Candle | Antiques Primitives

Posts Tagged ‘candle’

Taper Candles

Tuesday, June 28th, 2011

Taper Candles

The Candle: Paraffin or Soy

The Candle: Paraffin or Soy

With the "green" movement happening all around us, I've heard many people say that soy wax is greener than paraffin wax for use in the candles that we burn. I began to wonder if that was true, aside from the simple fact that soy wax is made from a grown product and paraffin wax is made from fossil fuel.

So what does "green" mean? "Green" is a term now widely used to describe minimal
negative impact to the environment, with an emphasis on conservation of resources, energy
efficiency, and healthful interior spaces.

Soy wax is made from vegetable matter, using the oil from soybeans. The process requires the beans to be harvested, cleaned, cracked, dehulled and rolled into flakes. The oil is taken from the flakes and hydrogenated. This process converts some of the fatty acids from unsaturated, to saturated.

Paraffin wax is made by separating waxes out of crude mineral oil. This process creates lubricating oil as well as many other petroleum based products. There are 3 general waxes that come from the lubricating oil: paraffin, microcrystalline and petrolatum. Paraffin comes from the light lubricating oil distillates.

Both processes to make either soy or paraffin wax take place in factories, that themselves create their own negative impact on the environment.

Both soy and paraffin wax create soot when burned. Burn time for a stand alone soy candle is significantly less than a stand alone paraffin candle. On the other hand, a soy candle in a container will burn a little longer than a paraffin candle in a container.

There is no scientific proof that either type of wax is unhealthy for humans.

Both waxes hold candle color and candle scent equally well. Candles and scents can be found in any number of varieties, but it is virtually impossible to create a taper candle with soy wax, because the wax too soft.

The biggest difference is the renewable component. Fossil fuels are not renewable and soy is. I would say that soy is the "greener" of the two. Although, the best candles, are the ones that make you the happiest.

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Sue Lichtenberg is the leading expert on candle making at The Cranberry Barn. She has been creating candles since she was a young girl.

She is the founder of The Cranberry Barn.

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About the Author

Sue Lichtenberg is the resident expert candle maker at The Cranberry Barn. She has been creating candles since she was a young girl. The candles from The Cranberry Barn are all handmade by Sue, so the attention to detail is exceptional. Please visit our website and signup to receive our latest promotions: The Cranberry Barn Made in the Hudson Valley - where county charm meets quiet sophistication.