Today I am doing some research on eco-friendly options of candles! Thinking of decorating or making some candles myself.

There are several different types of candles: beeswax, paraffin, and soy. Beeswax is not vegan, so we can cross that off already. If you want to know why bee products are not vegan, here is an article on PETA. Basically the bees are often mishandled and killed.

So what are the differences between paraffin and soy?

• Paraffin is made from petroleum, and is the most common type of candle wax. Paraffin can have negative side effects to your health.
• Soy is natural, renewable, non-toxic and biodegradable.  It burns longer and cleaner. It is softer than paraffin so soy candles are usually inside of jars.

Soy is clearly the most eco-friendly option, though some people dislike that soy is often genetically modified. Maybe I can find non-gmo soy candle wax? I don’t mind that soy needs to be inside of jars, which would mean if I decorated the jar the wax could be refilled if they burn the candle down – then my art wouldn’t go to waste. Soy candle making itself seems very simple! I need to order some ingredients. Here is a tutorial that looks good.

Eco-Friendly Candle Brands:

• Goodlight is the first brand I came across while researching – I also saw them for sale in Whole Foods! Goodlight candles are made from palm wax. They are vegan, non-GMO, and the wicks are cotton. If I did feel like painting a candle directly, I would probably go for their pillar candles. I love that they have birthday candles too!
• Pure Integrity Soy Candles. So many scents! They sound luscious.
• Looks like there are lots of soy candle brands!