20 November 2024
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- COSH! Member Publicity
- City Guide
As the long, dark nights of autumn and winter begin to draw in, and a chilly air softly knocks on our front doors, candles cast their warmth and ambience, turning our homes into cosy sanctuaries of comfort and glow. However their comforting glow may be, it’s worth asking: how environmentally friendly are they? Let’s deep-dive into the vast array of candles – particularly soy, beeswax, and rapeseed varieties – and discover which ingredients to avoid for a more sustainable glow. Read on to discover brands that craft atmospheric, more eco-conscious candles.
Candles to Steer Clear Of
Paraffin Wax Candles
Cheap and ubiquitous, paraffin remains a common choice for candle-making. Yet, this by-product of crude oil is far from eco-friendly. Burning paraffin releases harmful greenhouse gases, contributing to global warming and polluting the air in your home – with potential long-term health impacts.
Many well-known brands, including Rituals and Hema, incorporate paraffin in their candles. This means burning fossil fuels right in your living room! Adding to the concern, paraffin’s transportation by sea often leads to ocean pollution, seriously harming marine life and birds, which often mistake the white clumps as food sources.
Stearin Wax Candles
Previously derived from animal fat, most modern stearin candles now contain palm oil. While technically natural, their sustainability is questionable. Palm oil production is notorious for causing deforestation, with many rainforests falling victim to vast palm oil plantations.
Even with an RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil) certificate indicating a more sustainable production, concerns of corruption and environmental harm linger. At COSH!, we recommend avoiding both paraffin and stearin candles. But what are the eco-friendlier options?
Eco-Friendlier Candle Alternatives
Beeswax Candles
Beeswax candles, while not vegan, are advocates for bee conservation. Bees produce a fatty substance through their glands that they use to build their honeycombs. These form houses in which the larvae grow. When the bees no longer use the combs, the wax from the old combs can be used to make candles.
It is important that the beeswax comes from organic beekeeping to limit the impact on the environment and animals as much as possible. Bees are important for biodiversity and our food production worldwide. Unfortunately, the bee population is declining year after year. Organic beekeeping for candles contributes to the maintenance of bee populations, an advantage!
Brands like Ecodis, sold by Kudzu in Bruges, create beeswax candles in Western Europe, focusing on minimal energy and material use. Remember, actual beeswax candles contain no additives.
Fun fact: The term‘beeswax candles’ may only be used for candles that do not contain additives. So you can be sure that your candles are made of 100% beeswax.
Soy Candles
Soy wax candles have an average burning time twice as long as regular candles. Soy wax is made from the oil of soybeans, so it is also a vegetable material. Just like beeswax, it is important that the soybeans come from organic farming. This way you can be sure that no harmful fertilisers have been used that harm the soil and the surrounding nature.
Most soy comes from North America, which means that the footprint of soy candles is larger than candles made from European beeswax or rapeseed wax. The raw materials have to be transported from further away, which results in higher CO2 emissions.
Because soy wax is originally soft, candle manufacturers will often add palm oil to make it harder. To label the product as a‘soy candle’, the entire candle doesn’t have to be made from soy. They can also contain paraffin or palm oil, which also makes production cheaper. So look carefully at the label and choose 100% soy candles.
Brandt kaarsen
At HOST in Berchem and Duka Moodstore in Bruges you can buy candles from the label Brandt. This Dutch brand makes candles made from 100% soy wax. Founder Giselle Habraken started Brandt candles in 2016 after learning the craft in New York. Brandt makes all its candles by hand in Utrecht and adds wonderful natural scents. The candles radiate a warm, cosy atmosphere that beats every cold winter day.
The Munio
Also the brand The Munio makes cosy candles from 100% organic soy wax and natural scents such as lavender, roses, juniper and wild flowers. Founder Elina often found herself in spaces where she was surrounded by candles and was looking for a way to make this more environmentally friendly and cost-saving. Soy wax is not only better for the environment and your health, it also burns slower, which makes the candles last longer. You can find a wide range of The Munio candles at Kudzu in Bruges, Kiez in Antwerp, Supergoods in Mechelen and Antwerp and Het Faire Oosten in Amsterdam.
Elevate your ambience with original, scented candles with quotes and in different colours from the brand Scandle at The Soul Store in Oostkamp. Made from pure soy wax in Spain, Scandle’s candles are unique for their lack of synthetic fragrances. They go a step further, pairing each candle with a bespoke Spotify playlist, curating an immersive, atmospheric experience.
Looking for trendy bubble candles that are made in a more environmentally friendly and local way? Discover the sophisticated candles of Candles by Bell at HOST in Berchem, handmade by Sophie in Antwerp from 100% soy wax. In addition to bubble candles, she also makes other minimalist designs, such as cloud candles and knot candles.
