Soy Candles that are American Made
Posted by: Nancy Rivers in Interior Decorating, tags: Interior DecoratingEach night the national news is reporting on the various economic disasters that are occurring in the American economy. Fortunately, there is an incredibly easy way for us Americans to support our own economy and our own friends and neighbors. Soy candles are produced by companies based in the United States and sold by companies based in the United States. This makes the process of buying American made candles extremely easy!
Soy candles start with a plant - the soybean plant. Soybeans are grown by American farmers. After planting the seeds in the spring and carefully nurturing the crop during the summer, the soybean is ready for harvesting by the farmer each fall. The beans are then transported to facilities which crush the bean, separating the meal from the oil. The soy meal (or meat) is used by many manufacturers in the production of both human and animal food. The soy oil is sent through a partial hydrogenation process that turns the soy oil into soy wax. The was is extremely soft.
Container candles are the best use for pure soy wax since it is so soft. Pillar and taper candles can not be made from soy wax alone because of this unique property. Since the wax is so soft, the candle would not stand or stay in its original form while burning. If you do find any pillar candle or taper candle that claims it is a soy candle, there is another ingredient which has been blended with the soy wax to make it withstand the burning process without becoming a complete formless blob. Very commonly, this additive is paraffin wax. However, there are other waxes which can be used that are completely natural and renewable such as palm wax, castor bean wax, candelilla, rice bran and jojoba oil. Often these other waxes (except paraffin - a petroleum based product) are labeled as “vegetable waxes”.
Soy wax candles are non-toxic so they are safe for humans as well as pets. Soy candles are extremely clean burning, producing at least 90-95% less soot than paraffin wax candles. The soot which is produced by burning a soy candle is black like it is with paraffin wax candles, but mostly a white color which may not be noticeable to the naked eye. There is very little black soot produced with a pure unscented soy candle. Adding fragrance and other additives to preserve color or to form freestanding candles can create more of the black soot. Soy candles also burn at a cooler temperature than paraffin wax candles which results in 20-30% longer burn time.
Soy wax candles can hold more fragrance than their paraffin wax counterparts. Soy wax will release the fragrance with incredible ease. This means that soy candles typically are more fragrant than paraffin wax. Quite often the unlit scented soy candle will fill an entire space with wonderful soothing scent! Scented soy wax also carries the fragrance throughout the entire candle, so it will smell just as good at the end of its life as it does when it is brand new.
Paraffin wax candles are a petroleum based product - meaning they are made from oil. This increases the American dependence on foreign oil supplies and further erodes the American economy. The all natural soy wax candles do not depend on foreign oil or foreign economies because they originate from the soybean plant, grown by American farmers. Soy candles are not just a healthier alternative for our bodies but also a healthy alternative to the economy of the United States.
