Here are just a few pointers to help you get the most out of burning your candles:
A brief guide to the wide variety of natural and man-made waxes used in our products.
With this guide you will be sure to find a candle to suit your requirements and taste.
At Moontree we are committed to stocking candles that are of the highest quality and the most environmentally friendly on the market today. We stock candles that are made from premium waxes and fragrances that burn cleanly and efficiently. We stock Australian made wherever possible and promote locally made products. We recycle, re-use and reduce waste wherever possible. We test all of the candles that go on our shelves to make sure that you are getting the very best. We do all this because we like to keep our customers satisfied.
As we are all concerned today with buying products that are environmentally sound and affordable without compromising quality. At moontree this is exactly what we aim to provide you the customer. Like anything these days buying a candle is no longer such an easy decision. By being informed you can make an educated choice, purchase and enjoy.
We also recycle left over wax from burnt candles that would normally be discarded in doing so we are reducing waste and creating a resourseful use of this wax. We will take any of your burnt candles and recycle it if you want to bring them in.
All the waxes used in our candles are from premium sources and the very best available on todays market. Please read on to find out more about waxes.
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There are four different types of waxes used to make the candles we sell. They are:
Paraffin is a mineral wax and is derived from ancient plant and animal forms that lived millions of years ago. Once obtained from the ground, this product is then transported and processed (refined) into many different forms one of which is paraffin. In chemistry terms paraffin is the common name for CnH2n+2. Paraffin wax refers to the solids with n=20-40. Example C 25 H25.
All the paraffin candles sold at Moontree are made from fully refined food grade paraffin wax ( exactly the same wax that is used to surround cheese, etc ). This is an important distinction to make as many cheaper varieties of candles are made from low grade paraffin wax ( such as some bulk tea lights, etc ) which soot more readily and burn more quickly, although a large factor in soot production relates to type of wick used and wick maintenance. Fully refined paraffin wax is non-reactive, non-toxic and very clean burning.
Many people are quick to point out that paraffin is bad for the environment because it is derived from crude oil, however this is a double edged sword. Conveniently ignored in this argument is the fact that wax is a BY-PRODUCT of fuel, not the other way around. As long as oil is sourced for fuel, using paraffin to make candles is an efficient use of what would otherwise be waste matter. While we remain dependant on oil production for our fuel needs then paraffin will remain the most popular wax. However as we become less dependant on crude oil then there are some very good alternative waxes (below) ready to step up to the mantle.
key points of high grade paraffin wax are:
Palm wax is made from palm oil which is derived from the fruit of palm trees. Crude palm oil is refined and processed to produce food grade oil, the oil is then refined again to produce palm wax. Once again, as for paraffin wax there are different quality grades so beware. An important distinction to make is that all palm wax candles sold at Moontree are sourced form organisations partnered with the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and the World Wild life Fund (WWF). The RSPO was founded to develop and define the best practices for sustainable palm cultivation. We have been selling palm wax candles now for over 10 years are not prepared to stock candles made from waxes that are involved in the destruction of the environment and wild life.
key points to consider for palm wax are:
Soy wax is made from the refinement of soybean oil. The oil is purified and hydrogenised to produce a wax and is becoming hugely popular in the US where it is predominently manufactured. Soy wax is a soft and creamy wax that is very suitable for container candles due to it`s low melt point and is usually always sold in jars and tins. All of the soy wax candles that we sell at Moontree are made from GM free ( no genetically modified material ), sustainably managed soy crop.
key points of soy wax are:
*The only downside to take into account with soy wax and all other vegetable waxes and oils which require land to grow is that they don`t take up valuable food crop land on which to do so. And since the wax is GM free more crop needs to be grown to account for any short fall in oil production yield. Currently this is an issue in the US with corn and soy crops and is yet to be resolved so while soy wax seems like a good alternative to paraffin wax there are still some obsticles to overcome before it attains mainstream acceptance.
Beeswax is a natural product created by bees with little human effort required for processing. Furthermore it is a product connected with the vital pollination of flowers and trees and is a by-product of delicious honey, so when you`re talking about 'green' candles, nothing comes close. Some of the worlds best beeswax is made right here in Australia and indeed here in the Blue Mountains so eco transport issues are minimal. Not only that, it has been found that a beeswax candle can clean or ionize the surrounding air as it burns! If you are after the greenest candle then without fail buy beeswax every time.
Key points for Beeswax candles are:
It is illegal to sell candles in Australia with lead wicks.
At Moontree we sell candles with either 100% cotton, cotton-paper or zinc core wicks all of which meet or exceed safety standards within Australia.
Most scented candles contain a combination of natural and synthetic fragrances. These fragrance materials may be derived from essential oils or from synthetic aroma chemicals. All of our candles contain only expertly formulated fragrances and expertly blended essenyial oils specifically approved for candle use. A well formulated scented candle will burn cleanly and not produce any significant amount of soot.
If you have concerns about these by-products, may we suggest you read samples of studies:
European candle Association. 1997. Determining and Evaluating the Emissions of PCDD/PCDF, PAH and short chain Aldehydes in Combustion Gases of Candles. Oekometric GambH, Bayreuth, Germany. http://www.europecandles.com/pages/news/hazard.html claiming studies show there are no health risks.
The American EPA also has some studies on candles. Most on lead wicks. http://cfpub.epa.gov One of the Epa studies is quoted here http://web.ksl.com/dump/news/cc/series/candepa3.htm#con test burning 30 candles for 4 hours in room less than 30m2.
