What will a large retailer ask of my candles?

A large retailer will hand you its own rulebook: a vendor manual or test protocol that turns the voluntary ASTM candle standards into numeric pass and fail limits, adds labeling details beyond federal law, and asks for documents with your samples. A vendor agreement then sets insurance, indemnity and warning duties. The only retailer candle protocol found published in full is Kohl's 100-Z (February 2025), written for candles sold under Kohl's own brands, and it is the example on this page. It sets one buyer's requirements and carries no legal force. This page walks through what it asks for, what it leaves to the contract, and the questions to settle before you agree to supply a large account.

The example: Kohl's protocol 100-Z

Kohl's publishes its Private Brands Performance Claims Test Protocols, and protocol 100-Z covers candles: freestanding, taper, tealight, votive, filled and novelty [1]. It was revised and approved in February 2025, and its candle limits match the earlier 100-Y (February 2023) [1]. It cites ASTM F2417-17 for burning performance and F2058-07 (R2014) for cautionary labeling [1]. Those are older editions: the ASTM store lists F2417-26 as the active fire safety specification (page last updated July 3, 2026) [2]. A buyer's protocol names the editions it tests to, and those are the ones that count for that buyer. The six ASTM candle standards and their current editions are on the ASTM candle standards.

What the protocol asks for, by area

Every row above is one retailer's rule, with no legal force; another buyer may ask for different details.

The headline burn limits, in short: flame no taller than 3 inches (3.75 inches for religious or ceremonial candles), afterglow out within 30 seconds, no tip on a 10° incline, and container surfaces no hotter than 140°F (60°C) for metal and 175°F (79°C) for glass or ceramic, with most candles burned in 4 hour sessions [1]. The full set, labeled as Kohl's, is the reference table on how to burn test a candle.

Two items catch small makers out. The no-negative-tolerance rule means every candle tested must weigh at least what the label says, which is stricter than the averaging approach NIST describes for packaged goods in general [3]. And the ban on metal-cored wicks means a zinc-wicked candle cannot be sold into this program at all, whatever its lead content.

What the protocol leaves to the vendor agreement

A test protocol covers the product. The money and legal risk sit in the vendor agreement, which most retailers do not publish. 100-Z does not mention insurance, CPSC certificates or Proposition 65 [1]. Expect the agreement, or the buyer's onboarding questions, to cover them:

• Insurance. A buyer may ask to be named as an additional insured on your liability policy and set minimum limits. MoneyGeek's August 31, 2026 survey uses $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate as the standard general liability limits for a candle business, and suggests $2 million and $4 million as a starting point at 10 to 19 employees [4]. What it costs and what the exclusions are is on insurance for candle makers.
• Certificates. CPSC requires a General Certificate of Conformity only for metal-cored wicks and candles that use them [5]. A retailer may still ask for a statement that your wicks are nonmetal-cored, or for supplier documents.
• Proposition 65. California's warning requirement exempts businesses with fewer than 10 employees, counting full-time and part-time staff on the date of exposure, but OEHHA notes that small businesses may still have contractual or indemnification obligations related to warnings [6]. Under OEHHA's rules, primary responsibility for warnings sits with manufacturers and others upstream of the retailer [6]. A vendor agreement may make you responsible for warnings, and for the retailer's costs if a notice arrives, regardless of your size. The state table is on state rules that apply to candles.
• Indemnity. A clause in which you agree to cover the retailer's losses from claims about your product. Read it with your insurer, because indemnity you sign and coverage you hold are not always the same size.
• Chargebacks and compliance. Some buyers charge fees for late shipments, wrong labels or cartons that do not match the routing guide. Ask for the schedule before you sign.

Who does the testing

Kohl's protocol is written for the testing laboratory and states sample sizes for each test (one sample for most burn tests, 24 identical candles for the coating test, ten empty containers for plastic) [1]. It does not name approved labs [1]. A buyer that requires lab testing will normally tell you which laboratories it accepts; ask for that list in writing. What a lab tests, what CPSC itself requires (certification only for metal-cored wicks) and how to request a quote are on do you need a lab to test your candles. Budget for lab work only from written quotes.

Run the buyer's protocol yourself before the lab does. If your in-house records already use the buyer's limits and fields, a lab failure is rarely a surprise.

Questions to settle before you agree

1. Which protocol and edition applies to my product, and which ASTM editions does it cite?
2. Which laboratories do you accept, who pays, and how many samples of each item do you need?
3. What must be on the candle, the retail box and the shipping carton, and do you have a routing guide?
4. What insurance limits, additional insured wording and certificate format do you require?
5. Who is responsible for Proposition 65 warnings and other state requirements for my product?
6. What are the payment terms, chargeback schedule and return terms?
7. What is the forecast, and how much notice will I get of order size changes?
8. Is this my brand on your shelf, or your brand made by me?

The last question decides who owns the label and many of the duties. If the answer is your brand on their product, read making candles under someone else's brand.

From one account to production you can sustain

A large order tests capacity as much as quality. Before you commit, check your plan on making more candles, and if you cannot make the volume yourself, working with a candle manufacturer explains the alternative.

References

1. Kohl's, Private Brands Performance Claims Test Protocols 100, Protocol 100-Z: Candle (including freestanding, taper, tealight, votive, filled and novelty candles), revised February 2025 (candle limits unchanged from 100-Y, February 2023; adds the 1800 Hardlines Regulatory Supplement). https://link.kohls.com/content/dam/klink/100-Z-CANDLE.pdf
2. ASTM International, ASTM F2417-26 Standard Specification for Fire Safety for Candles (store scope page), last updated July 3, 2026. https://store.astm.org/f2417-26.html
3. National Institute of Standards and Technology, Office of Weights and Measures, Net Contents of Packaged Goods FAQs, last updated August 24, 2026. https://www.nist.gov/pml/owm/faqs/net-contents-packaged-goods-faqs
4. MoneyGeek (Connor Bolton), How Much Does Candle Business Insurance Cost?, updated August 31, 2026. https://www.moneygeek.com/insurance/business/candle/cost
5. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Candles Business Guidance, undated, read October 22, 2026. https://www.cpsc.gov/Business--Manufacturing/Business-Education/Business-Guidance/Candles
6. California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, Frequently Asked Questions for Businesses (Proposition 65), undated, read October 22, 2026. https://www.p65warnings.ca.gov/businesses/frequently-asked-questions-businesses