Tealight vs Pillar vs Jar Candles: Which Should You Import from Vietnam in 2026?

Tealight Candles: Maximum Volume, Lowest FOB Price

Tealight candles are the highest-volume candle category exported from Vietnam. Standard specs: 9g–14g wax weight, 2.5–4 hour burn time, aluminum or clear polycarbonate cup. FOB pricing from $0.07/unit at MOQ 1,000 units. Primary markets: hospitality chains (hotels, restaurants, spas), mass-market retail, event and wedding wholesale, and religious supply distributors.

Key wholesale advantages: smallest physical size means highest unit count per container, lowest per-unit price enables large promotional orders, and production capacity is highest of all candle categories at 500,000+ units per month per factory. Available scented or unscented, with custom cup printing or color wax for OEM orders.

Pillar Candles: Classic Retail Appeal, Mid-Range Margin

Pillar candles are freestanding cylinder candles without containers. Available in paraffin, soy, and blended wax formulations. Standard sizes: 5cm × 10cm to 10cm × 30cm. FOB pricing from $0.80/unit at MOQ 500 units. Burn time: 20–80 hours depending on diameter and wax type. Primary markets: home décor retail, church supply, seasonal and holiday retail, and specialty candle retailers.

Pillar candles are the most versatile category for OEM — custom colors, custom diameters, custom heights, custom scents, and custom surface textures (smooth, rustic, carved, embossed) are all available. Factory MOQ for a custom pillar size is 500 units per SKU.

Jar Scented Candles: Highest Retail Price Point, Best Margin

Jar scented candles are produced in glass or ceramic containers with cotton or wood wicks. Standard wax weights: 150g–500g. FOB pricing from $1.20/unit at MOQ 500 units. Burn time: 30–80 hours. Primary markets: home décor boutiques, online retail (Etsy, Amazon, Faire), subscription box services, gift retailers, and spa/wellness brands.

This is the premium OEM category — buyers specify custom fragrance blend, custom glass container shape, custom lid, custom label design, and custom outer packaging. Factory can match Pantone colors for wax and provide IFRA-compliant fragrance safety documentation for retail compliance.

Which Category to Import First?

Import tealights if: you supply hospitality buyers, event companies, or mass-market retail; you need the lowest FOB per unit; and you want to maximize container fill rate. Import pillar candles if: you sell through home décor retail or seasonal channels; your customers value aesthetics over price; and you want versatile OEM options. Import jar candles if: you are building a private label brand; your retail price point is $12–$35; and margin per SKU matters more than volume.

Many experienced importers run all three in split containers, using tealights for velocity, pillars for display, and jar candles for margin.