Without doubt one of the hottest topics in the US right now is the continued momentum in the marketing power of “Green Products.” No longer when someone refers to green does it mean money. The latest buzz associated with the multi-meaning word "green" is products/services that promote global environmental protection. This can be a very small effort such as the new trend in emails of putting a footnote at the bottom of the email “not to print out unless necessary” all the way up to homes that can now be self sufficient with solar power, wind, and other environmentally friendly features.

Our regular readers have probably noticed that using natural products has become a regular part of our features. Some of the information we will cover has appeared previously but some of the information may be very surprising and interesting. The good news is the candle market is chalk full of great products that can utilize raw materials that are renewable.

Green Candle Waxes

One way to keep your candle making process environmentally "green" is to choose a "green" candle wax.

1. Beeswax-Beeswax is 100% natural and contains no harmful additives. You can even make beeswax candles without melting the wax. Beeswax sheets provide an easy, eco-friendly alternative.
2. Soy Wax-Soy wax is simply hydrogenated soybean oil and the best application for this wax is in containers. Soy as a plant has been around for thousands of years.

Other Green Components

In addition to wax there are other key components of the candle to consider. In an effort to continue to offer products to meet today’s consumers, we are very excited to launch a brand new line of glassware made of 100% recycled glass. This new line will start with six styles and more to come.

Think of the marketing appeal your candle will have when you can advertise that the wax is natural and the glassware is made of 100% recycled glass. As companies look to make their candles more green, using recycled glass can go a long way in this strategy. Since the container is made of recycled glass there can be some uneven surfaces in the glass. If your strategy is to make your candles even more environmentally friendly this will go a long way in doing so.

Another component, while not large, is the metal sustainer. Did you know that metal was one of the first materials to be recycled and in today’s world is one of the most recycled materials. The metal sustainers we offer have on average 40% of recycled metals. In the upcoming months we will be trying to move that figure higher to 80%. The problem right now is there is a shortage of metal and achieving the percentage you desire in recycled material is not attainable.

One of the easier components of a candle to keep natural is the wick. The wick is generally cotton which is also 100% natural. On several series of wicks there are cores that can be natural such as cotton and paper. In addition, new wicks are continually developed to improve the performance of the candle regarding to sooting and smoking.

If you want all natural fragrances you can consider essential oils, however, they do have some inherent issues, such as low flash points and limited selection. Be sure to test any essential oil in your specific application.

The demand for green products will continue to increase and the more your products can offer that use "green components" the more markets you open.

So paraffin wax isn't your cup of tea. Many candlemakers are developing a growing interest in all natural candles and these days there are more choices than ever. Choosing the proper one can be a daunting task. In this post, we will highlight some of the natural waxes to help you choose what might be right for your needs.

Soy Wax

Soy wax is definitely the most popular of all the natural waxes. Some of the reasons for its popularity are the ease of use (in most instances a very low shrink wax), the competitive cost advantage over paraffin wax, and the returning interest in using domestically produced products. Soy can make for great candles with a rich creamy look and can also achieve decent retention to containers. Here's a summary of some of the best selling soy waxes:

Candlewic Soy 125

Soy 125 is made with 100% natural soybeans that are domestically grown. Soy 125 is a blend of soy and soybean oil that will hold higher fragrance loads than the Soy-120. This wax is also an excellent choice if you want a paraffin/soy blend.

EcoSoya® CB-Advanced Soy

EcoSoya® CB-Advanced Soy has extreme resistance to bloom (white frosting) and "wet spots." It contracts slightly to produce a uniform beautiful appearance, requires only one pour, has good scent throw with fragrances, and a creamy white appearance.

EcoSoya® CB-Advanced Soy is made from pure soybeans and carefully selected botanical oils. Candles made with CB-Advanced Soy resist frosting, have a smooth top surface and an even burn pool with consistent color retention.

