Otherland Candles Landed $2.7 Million in Funding. Would You Invest?

Cue the emails congratulating Otherland’s co-founders on a lit seed round. The direct to consumer luxury candle brand just raised $2.7 million in its first institutional fundraising effort.

Luxury candles may not rank as high as blister-inducing work shoes or scratchy bed linens on D2C’s disruption checklist. But Otherland says competitors like Yankee Candle and Diptyque just aren’t cutting it.

• The scent: Natural. Otherland candles are made in the USA with what it calls non-toxic yet fragrant ingredients including coconut and soy wax.
• The look: Instagrammable. Otherland’s candle labels are drawn by artists; when they’ve burnt out, the holders can be reused as home decor.
• The price: Aspirational. Otherland candles are $36 each—more than a can of Febreeze, less than a perfume-spurting toilet.

Keeping these candles out of the wind are backers including Red Antler, Venmo, and all five Casper co-founders. With its funding, Otherland’s adding to its workforce and exploring omnichannel sales opps—because you can’t smell a candle through the computer screen.

I need to know: Would you invest in Otherland’s next funding round? To vote yes, click here. To vote no, click here.