LET'S EXPLORE THE UNIQUE WORLD OF SOY WAX

By now I am sure you have heard all the ranting and raving about soy wax. But do you know why it has grown increasingly popular as a candle wax?  If you don't, we are here to help explain what it is, why you want it and offer some general knowledge.

• WHAT IS SOY WAX?
  Soy wax is a vegetable wax made from the oil of soybeans. After harvesting, the beans are cleaned, cracked, de-hulled, and rolled into flakes. The oil is then extracted from the flakes and hydrogenated. The hydrogenation process converts some of the fatty acids in the oil from unsaturated to saturated. This process dramatically alters the melting point of the oil, making it a solid at room temperature. Soy wax is a natural wax free of additives such as stearic acid, polymer, microcrystalline and polyethylene.
  
  
• WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF SOY WAX?
  Soy's greatest advantage, other than being non-toxic, is that it is completely renewable and sustainable. While the global reserves of oil shrink and paraffin prices increase, the only limit to the soy supply is how much we choose to grow. In addition, a well-made soy candle paired with only the best non-toxic ingredients that we hand select will burn cleaner, slower and longer.
  
  
• WHY CHOOSE A NATURAL WAX?
  With numerous sustainable options, there is no justification for using or blending with any wax other than natural candle wax. From soy to beeswax to coconut, opt for an environmentally friendly choice that will leave you with a clean conscience.
  
  
• DOES SOY WAX CONTRIBUTE TO DEFORESTATION?  
  Crum Canoe Candle Co. wants to be your first choice for a plant-based candle wax and that is why we partnered with a soy wax supplier who goes the extra sail to ensure their wax is produced in a sustainable way. Golden Brands is protecting biodiversity and ecosystems by reducing the environmental impact, while safeguarding human rights and people’s livelihoods.
  
  They are fighting back against deforestation, planting hundreds of thousands of trees to try and help our planet recover from the damage done by unethical soybean sourcing and supporting women like me who live in poverty by empowering them with better training and business practices.
  
  As a woman owned company who has lived in poverty much of her life, and as a soy wax lover who demands ethical sourcing this business partnership was meant to be. Sustainability is firmly anchored within our personal and company values and all those we partner with. You can count on our soy to be ethically sourced, renewable, sustainable, biodegradable, carbon neutral and American grown.
  
  

• SAY GOODBYE TO SOOT AND HELLO TO SOY.
  Soy wax is virtually soot and smoke free. You may have seen a small amount of soot or smoke produced by a soy candles wick (we use cotton core wicking free of zinc, lead, and all metals), not from the actual soy wax. By burning soy, you will no longer have a buildup of soot in your home or in your lungs.
  
  
• NO CARCINOGENS OR TOXINS
  Soy wax does not emit carcinogens, such as benzene and toluene. This creates a mindful, safer and demanded user-friendly wax experience for us and our planet.
  
  
• RESPIRATORY FRIENDLY
  Do not throw away your love for candle wax just yet. An all-natural soy wax experience paired with only the best non-toxic ingredients is friendlier to people with respiratory problems.
  
  
• SAFE AND EASY CLEAN UP
  Because of the lower melting point of soy wax, melted wax is safe to accidental touch. It also cleans up easily with warm soapy water when necessary.
  
  
• ARE ALL SOY WAX PRODUCTS THE SAME?
  NO. Not all soy wax prepared for candle making is the same. And not all soy companies are strictly soy. Beware of companies that market their items as a SOY BLEND without complete blend transparency in the big writing. These blends often contain unnatural additives that you do not want in your home and those additives are usually hidden in the small print to misguide their consumer.
  
  There are many natural soy wax options to choose from. Once a chandler decides on the which soy they like to work with, the blends each chandler can create to make it their own becomes endless. That is part of what sets soy-based companies apart from one another; we are all unique in our truth, know-how and recipes.
  
  

• CHARACTERISTICS OF SOY WAX

1. Frosting
   If you see a white, chalkiness in the color of your soy wax candle this is due to color frosting. And yes, the frosting even happens in a dye free, white candle, although not as recognizable. 
   
   Frosting is a natural characteristic of soy wax and does not interfere with performance.  It is purely cosmetic and is a true indication of an all-natural soy product. So, smile, FROSTING IS A GOOD THING!
   
   Frosting is an example of polymorphism, the crystallization into two or more chemically identical but crystallographically distinct forms. Meaning that no actual chemical change is taking place, although it is changing its form and appearance.
   
   Soy wax continues to “harden” throughout the course of its life, meaning crystal structures never stop forming. If your soy wax candle looks grainy or shiny, it’s due to polymorphism.  Larger crystals produce the grainy appearance, whereas small crystals appear “shiny”.
   
   To recap, frosting is the natural process in which waxes containing liquid oil begin to crystallize. This crystallization is more likely to happen over time and at different temperatures and temperature fluctuations. Frosting is very common in soy wax and will almost always occur somewhere in your soy wax candles shelf life. Crystal formations are almost impossible to avoid in soy wax so embrace those natural crystals as they form. They are magical.
   
   
2. MUSHROOM WICK
   When you burn your soy wax candle you might notice a mushroom of flower-like formation on the end of the wick. This is a natural phenomenon common to soy wax that does not occur with other waxes. Because we use metal-free wicking it is important to tend to your wick care.
   
   
3. SWEATING WAX
   You may also notice that sometimes your candle will “sweat”. This is a natural occurrence and an indication of soy wax. This occurs due to the constant temperate fluctuation of the natural environment your candle is in. Feel free to gently wipe the sweat from the top of your candle prior to relighting.  
   
   
4. SOY WAX MEMORY
   When you light your soy candle for the very first time, it is important to remember that it has a memory. A candle is not as simple as lighting the wick and leaving it go, especially a soy wax candle. A candle is an experience. Plan to be there awhile.
   
   Soy wax will only melt as far as you have allowed it to melt during its prior session. We recommend a 4-6 hour burning window to ensure your candle has enough time to form a melt pool from side to side. If a candle is blown out prior to allowing an even melt pool to form from, chances are your candle will begin to tunnel during its next burn session and no one wants that.
   
   
5. TUNNELING
   You’ve probably witnessed a tunneling candle before. A candle that melts straight down the middle, leaving behind walls of fragrant wax. It is a common problem that most candle-lovers may have had to deal with at some point. While some think that this is a normal part of the candle experience, it is a result of improper use and can be remedied relatively easily.
   
   Remember soy's memory? Keep the information you learned of soy's memory in your memories for an even burn every time to avoid tunneling. Your chandler has gone through great lengths to wick test and provide you with the proper size wick to avoid tunneling but we need your help in doing that by allowing your candle to reach a full melt pool during each burn.