We use coconut wax due to its sustainability, smooth appearance, and a wealth of other factors. There are several different types of waxes on the market in the United States that are suitable for making candles. The different options include coconut wax, soy wax, beeswax, and paraffin wax. We're going to dive in on why we choose coconut wax over other options to make Candledales.

Sustainability

The number one reason we choose coconut wax to make our candles is because of their sustainability in harvesting coconuts. Coconuts are a high-yield crop and don't require too much farmland to grow. One of our missions is to help cover the planet with more trees. Between our support for coconut wax and our donations to One Tree Planet, we feel we are making a valiant effort at putting our money where our mouth is.

Another sustainable option of wax is beeswax. Bees are a vital component of our environment. Without them, the Earth can't exist as we know it. Obtaining beeswax is a noninvasive activity and helps the bees because removing the wax frees up room for the colony to grow. For this reason, we support beeswax even though it is technically not vegan, but isn't veganism all about helping the animals on our planet?

Soy wax can not be considered a sustainable crop because thousands of acres of forests are harvested to make room for soy farms. 

Smooth Appearance

Coconut wax is great at looking pretty! Even after it burns. Candles are notorious for being pretty before they are lit and then looking not so appealing afterward. Coconut wax is the exception. From the first pour and after every burn session, coconut wax candles offer a creamy and smooth appearance. This is important to us because we want to offer the best quality to our customers. 

Great Hot Throw

Hot throw is the fragrance a candle emits whenever it is lit. On the other end, the cold throw is the fragrance that emits when it is NOT lit. Coconut wax offers superb fragrance throw whether it is lit or not. Obviously, this is a very important factor when making candles. Who wants a candle that doesn't have any smell?

Slow Burn

Coconut wax burns slower than other waxes. This allows coconut wax candles to last longer while still delivering excellent hot throw. Soy wax and beeswax are also good, slow burners.

Paraffin wax burns very quickly. 20%-30% faster to be more concise. Mass-produced candles are commonly made with low-cost paraffin wax because they offer great hot throw. The downside is that these companies that produce these candles purposely use bigger wicks so that they burn hotter and offer a stronger scent. Bigger wick = bigger flame = hotter candles that burn through wax quickly.  The trade-off is that they don't last nearly as long as they should, and they create excess soot which ruins your pretty candle and could ruin surrounding objects. Low-cost paraffin is also a strong contributor to migraines and throwing toxins into the air. 

There is food-grade paraffin wax that can be used in candles. This is the same wax that is used to coat fruit and other foods to help with preservation. It has a higher cost, but it avoids all of the problems listed above.

Conclusion

There are many candle waxes to choose from as a candle maker. Coconut wax really stood out to us when we first started making candles for all of the reason stated above. We will always be reforestation advocates and a strong supporter for coconut wax. Have you noticed any coconut wax candles when you're shopping? Probably not. We didn't either until we started selling our candles! That's why we're here today. 

Go ahead and try a Candledale and see what coconut wax is all about!