4 Types of Sustainable Candles for Environmentally Friendly

Photo by Alexandra Fuller

A good candle is much more than a piece of home decoration. The beautiful scent of warm glowing candle has numerous physiological effects on mood, stress and working capacity. 

But could the wrong candle be polluting the air in your home and doing more harm than good?

Here are five types of sustainable wax that you should know when you choose a candle.

Beeswax Candles

Beeswax candle is one of the oldest candles in history.

Pure beeswax candles have a warm golden glow compared to other type of candle. Beeswax is a piece of luxury because of their long burning time and its unique, natural, mildly sweet fragrance. It is not only non-toxic while burning but also releases negative ions that could remove air pollution as natural air purifiers.

Pure beeswax candles are the most natural candles but the most expensive raw material for candles. Just be sure to buy 100% pure beeswax candle.

Soy Wax Candles

Soy wax is vegetable wax derived from hydrogenating soybean oils. It is also eco-friendly because it is a plant-based renewable resource. 

Since soy wax is made from all natural materials, it delivers a cleaner burn unlike paraffin candles which create black smoking flames that could lead to headaches and other health issues. 

Soy wax burns slower with a much lower melting point which means it burns cooler, therefore, lasting longer.

When you choose a soy candle, make sure to get candles which are made from GMO-free soy.

Coconut Wax Candles

Coconut wax is made from coconut oil, the oil that is cold-pressed out of coconut meat. It then goes through the process of hydrogenation to be transformed into white coloured candle wax. It is a pure natural and biodegradable wax. 

Coconut wax is one of the slowest burning wax. It can last up to 50% longer than a traditional candle. With its clean-burning, it has outstanding hot and cold throws. It never leaves soot in your home.

Stearin Candles

Stearin candles are a sustainable alternative to paraffin candles. Palm wax is a natural product with a harder compound than soy and coconut wax and has a long and consistent burn time.  

However, the issue is that palm wax is always made from palm oil.

The use of palm wax could result in mass deforestation, pollution and destruction of the eco-system. Look for high standards of palm wax that have been certified by the RSPO (Round Table for Sustainable Palm Oil) and the MPOC (Malaysian Palm Oil Council). These standards protects the endangered animals with environmentally safe farming practices. 

At Lavender Backyard Garden, we use three main wax types, soy wax, coconut soy blended wax and pure coconut wax, for the candles we create.  Each type of candle is carefully formulated and produced to create a beautiful burning candle. 

Coconut Soy Candle scented by Lavender Essential Oil

 

Coconut Candle scented by Lavender Essential Oil

Coconut Candle scented by Essential Oil Blends