Golden Wax 444 Soy Blend

Beautiful soy candles with all-natural wax! This Golden Wax 444 soy blend is composed of 98% soy wax with 2% natural additives. It mixes very well with paraffin wax at any level and has a higher melt point than the Golden Wax 464 which enables it to retain a higher FO load to give you a stronger scent throw.

While Soy has many positive attributes we do like, soy wax does not offer the maximum fragrance throw - much to the disappointment of many. If soy could deliver better fragrance throw, more candle makers would make the transition to soy wax.

While it does compromise the natural part of candles, a growing and popular trend is blending soy with paraffin to get the strengths of both products. Many call these hybrid waxes and they are worth exploring if you have not already.

Palm Wax

If you are looking for the complete unique look, the palm waxes are an excellent choice. With patterns of both crystallizing and feathering, each candle looks completely different. This wax is also all natural and, in most instances, has better fragrance throw than soy wax.

Palm-1 is an excellent wax that will produce a Crystallizing pattern designed for use in jars.

Palm-2 will create the same crystallizing pattern as Palm 1 but is designed for use in Pillars and votives.

Palm-3 will create a feather patter for pillars. Unfortunately will be to hard of a wax to use in containers.

Smooth Pillar Blend. If you want a basic all natural pillar this wax is the best choice. A very high-performance, all-natural smooth pillar blend of 100% soy, palm, cottonseed and other vegetable-based wax products has excellent burning properties.

Beeswax

This all around best natural wax has been around for centuries and is great for almost any type of candle. White and Yellow beeswax can be used in containers, pillars and tapers. The natural aroma makes this wax a winner in all of those applications. However, the price of beeswax is always the factor in why this wax is not used more often.

In addition any of these waxes can be blended together at any percentage so you can create your own truly unique and all natural candle.

If you are starting out making candles and looking for a good "gift" or project for this holiday season, a Natural candle in a tin fits both needs. These tins are easy to make and can easily be personalized. In many instances tins do not always require coloring, and the natural color of the Soy works very well, especially for Aromatherapy candles.

The aluminum tin container eliminates the need to worry over "wet spots" commonly found in glass container candles and does not require a second pour. They are simple to make, easy to decorate and eliminate the issue of jars breaking in transit. So, if you are in need of a project with your group, this is perfect. And to really reduce your cost check out our clearance fragrances.

Ingredients

•     Aluminum Tins
•     Soy 125
•     Wick Assembly
•     Color (optional)
•     Fragrance

Instructions

Step 1

Heat your Soy 125 to around 150 F if you are not adding any color. If you are adding color, heat your wax up to around 180 F. Add your dye and scent and let cool back down to 150 F.
We offer several options for coloring your wax.

Step 2

Remove the lids from your tins and arrange on the pouring table. Some people insert wicks first with a glue dot and some add the wick after they pour. Both methods work well.

Step 3

Add your fragrance and pour.

Step 4

Let cool and decorate the tin as desired. Tins get hot, so be sure to label the finished candle appropriately.

Containers are generally the most popular type of candles and allow the largest selection of waxes.

There are 5 distinct differences about container waxes:

Low Shrink

These waxes are generally a paraffin base with a high percentage of petrolatum to reduce the shrinkage.

Pros

• In most candle applications (14 ounces or less), no topping off is necessary.
• It has d ecent adhesion to the container
• Produces a good fragrance throw

Cons

• As a very soft wax, it can bleed fragrance during the warmer time periods
• It cannot get vibrant colors due to the high percentage of Petrolatum

Container Blends

This type of wax is generally a hard wax that has a vybar, or similar additive, and will require topping off.

Pros

• These waxes generally ha ve the best fragrance throw for containers
• Vibrant colors can be achieved with these waxes
• Usually are a little more durable in warmer climates

Cons

• Will require topping off

Soy Waxes & Palm Wax

These days, there are a large selection of Soy waxes available. Without doubt, Soy wax can be the easiest of waxes to use. For a thorough breakdown of all the soy waxes, we encourage you to visit our April 2011 issue.

