Speaking About Petroleum-based Candles

Healthy & Natural Journal, Oct, 2000 by Vicki L. Elmore

Of course, such a reaction is expected because the oil industry has assumed a very dominant position in the candle manufacturing business. The oil industry not only sells their byproducts to the candle industry but also has four members sitting on the board of the National Candle Association.

Q: Are there safer materials for candles?

During colonial times limited use was made of Bayberry wax. The waxy substance was scraped off the Bayberry bush, a plant that grows in New England. However, this is not practical in modern times because it is such a rare and difficult-to-acquire material. Beeswax is also used on a very limited basis. It's an excellent, clean-burning wax but the problem is that it costs about nine times more than paraffin.

Vegetable materials such as soybean and palm are natural choices that burn clean. The information we have been acquiring has revealed that soybean wax burns the cleanest of all waxes and longer than paraffin. Verifying this data is one of the reasons we have commissioned the study at Iowa State University.

Q: What does the consumer need to look for when shopping for safer candles?

Look for either beeswax or any other natural vegetable wax such as soybean. Also, make sure that the wicks are all-cotton without a metallic core. When shopping for aromatherapy or scented candles, look for all-natural plant-based oils. With so many petrochemical oils posing as natural, one needs to be a discerning consumer to know which ones are made from natural essential oils.

Q: Are there many companies that make vegetable wax candles?

We've been somewhat the pioneers in making candles of vegetable wax. We started experimenting and developing this about nine years ago. One of our first customers, The Body Shop, had determined that they did not want to use petroleum products in any of their cosmetic items. Consequently, they asked if we would develop an all-vegetable wax for the candle line we were doing for them. That's been our focus ever since.

Candleworks was started to provide work for disabled and disadvantaged people. Over the years, it has become a national model for small businesses. Last year the Small Business Administration named Candleworks the national "Business of the Year" for Welfare to Work initiatives. The prior year, the U.S. Office of Housing and Urban Development (BUD) cited us as the national model for community based economic development. This year, Ernst & Young, a national accounting firm, named us "Entrepreneur of the Year" for social responsibility.

Candleworks is deeply committed to redefining social responsibility. Our entire company is set up as an employment project to benefit the consumer, the employee, the environment, and our society. Our commitment doesn't just stop with a 5 percent donation to somebody. It's the total fabric of what we do.