Wax is Wax…..or is it? Why we use the wax we do
We spent so much time thinking about what wax we wanted to use at The Botanical Candlemaker.
Choosing the right core elements for our candles was the most important part of the process for us because these ingredients represent our ethics and principles.
This post is about why we use the wax we do, and why it was worth all the effort to pursue something different from the norm.
LIGHTBULB MOMENT
First up, what we didn’t want to use. This is worth a few lines, to outline why having different choices are very much a positive.
Paraffin wax (mineral wax) is the most common candle wax. Especially by large mass-market producers. What some people don’t know is that paraffin wax is a cheap by-product of the refining process for oil production. It is also a limited resource with no renewable characteristics. Burning paraffin wax can release harmful toxins, some of which are carcinogenic. So if you don’t smoke cigarettes in your house, you don’t want to be burning a paraffin wax candle either.
As someone who lights a candle at the drop of a match, finding this out came as a massive disappointment. OK, enough said!
OUR STAPLE WAX
Because of this awareness, soy wax has had a huge surge in popularity, which is fantastic. Plant based waxes from sustainable sources are a welcome replacement to mineral wax.
But as we thought more about our philosophy, we wanted to try and push the boundaries further. After a lot of consideration we chose a pure rapeseed wax, and this is why.
Rapeseed plants are deep rooted in the memory of so many of us. Fields and fields of bright yellow flowered crops in April, reminding us that summer is just around the corner. It’s grown right here in Scotland and has no links with intensive farming. Rapeseed is an incredibly versatile and sustainable product with nothing going to waste.
Another great fact about rapeseed: it isn’t sourced from a GM crop. Most crops grown outside of the EU use GMO, which is then flushed out in the final stage of manufacturing. Rapeseed crops do not use GMO at any point in the growing process. Why? Because the EU does not permit the use of GMOs in any crop grown for use within our food chain.
All our wax comes from the UK and Europe. This means that our primary ingredient is not shipped or flown from the other side of the world. We don’t want to be adding air miles if we don’t have to.
On top of all that, the bees love the flowers, so it helps the little guys too! A real natural winner!
SUNFLOWER WAX
We blend our rapeseed with another natural wax.
Sunflowers!
Still sticking to our original criteria: no gm, no mineral, no synthetics.
Our sunflower wax also comes from Europe so we are keeping our carbon footprint to a minimum.
Sunflower seed wax gives our candles more body and adds a lovely creamy texture. It also retains the essential oils so that you get a beautiful fragrance from start to finish.
OUR PERSONAL BLEND
We have combined rapeseed and sunflower to provide the perfect base. Together, they perform at their best and the natural scent shines through.
PROUD
We are super happy we stood by our original philosophy for The Botanical Candlemaker. It means we can stand by our principles for the ingredients we source. And not compromise in any way on the quality of our candles.
Thanks for reading, TBC x
