China’s foreign teachers are an interesting group. Like so many other expats, their backstories are varied and they almost never intended to end up in Beijing. But there is something about the combination of being an expat and an educator that pushes people to constantly grow and learn. Most of the educators I know in Beijing are fiercely devoted to their classroom, but they also have side passion projects and talents that have nothing to do with school.
Take Adam Taylor and Najma Saib, for example. Both are passionate teachers working at a bilingual kindergarten here in Beijing. Taylor spoke for them both when he said, “Being teachers allows us the opportunity to not only impart knowledge to very young children but also allows the children the chance to engage in an immersive environment with people from different cultures which we believe is important for young minds in aiding with their positive growth and development. What we love the most about educating children is the way it brings out the child in us and being afforded the opportunity to make a difference by inspiring and mentoring.”
After several years of working side by side as colleagues, they became friends while competing for the same promotion. “We won’t say who got the promotion, but it got us talking. We became incredible friends, and that got us to this point today.” Today they are business partners as well as educators. Taylor has a bit of an obsession with candles but discovered that they are made with a lot of toxic chemicals that are bad for kids, pets, and adults. So In 2021, the two friends started trying to figure out how to make clean candles. What began as an attempt to give a unique Christmas gift for friends turned into Tallow Candle Co.
A selection of Tallow Candle Co. candles
It turned out there was a market in Beijing for their 100% soy candles and the unique, nostalgic scents they created. Despite being full-time teachers “we found ourselves making more and more candles on a daily basis as word of mouth got around, which was great but also stressful and tiring.” The weary expat community found their candles comforting, with scents inspired by everything from the smell of baking cookies to cut grass. They have since launched a home, seasonal and cocktail-inspired collection that is resonating.
“The most rewarding thing for us is seeing the joy on faces when people smell our candles and listening to their stories about the nostalgic memories that our scents bring back… it’s a very difficult time for us all [right now], and knowing we can bring so much joy and warmth to people brings huge smiles to our faces. Since we’ve started to join markets, we’ve met many of our customers face to face and created friendships with many of them.”
Taylor and Saib at a market in Beijing
If you can’t make it to the markets they frequent you can contact them directly via WeChat at Adamleightaylor (Adam) or Whaleshark417 (Najma) or join their WeChat group where they post about their newest scent profiles and specials.
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Images: Adam Taylor and Najma Saib
