SA Company ReLight Launches Reusable Firelighters

If there’s one thing South Africans love, it’s a braai. But, as much as we like to keep things old school when it comes to the art of the braai, even the age-old practice of lighting the fire could benefit from a little innovation. This is where ReLight comes in. Inspired by the ingenuity and love of a braai-loving South African father, the ReLight reusable firelighter makes the joy of starting a fire simple, consistent and economical.

ReLight is a proudly South African company with ease of use and innovation at the heart of its business. The Relight jar contains two infinitely reusable stones soaked in paraffin that absorb enough fuel to light your fire without breaking down during the burning process.

“We believe life is better spent around a fire, not hunched over, struggling to light it with a single-use firelighter,” said ReLight founder Letitia Lerm. “We looked at certain things when developing ReLight — ease of use, dependable, longevity, and being friendly to the customer’s pocket.”

The Relight stones offer a better reusable alternative, provide a hotter, more consistent flame that burns for longer – 12 minutes – starting the fire the first time, every time. Once the fire is out and cooled, the stones are returned to the jar where they will absorb more fuel, ready to be used again.

For Letitia, ReLight is a labour of love, a tribute to her late father, Kobus, who unwittingly invented the very first ReLight prototype. “My favourite childhood memories all revolve around fires: sizzling burgers, a good ol’ spit, family-style eating, or a simple bring and braai enjoyed together as a family. Braaiing was a tradition in the Lerm house; something we did weekend after weekend, which led my dad, Kobus, to experiment with the very first ReLight prototype,” said Letitia.

“When I think of his jar, I can’t help thinking of him barefoot and shirtless in his shorts, fiddling with a pair of tongs around a fire. It’s my heart’s Polaroid of him. I do wish I could sit around one more fire with him and ask: ‘What’s the history behind the jar, Dad? Where on earth did you get the idea from?’ I mean, did he even realise how incredibly unique his invention was? I’ll never know. What I do know, however, is that ReLight was inspired by his ingenuity and humble nature.”

“Instead of spending money on expensive, single-use firelighters for every single braai, the reusable ReLight stones are designed to last. The only expense will be topping up the paraffin, which is cost-effective and readily available in most stores. You won’t have to buy a firelighter ever again.”

ReLight reusable firelighters are available in select retail outlets, on Takealot or direct from ReLight on the ReLight website at R159.95.