Pros

• All natural
• Easy to work with
• Generally no topping off is required

Cons

• They cannot deliver fragrance like a paraffin wax candle
• They cannot get vibrant color; the wax will need much more dye

Straight Waxes

Any wax that does not have any type of additive is considered a straight wax. The best waxes to use would be anything with a melt point of 120-129. For classification purposes, a mottling wax would fall under this category.

Pros

• The most cost effective wax to use
• Can create many different looks to your candles by altering the additives used
• Can maximize the fragrance delivery by cutting back and only using the necessary amount for your formula

Cons 

• Will take time to test which formula will work for you

• Requires extra inventory items like additives

Hybrids

One of the growing segments of the candle industry is the use of hybrid waxes, which are a blend of paraffin and Soy. By using these blends you get the advantage of fragrance delivery from the paraffin wax and have some “natural components" as well.

Pros

• Can label candle with “Soy Blend,” "Soy enhanced," etc.
• Can take advantage of cost effectiveness of both Soy and/or paraffin. (If pricing of one goes up, you can use a little more of the cost competitive product)
• Offers better fragrance throw than all natural wax candles

Cons

• While fragrance throw will be better than Soy, it will still not achieve what an all-paraffin wax candle can.

The key is always choosing the wax which is best for you. The best thing about candle making is that any of the waxes can be blended together at any level you desire. In addition to the ones above, other selections include beeswax, gel and Palm. If you're interested in seeing specific waxes offered by Candlewic, be sure to check out the video below:
http://www.candlewic.com/candle-making-videos/select-candle-wax.asp

Jar candles have become so popular in recent years that many candle makers have forgotten the power of pillars. Pillar candles can add a real touch of beauty to any home decor, as they can offer extremely vibrant colors. Due to the fact that there is no glass blocking, the true color of the candle can be seen with the naked eye. Aluminum molds are best to create these freestanding candles and are a great investment because aluminum does not rust, so you can enjoy your molds for many years and reduce your expenses!

Selecting your mold can be fun. Candlewic offers many shapes and sizes, depending on the pillar that would best complement your existing line of candles. There are round molds, octagon molds, square molds, plus many other unique shapes in our designer series of polycarbonate molds.

There are two wicking techniques that are most commonly employed when using aluminum molds. You can use the traditional method or the pillar pin method. Both techniques work well depending on the volume of candles produced or the amount of labor available.

The traditional method involves the mold, raw wicking on a spool, a wick bar and a rubber plug. This method is best for lower volume production or in the instance when you want to leave a little length of wick on the candle to attach a bead or a tag. You simply thread the wick through the mold and place a rubber plug into the small hole to hold the wick in place. Place a wick bar across the large opening of the mold, wrap the wick around the bar and pour the wax. After the wax has cooled, the finished product will have the wick nicely centered down the middle of the candle.

The pillar pin method involves a round mold, a pillar pin and a pre-wick assembly. This method is better suited for the small to large production run. Basically, you are making a candle with no wick and inserting a wick after it cools. There are two ways to use the pin. You can either stick the disc part of the pin down into the mold or stick the pin up through the mold from the outside bottom. Pour the wax and let it cool. When you are done, you will have a candle with a hole through the center core and no wick. Take a wick assembly, insert it up through the hole and you are done. The wick will be perfectly centered. The pillar pins are only suited for the round aluminum molds.

When using aluminum molds, here are a few tips and techniques that will help you no matter what your method:

1. Take good care of your molds. Do not use them for any other use, such as a penholder or thermometer holder, because you may scratch the inside, which will be apparent on the finished candle.
2. By heating or cooling the mold you can achieve different aesthetic qualities to the finished mold. Cold molds give a primitive appearance, while warm molds may give a good gloss.
3. Keep molds level, unless a desired layered appearance is trying to be obtained. By resting the mold on various angles, some neat stripes can be achieved.
4. Take careful note on the pour temperatures. By adjusting the temperature you can control the shrinkage. Pouring too hot produces more shrinkage and may involve more topping off, while pouring too cool may not give you enough shrinkage, therefore making it difficult to remove the mold.