Inventing Soy Wax Candles!

Soy wax candles have a relatively short yet interesting part in the history of candle making.

Recognizing a growing demand for natural candles, Michael Richards started Candleworks, in 1991, to manufactured beeswax candles. Unfortunately it was difficult to be competitive because the cost of beeswax was 10 times more than the cost of paraffin (a petroleum based product used to make ordinary candles).

In July of 1991 he began searching for a natural wax that would be cost competitive with paraffin wax. After thousands of hours of research and experimenting with many different plant waxes and veggie oils Mr. Richards developed the first vegetable wax candles. Unfortunately they were hard and brittle. A promising development, to be sure, but not especially marketable. So his search continued.

Tests he ran between 1992 and 1994 resulted in the first soy wax candles ever made. Richards developed both a low melt soy wax for container type candles and a high melt wax for pillar and other free standing candles. In May of 1996 soy wax totally replaced almond oil in all Candleworks candles.

Here's probably the strangest event in the history of candles...

Shortly after that the University of Iowa agreed to provide a chemical engineering intern to test Mr. Richards new soy wax candles. This resulted in a 1997 report to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship: “Increasing the Use of Soybeans in the Manufacturing of Candles”.

In 2000 Michael Richards filed for a US patent to protect his work. The Iowa Soybean Association www.iasoybeans.com has this to say about it:

Soywax, a hydrogenated soybean oil that is used as renewable and biodegradable alternative to paraffin wax in candle-making, was investigated for its tendency of producing soot and potentially harmful organic volatiles (e.g. acrolein, formaldehyde and acetaldehyde) during candle burning. While a considerable amount of soot was produced from the combustion of paraffin candles under disturbed condition (simulated air movement), little or none was observed from soywax candles. Low level of formaldehyde was detected in paraffin candle fume, but it was not present in significant quantity in the soywax candle fume. Acrolein was not detected in either type of candles. Soywax candles burned at a significantly lower rate than paraffin candles did. Thermal, textural and combustion properties, such as melting and solidification profiles, candle surface temperature distribution, hardness and adhesiveness, and burning rate, of a hydrogenated vegetable oil were also investigated. Effect of adding hydrogenated palm oil, free fatty acids, and paraffin on these functional properties were quantified. For complete technical information, please refer to the following two recent publications.

Rezaei, K., T. Wang, and L. A. Johnson. Hydrogenated vegetable oils as candle wax. J. Am. Oil Chem. Soc. 79: 1241-1247 (2002).

Rezaei, K, T. Wang, and L.A. Johnson. Combustion characteristics of candles made from hydrogenated soybean oil. J. Am. Oil Chem. Soc. 79: 803-808 (2002). Manufacturing soy wax candles became competitive in 1998 with the introduction of “Harvest Lights” candles. Development of these candles was totally farmer funded and organized by the Indiana Soybean Board.

Today soy wax candles have become a main stream product.

Soy wax is available to both home candle makers and major manufacturers. Soy wax candles come in all shapes and sizes. They are also made of everything from 100% soy wax to diverse blends of Soy wax, Vegetable wax and beeswax.

Some of the better known soy wax candles on the market today are Scent-Sations “Mia Bella” Gourmet Candles, Harvest Light and Caterpillar.

Many thanks to Michael Richards for making healthier, safer, longer lasting soy wax candles possible. And if you’re home is like mine you’ll really thank him when you are cleaning up a little “accident” with hot soap and water instead of the hot iron and several roll of paper towels :)

Let’s work together to create a home based candle business for you!