Coconut wax is sustainable, unlike paraffin wax. It's a renewable resource that uses no pesticides or fertilizer to grow. Coconut wax candles have an outstanding scent throw and are clean-burning, meaning they produce no harmful chemicals when lit up. Coconut wax is also one of the slowest-burning waxes out there, meaning your candle will last up to 50% longer than a traditional candle.

BENEFITS OF COCONUT WAX

There are a significant number of benefits to using coconut wax in candles. Here are just a few of them.

COCONUTS WAX IS SUSTAINABLE

You know that paraffin is not a sustainable product. Paraffin is a common candle wax made from fossil fuels, and it comes with a host of problems. Among these are toxic fumes, heavy soot, and the fact that fossil fuels contribute to global warming.

Although paraffin is one of the least sustainable candle waxes available, many other waxes aren't that great for the environment either. Palm oil, for example, burns cleanly and has many features that make it suitable for candle burning. But despite being from a renewable source, it is terrible for the environment.

This is due to the vast amount of forest in the Amazon and other sensitive locations burned to make way for palm oil farms. In the end, although palm oil could be grown sustainably, it is not a sustainable choice.

On the other hand, coconuts do not require pesticides or fertilizer to grow and are harvested by hand, eliminating the need for heavy machinery. Although coconuts could eventually be grown in an unsustainable manner, currently they are being grown very carefully by small independent farms in the Philippines and Indonesia.

Not only does growing coconuts lift these farmers out of poverty, growing sustainably has given them access to better markets and more financial options.

Nearly every type of wax has some kind of drawback in terms of the environment. Still, coconut wax is possibly the most sustainable of all the current options because of the way it is being grown and supported by organizations such as the Rainforest Alliance.

COCONUT WAX HAS A SUPERIOR SCENT THROW

Although a sustainable product might make dealing with a sub-par candle worthwhile for some people, the beauty of coconut wax doesn't end there. Coconut wax can hold a lot of scent in its wax, as much as 12%. This makes it a great choice for scenting with both fragrance oils and essential oils.

On top of holding a lot of scent, coconut wax also has a great hot and cold throw. When a customer opens a jar to smell a candle, they will get a clear impression of what it smells like and can more easily decide if it's something they want to purchase.

Coconut wax doesn't disappoint after it's heated up either. It is superior to every other type of wax in terms of scent throw and can even be used for essential oils, which can sometimes have a weak scent in other types of candles due to how little of the essential oil can safely be imbued in them.

If a potent scent that fills the room is what you're after, coconut wax is definitely the way to go.

COCONUT WAX IS CLEAN BURNING

Nobody likes soot, which is why a smokey candle is not a favourable trait. On top of this, some types of wax, such as paraffin, can cause a range of health problems related to their smoke.

When lit, candles that are not clean burning can let loose tons of toxic fumes, including volatile compounds linked to migraines and asthma. In a study that looked at paraffin wax candles specifically, it was found that paraffin specifically released compounds known to cause cancer.

Because of this, a candle that can burn cleanly without releasing any toxic fumes is, of course, the ideal candle. Coconut wax really excels in this regard, as they are non-toxic and slow-burning. Coconut wax has one of the longest burn times out there and never leaves soot in your home.

High-quality candles will always make soot less likely than low-quality ones, and coconut wax offers some of the best quality burns out there.

Our clean-burning candles are made with a blend of coconut and soy wax.

COCONUT WAX VS. SOY WAX

There are several waxes out there that are commonly used as a safe alternative to paraffin wax. One of these other types is soy wax. Soy wax is made from soybean oil and was originally developed in 1996 by students from Purdue University who were asked to design a candle made from sustainable materials.

Their solution was soy wax, which we now enjoy in many natural candles today. While soy is made from a renewable resource, it isn't always farmed in a sustainable manner. A lot of soy is grown in a similar manner as palm oil, burning rain forests in order to make way for soy fields.

Sustainable soy is available, and when grown in a sustainable manner is an excellent resource. In terms of burnability, soy wax burns a little faster than coconut wax and does not carry quite as much scent.

Coconut wax excels in these areas, but it also has flaws. Coconut wax turns back into its liquid state at a relatively low temperature. If mailed out during high heat, for example, a summer heatwave of 100F could be enough to melt the candle itself. Soy wax stands up a bit better at higher temperatures.

It's very common for coconut wax to be blended with other vegetable oils, such as soy, in order to get the best of both worlds. A blended candle offers a higher melting point to insure the candle isn't ruined before it can be lit, while still offering all the benefits of its scent throwing and excellent burning properties. This is exactly why we blend soy wax with coconut wax in all of our candles.