Why we love to use coconut wax
Why we love to use coconut wax
For decades, paraffin (petroleum) has been the most famous wax to make candles. Large corporations like Bath & Body Works, Ikea and others still use them, as they are readily available and reasonably cheap.
As it is widely known that burning these kinds of candles can emit harmful fumes into the air that negatively affect our health, many local candle makers have resorted to soy, palm and beeswax. However, soy and palm production often involve deforestation, harmful pesticides and large machineries to harvest. Even harvesting beeswax may pose a risk of harming colonies of bees.
Hence, Afterlight chooses coconut wax as the safest alternative:
Sustainable and renewable sources
- Coconuts don’t require toxic pesticides or fertilisers to grow. Every part of a coconut can be used for different purposes. Since they are harvested by hand, it also eliminates heavy machinery and deforestation. However, coconut wax have very low melting points and are not as solid as other vegetable waxes, so we use a very small portion of harder soy wax to make up for Malaysia's hot weather.
Zero soot
- Have you ever experienced black marks / smoke where you usually burn a candle in your home? Coconut wax gives off a much cleaner burn than most other wax on the market. It burns with zero soot (as long as you trim your wick when needed), which means that you can say goodbye to those pesky soot marks on your walls.
Longer burn time & cleaner burn
- Due to the lower melting point of the coconut oil, coconut waxes burn longer than soy, palm and paraffin waxes. A lower melting point allows the wax to melt gradually and evenly, which can extend the overall burn time. The oils help regulate the rate at which the wax melts and evaporates, unlike other waxes that require higher heat (which also contributes to uneven burn and higher evaporation rate). In addition, an even burn allows you to get your money’s worth from your coconut wax candle. You won’t have to worry about wax sticking to the sides of the candle jar.
Farther scent throw
- Coconut wax has the ability to hold and release fragrances effectively, compared to other waxes with higher melting points. This means that scented coconut wax candles can maintain their fragrance throughout the entire burn, allowing the candle to provide a consistent and longer-lasting scent experience.
It's important to note that the burn time of a candle is influenced by various factors including wick size, fragrance load, container type, and candle size. While coconut wax can contribute to longer burn times, these other factors also play a significant role in determining how long a candle will last