Oct 14, 2008
From textile designer to candle makerBy Jill RodriguesEastBayRI.com

Westport, MA — While the rest of Quaker Fabric’s employees were stricken by its closure in 2005, Lynn McCarthy was more optimistic. This was her opportunity, after working there 17 years as a textile designer (right out of college ), to start her own business.

She had already begun development on a line of soy-based candles and all-natural room and linen sprays and had been testing them on her co-workers at Quaker. With the boot from Quaker Fabrics — one of Fall River’s last major manufacturing facilities — Ms. McCarthy became her own boss.

Her candles and sprays are sold in an end-of-the-aisle display at Lees Market. But the majority of her business is done through her website at www.4elements.us and in her house in Westport on Quail Trail, a quiet dead-end road on the Adamsville line.

She will be one of the many crafters at the Westport Lions 4th Annual Arts and Crafts from Oct. 18-19. Ms. McCarthy also makes and sells semi-precious stone jewelry and is a licensed massage therapist and reiki practitioner. An animal lover, she rescued two domestic rabbits who were abandoned but now scamper around the house.

Why soy-based candles? “I’m allergic and asthmatic. Soy wax is vegetable and the wicks are 100 percent cotton. Paraffin candles are petroleum products and the wicks are about 90 percent lead.”

Most popular candle? Ocean. It’s a light, clean smell.”

Make a bad-smelling candle? “Chocolate truffle. When I was burning it to test it, someone came in and said, ‘I think the rabbit did something over there.'”

So you never sold those? “I made one batch. There were some people that really loved it.”

Experience working at Quaker? “They employed 3,000 people at one time. They were the world’s largest manufacturer of upholstery. We did designs for La-Z-Boy, Ashley and Todd Oldham. Unfortunately, most of our jobs went oversees.”

Textile design process? “We started with a sketch. You create the weaves, pick the yarns and colors and submit it to the computer department to make the cards. Those go to the looms for weaving. Then it goes back to me and I would choose the best patterns and colors.”

What was it like on Quaker’s last day? “Quaker’s closure happened over a few years. We could see business was getting worse. I was ready to move on to try something else. I was really excited. A lot of people were crying.”

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