and thoughtful curation.

See why we won →
Featured in the Daily Herald

Illinois Maker spotlight: "Bee Coco aims to be the GOAT of non-toxic, hand-poured candles."

Read the full article →
Proudly veteran-owned and hand-poured in Geneva, IL with integrity.

More Than Candles — The Makers We Carry

Bee Coco Candle is about more than what we make—it's also about what we support. Alongside our candles, we thoughtfully stock our shelves with products from like-minded makers who share our commitment to clean ingredients, ethical practices, and small-batch craftsmanship.

  • The Noble Soapery — vegan body products
  • Pretty Farm Girl — tallow and goat's milk soaps, organic beauty serums
  • Drip Drop Roastery — chemical-free, whole-bean coffee from a local micro-roaster
  • Belly Bodega — beautiful, functional pottery made to be used and loved every day

From beeswax tapers, pillars, tea lights, and our unscented beeswax balm — made with locally sourced Illinois beeswax — to the makers we proudly partner with, every item we offer is chosen with intention. Together, they reflect our belief in quality over quantity, community over convenience, and products that truly feel good to bring into your home.


Shop the Give Back Collection

Every candle in our Give Back collection supports homeless veterans and local community organizations. Your purchase makes a real difference.

Explore the Give Back Collection →

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Last updated: August 2026