Hyland turns family beekeeping tradition into beeswax business, offering handcrafted products

Catherine Hyland has blended her family’s beekeeping legacy with her passion for non-toxic, sustainable living through her new Owensboro-based business, Hyland Beeswicks. She launched the company earlier this year to offer a range of handcrafted products, including candles, balms, chapsticks, beeswax wraps, and lotion bars made from 100% pure Kentucky beeswax.

Hyland grew up surrounded by beekeeping. Her father has been a beekeeper for more than 50 years, and her two brothers have followed in his footsteps. After receiving beeswax from her family, she began making candles as a hobby in her garage. She quickly fell in love with the process and the natural benefits of beeswax, leading her to turn her hobby into a business.

“I created Hyland Beeswicks to share the incredible benefits of beeswax with others,” Hyland said. “It makes me so happy to see more people choosing sustainable, non-toxic candle options for their homes.”

Her passion for beeswax started with an eye-opening moment. After lighting a conventional candle in her home, she said, her air purifier detected toxins in the air. This sparked her interest in researching healthier alternatives and led her to discover beeswax as a non-toxic option.

“I want to help people remove toxic sources from their homes and raise awareness about the greenwashing that many candle companies do,” she said. “Beeswax candles emit negative ions that can help improve air quality by attaching to mold and pollen.”

Hyland said she is committed to sustainability and low-waste production, sourcing most of her beeswax from local Kentucky apiaries. She hopes her work will honor her family’s beekeeping heritage while providing eco-friendly, healthy alternatives for homes and families.

“My dad has taught me everything about cleaning wax, but now it’s a collaborative effort,” Hyland said. “He’s learning from me about candle making, which has been a lot of fun.”

Hyland Beeswicks products are available on her website, at local shops like Willow and Pine and Burley’s Harvest Market, and at local events like the Hayden Farm Fall Market on September 22 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Customers can also arrange for local pickup from her garage shop in Owensboro.

For more information or to purchase products, visit HylandBeeswicks.com or follow Hyland Beeswicks on Instagram and Facebook.