You can also go to Clothilde and Fonetik in Aalst, Atelier Twee in Bruges, roberta. in Düsseldorf and the Kalani webshop for candles made from soy wax. Discover brands such as The Gift Label and Lusensa.
In Tilburg, Snuist, a brand and a shop, offers its own soy wax candles. Snuist stands apart as a creative care studio, empowering young adults who are finding their way back into the workforce with enriching daytime activities. Here, they craft vibrant candles and charming decorative items like candle holders, vases, and bowls.
Rapeseed Wax Candles
An even more sustainable alternative to traditional paraffin candles are rapeseed candles. Rapeseed wax is made from oil from the rapeseed plant. The properties of rapeseed wax ensure that colour can easily be added, which means that no harmful dyes need to be used to give the candles a beautiful colour. Here too, it is important that rapeseed production is as environmentally friendly and local as possible.
Fik kaarsen
At LOYA in Breda they sell colourful and vibrant dinner candles from the brand Fik kaarsen. The candles are made of rapeseed wax, have a cotton wick and are designed in stylish, striking shapes and colours.
Skandinavisk
At Moose in the City in Antwerp and Goûts et Couleurs in Bruges you can find candles from the Scandinavian brand Skandinavisk. The rapeseed wax for these stylish and minimalist candles is produced on a large scale in the United Kingdom and partly in other European countries, without the use of GMOs (genetically modified organisms).
Very Goods Studio
Also the Amsterdam brand Very Goods Studio (formerly The Very Good Candle Company) makes beautiful candles with wonderful, natural scents and from rapeseed wax. The candles are hand-poured in Amsterdam-West, in modern and stylish terracotta holders or holders made of recycled amber glass. You can find this brand at De Groene Passage in Rotterdam, Het Faire Oosten and The Maker store in Amsterdam and HOST in Berchem.
Marie Stella Maris
For stylish, luxurious scented candles made from rapeseed oil and coconut oil, visit Tally-Ho in Amsterdam. They sell the beautiful candles by Marie Stella Maris, 100% vegan and made from natural ingredients and scents. The black or white glass is designed so that you can refill it when the candle has burned out.
Certified Palm Wax Candles
While palm oil presents a somewhat greener alternative to paraffin, it doesn’t quite match the sustainability credentials of beeswax or rapeseed. Its cultivation, limited to just a handful of locations throughout the globe, requires long-distance transportation, adding to its environmental footprint. Moreover, palm oil cultivation carries significant concerns, including deforestation and various ethical dilemmas (as highlighted by Citizen Sustainable). Opting for candles made from certified palm wax can help mitigate some of these pressing issues, offering a more responsible choice for more eco-conscious consumers.
Original Home
Original Home offers a line of vibrant, fairtrade candles, certified by the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) and made from RSPO-certified palm kernel wax. These hand-poured candles are the product of a small, women-run factory in East Java, Indonesia. By empowering women with candle-making skills, the brand provides a secure working environment and fairer pay. Celebrating more ethical and vegan standards, these candles are available at HIT-IN.TV in Berlin, Moose in the City in Antwerp and HOST in Berchem, providing both a conscious and cosy experience.
Scented Candles
While scented candles can seem irresistible, some can be an ecological nightmare. Numerous lifestyle brands incorporate synthetic fragrances in their candles, which may include harmful chemicals. It’s crucial to avoid candles with phthalates or parabens and to opt for those scented naturally. The good news is that various health-friendly, sweet-smelling candles are available to enhance the natural cosiness of your home.
For those seeking worry-free options that don’t compromise on aroma or health, stores like HOST in Berchem, Moose in the City in Antwerp, Kalani online en Kudzu, ecocandle, Atelier Twee and Duka Moodstore in Bruges offer an array of beautifully scented, more eco-conscious candles. These options ensure that indulging in their comforting glow and fragrance doesn’t come at an environmental cost.
Circular Candles
Founder An Dumon at ecocandle passionately champions a deeper, more sustainable connection with candles. Her workshops for all ages teach the art of recycling old candles and introduce eco-friendlier paraffin alternatives like soy, beeswax, and rapeseed wax. This interactive learning changes our perspective on everyday objects like candles.
Ecocandle takes sustainability up a notch by inviting customers and workshop participants to exchange candle scraps for discounts. Their candles are uniquely stylish and wallet-friendly, poured into reclaimed tins and thrifted glass or ceramic containers.
Looking for something special? Ecocandle’s custom orders for events like weddings or anniversaries add a uniquely personal and memorable touch. Contact An from EcoCandle for a customised quote.
Let this Christmas and the upcoming winter season be lit with the warmth, joy and sustainability these more sustainable candle options bring. Embrace the season with an atmospheric light that cares for our planet.
