Fontana founders Katie and Eric sat down with the Naturepedic team to talk about Pine & Pillow, our collaboration candle inspired by the comfort of winding down at the end of the day. Together, we discuss the inspiration behind the scent, the shared values that brought our brands together, and why creating a healthier, more restful home is at the heart of everything we do. 

1. For those who are new to Naturepedic, can you tell us a little about your mission? 

Naturepedic was founded more than 20 years ago by a first-time grandfather who wanted to purchase a crib mattress for his first grandchild. He couldn’t find one that he — as an environmental engineer — felt was safe enough. So, he made one instead.

Today, our mission extends throughout the home: to make the spaces where people rest, restore, and live healthier through certified organic materials, thoughtful designs, and a focus on transparency in both our products and practices. We believe that what people bring into their homes should care for them, should care for the people who manufacture it, and should care for the planet we all share.

2. Why is creating a healthier bedroom such an important part of overall wellness? 

Sleep is one of the cornerstones of holistic wellness. The bedroom is where we spend a third of our lives, after all. This time is spent resting and recovering in close contact with our mattresses, pillows, bedding, furniture, furnishings and any objects we keep close by — electronics, bedroom plants, and, yes, candles. That means that what goes into these products (and what these products put out into our bedrooms) matters. A lot.

But comfort is an essential part of that equation, too. A mattress that meets your body’s unique needs, bedding that keeps you at the right temperature, soft lighting, soothing aromas, all the things that go into your evening routine signal to your brain that it’s time to rest. So, to us, a comfier bedroom is a healthier bedroom. Comfort is wellness. 

3. What made Fontana Candle Co. and Naturepedic such a natural fit? 

Our brands approach different parts of the home, but we share a similar philosophy: we both believe that comfort shouldn’t require compromising on materials, transparency, or environmental responsibility. Fontana brings that philosophy to home fragrance. Naturepedic brings it to mattresses, bedding, and furniture. (We’re also both committed to accountability through independent standards like MADE SAFE®.)

4. Tell us about Pine & Pillow. What inspired this scent? 

Pine & Pillow started with the simple observation: that the feeling of coming in from the cold and the feeling of finally sinking into bed aren’t all that different.

We wanted a scent that captured both. First, the grounding feeling of coming home, perhaps with a cool pine breeze blowing in as you step through the door. And then the exhale of settling into clean sheets at the end of the day. 

Black pine and black spruce give the candle its structure — green, resinous, woodsy. Ho wood softens that edge, and vanilla rounds everything out with warmth, so the scent never feels cold or sharp. Structure and softness. Pine and pillow.

5. What emotions or moments did you want this candle to capture? 

Connecting with nature. Comfort. Coming home. Hanging up your coat. The in-between — after your day, before sleep. Sitting on the edge of your bed. A pause. Dusk. A dream.

6. When would you recommend burning this candle? 

Evenings, without question. We designed Pine & Pillow to be part of your wind-down routine — light it when you start getting ready for bed. (Just remember to extinguish the candle before going to sleep!) It also works well on a slow weekend morning, when you want that same cozy, unhurried feeling.

7. Both of our brands believe consumers deserve transparency. Why is ingredient transparency important? 

People deserve to know what they’re bringing into their homes. Terms such as “natural” and “clean” can sound reassuring, but without clear ingredient information or meaningful third-party standards, they don’t always tell consumers very much because they aren’t regulated terms. 

Anyone can claim their product is “clean,” but how they’re defining “clean” can be vastly different from how you would define it. Often, it’s vastly inferior.

Ingredient transparency allows people to make choices based on their own priorities rather than relying on vague marketing language. They can read the ingredients and determine whether a product is “clean” or not by their own standards.

It also creates accountability. When brands have to openly disclose what they use, what they avoid, and how their claims are verified, they’re more likely to abide by business practices that they can be proud of. And, in turn, customers can feel more confident in the products they choose. 

8. How does this candle reflect the standards that Naturepedic customers have come to expect? 

Naturepedic customers expect us to look beyond how a product feels or performs and consider what goes into it — the potential its ingredients have to help or harm our personal health, for one, and that of the environment as well.  

Pine & Pillow reflects that same level of intention through thoughtfully selected, fully disclosed ingredients and MADE SAFE® certification, a process which screens for 15,000+ banned or restricted substances that are used in consumer goods and are known or suspected to cause harm to human or environmental health. 

It delivers the cozy, sensory experience people want, whether they’re lighting a candle in the evening or sinking into their organic mattress, while aligning with the greater transparency and ingredient standards they demand from both Naturepedic and Fontana.

9. What does a healthier sleep environment mean to Naturepedic? 

A bedroom that both feels good and does good. That means materials that work in harmony with your health, business practices that give as much as they take from the Earth, and products that feel like home at the end of a long day.

10. If there's one thing you hope someone feels after lighting Pine & Pillow, what would it be? 

Home.

Not simply the place where you live, but the place you always come back to. The place where you’re warm, comfortable, and completely at ease. 

To us, home is where your bed is. We hope Pine & Pillow helps create that feeling.

Pine & Pillow is available starting on September 22.

Where to follow along:

Website: Organic Mattresses & Bedding for Healthier Sleep | Naturepedic

Instagram: Naturepedic Organic Mattresses (@naturepedic) • Instagram photos and videos

About Naturepedic:
Naturepedic has been the leading certified organic mattress and bedding company for over 20 years, supporting an organic, holistic lifestyle by protecting families through safer, healthier, and certified organic products. By eliminating materials like flame retardants and polyurethane foam from its line of organic mattresses, Naturepedic is dedicated to protecting consumers and the environment.