Candles are romantic, relaxing and atmospheric, giving us all the slow living and self-care feels. The simple ritual of striking a match, lighting a candle and watching the flame flicker is enough to envelope us in a cloud of tranquility, while reminding us to breathe and take a moment to pause and be still.
While any flame, from the tiniest flicker to a roaring fire is captivating and mesmerizing, what we’ve learned is that not all candles are made equal. Mainstream candles are often made from paraffin wax. This is the cheapest material to make candles from, so unsurprisingly, it is the most common. Another name for paraffin wax is mineral wax, which you might see on labels. The problem with candles made from paraffin wax is the substance itself – paraffin is made from a petroleum by-product (often unethical palm oil), which is essentially the grey sludge at the bottom of the barrel of gas. It is bleached and processed before it is thought suitable to work with.
The Environment Protection Agency has detected seven major toxins in paraffin wax, and hasn’t even tested for a whole host of other unknown chemicals. When we light candles made from paraffin, we are basically filling our homes, spaces and lungs with toxic air pollution (chemicals like toluene and benzene) and that release carbon soot. In 2004, researchers from Maastrict University found levels of polycyclic hydrocarbons in churches that exceeded levels measured next to main roads (this is 20x higher than what is considered safe to breathe under European air pollution standards). They were shocked to discover that it was the cheap church candles causing this.
The most well-known alternative to paraffin wax is soy wax. Soy wax candles are a massive improvement from paraffin (if you are ever in doubt, always go for soy), but they are also not without their concerns. 94% of soy agriculture in the US is GMO, meaning the soybean crops have been sprayed with tons of pesticides. Soy wax requires intensive chemical processing in order to bring it to oil form. Additionally, the WWF has raised concerns about deforestation, mostly in South America, associated with the increase in soy demand. It can be hard for small-scale candle makers to trace the farms from which their soy wax derives from, as they often get it from bulk suppliers. When buying soy wax candles, it’s best to go for organic soy wax or non-GMO.
Beeswax and coconut wax are amongst the most sustainable waxes. They both burn clean and slowly, with beeswax famous for its incredibly bright flame. But with anything, ensuring you’re buying from farms and makers who support ethical farming techniques is vital.
These 12 candle brands are approved for their sustainability, non-toxic waxes, and ethical efforts. While many are soy-coconut blends, we always go for what’s better than the mainstream. Finding a completely organic candle is very difficult, so we chose what we thought was best in terms of scent profiles (clean essential oils versus chemical fragrances), waxes that are better than paraffin, and cotton or wooden wicks (not lead). We believe in the philosophy of “progress over perfection” so while we want to be transparent in educating you on the pros and cons of each wax type, we also know that baby steps are essential to growth, and that none of these waxes will degrade the air quality of your home. These candles are made by small-scale makers who source high-quality ingredients for their craft.
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