NICE TO MEET YOU, FESTINA LENTE
Meet the brand and the artisan behind our home fragrances.
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We met Marta, the founder of Festina Lente and the artisan behind our new candles and diffusers. We visited her at her atelier in the Isola district of Milan, where she told us how her brand of sustainable luxury fragrances was born and all that is close to her heart in this project.
How did Festina Lente come about?
“I founded Festina Lente in New York, in 2017. I've always had a great passion for the sense of smell, and I had decided I wanted to create something concrete, to make something with my own hands. So I started making candles, and when people asked me where I bought them, I knew I was going in the right direction. I then came to Italy in 2019 and started researching and experimenting in my workshop here in Milan.”
Festina Lente is a brand of non-toxic fragrances, made by hand and in small quantities, and where everything is Made in Italy and entirely plastic-free.
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What sustainable practices do you promote?
“The perfume industry is complicated, with extensive use of carcinogens or toxic substances such as phthalates, which Festina Lente's creations do not contain to any extent. Everything in our creations- even the packaging- is entirely plastic-free: instead of plastic, we use cork, glass, and corn bioplastic. In addition, production in small quantities reduces waste, and Made in Italy ensures social sustainability by employing partners of our country and environmental sustainability by reducing transportation distances.”
How is a scented candle made?
“The candle is an age-old object, but the basic process is simple and has stayed the same over time. Initially, beeswax was melted; this one in our candles is pure soy wax instead. It must be heated in a water bath, mixed with the essences and aromas in a liquid state, and poured into glass molds with wicks. The containers must be kept at a temperature so that there is no excessive temperature change between the wax and the container, and finally, they must be allowed to rest to obtain the candle in its final form.”
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Made in Italy means being part of the prestigious community of artisans that brings Italian manufacturing to the world.
What is the difference between a traditional perfume and one made by Festina Lente?
“Most candles on the market are not made by hand but rather by industrial production, while ours are hand-made, one by one, here in the laboratory in Milan. Also, our diffuser scents do not contain alcohol like most but have a glycerin base, so they last longer and are not flammable.”
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What are the future projects you would like pursue with Festina Lente?
“I want to make closet fresheners, an alternative to naphthalene, and solid personal scents using soy wax, which is completely natural and emollient. Continuous experimentation in the lab allows me to come up with new and unexpected solutions, always with an eye toward greater sustainability and reducing toxic substances in perfumes.”
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EXCLUSIVELY IN OUR STORES
We await you to discover candles and diffusers with an exclusive fragrance created with Festina Lente.