When Jodyann Morgan started making candles during the pandemic, she had no idea her creative hobby would turn into a full-time gig. Now, she’s the owner of her very own candle business, CTOAN Co., which sells plus-sized body-shaped candles, including a limited edition 420 munchies collection just in time for “Weed Day.”
Jodyann Morgan (photo by Chana Milchtein)
The 420 munchies collection, which is available until April 20, features several different candles in that classic fern green, including soy tealights with marijuana leaves and several full-figured bodies. No 420, CBD or hemp is used in the candles; instead, they are available in mouth-watering flavors perfect for the munchies: banana nut bread, vanilla cupcake, and caramel popcorn.
As a plus-size woman herself, Morgan created the candles in this collection to celebrate bodies that are often stigmatized and underrepresented. “It’s no secret that fat people are vilified for what we eat,” says Morgan. “The 420 munchies collection was designed as a middle finger to all that, to glorify and uplift the very thing that fat people are scorned for.”
For every body candle or set of tealights that is sold as part of this collection, Morgan will be donating $2 to The Last Prisoner Project, a non-profit organization that serves people who are currently or formerly incarcerated for marijuana-related crimes.
This is not the first time Morgan has used her business as a way to give back. With the money raised from her Valentine’s Day collection, Morgan donated $150 to Forge, a non-profit organization that serves transgender and non-binary victims of domestic violence.
While some may be surprised that a new business such as CTOAN is donating money to other organizations, Morgan shares that “it’s really important to me to give back, and amplify organizations that are making a difference in my community.”
Since Morgan set up her own website and established the company name in November 2021, CTOAN has seen lots of success. Earlier this spring, Morgan quit her job as a security guard at the Milwaukee Public Museum, as she realized that what was once a “side hustle” was bringing in significantly more money than her job.
Morgan certainly hasn’t been pursuing this project alone. She attributes some of CTOAN’s success to her wife, Chaya Milchtein. “It certainly didn’t hurt that my wife is kind of a genius at marketing, and built my website, and taught me a lot about social media,” says Morgan. “I must say that I wasn’t convinced that this would last, but she believed in me, and promised to support me as I took the plunge.”
420 collection tealight candles (photo by McKenna Patterson Photography)
Even though CTOAN has not been up and running for very long, Morgan is already thinking ahead about what’s next for the business. “All [my] candles are gender neutral [right now], and currently I offer four different bodies. But this is just the beginning,” says Morgan.
“I’m in the process of developing 3D concepts to make molds of many more body types, including a plus size body with breasts, no visible genitals, and b belly, which has been a popular request, as well as a plus size body with breasts and outie genitals.”
At the end of the day, Morgan is excited about the future and proud of her new endeavor.
“Every single one of us deserves to see themselves in art,” says Morgan. “And bodies like mine, and those of the people I love, aren’t represented. I’m trying to change that, one candle at a time.”
