It’s almost spring, and the thrill of striking a match and lighting one of our Maple & Lather Candles is a daily pleasure. The visual appeal of a fresh clean candle in a glass reusable tumbler suits every space in our home. The sensorial awakening from our naturally created scents is gradually released and embraced. At the heart of this experience is a humble ingredient we use in every vessel. Simple, soft and sensational, it’s pure soy wax. Using soy is a conscious choice for us and here are some things about it that you may not know:
Soy Wax is Natural!
Soy wax is a vegetable wax made from the oil of soybeans. After harvesting, the beans are cleaned, cracked, de-hulled, and rolled into flakes. The oil is then extracted from the flakes and hydrogenated. (This process allows the oil to have its solid white state at room temperature). What’s more? Any leftover bean husks are commonly used as animal feed, so every part of the crop has a purpose.
Soy is Renewable!
The soybeans used to make our Maple & Lather Candles are grown by North American farmers and is a completely renewable resource. The soy that goes into making your candle today was likely in the ground less than a year ago. Chances are, that same field is growing more soy for the candles to be made in the future.
Expert tip: make sure to read your candle labels! Did you know that the majority of candles made today are paraffin based or paraffin blended? Paraffin is cheaper, non-renewable and contains carcinogenic substances.
Soy Burns Clean and Slow!
Have you ever noticed a black soot on the walls near a burning candle? Paraffin, and other types of candle wax can produce a “dirty burn” due to the foreign substances they release.
In contract, soy wax burns clean and is a great carrier of fragrance, so we do not need to add chemical amplifiers or stabilizers. It’s low melting point allows soy to have a slow burn which allows you to get a gradual release of fragrance over a longer time.
As the snow melts and the first green shoots of Spring arrive, I’m leaning more on our Northern Mint and Lavender candles and enjoying every minute of it. Their fresh and botanical scents tease me with visions of what my garden will look like in a few months. Remember as you pick your favorites, to revisit our Candle Burning 101 in our Instagram Highlights reel for tips on how to get the most out of Maple & Lather candles, and enjoy the goodness of clean, natural and renewable soy!