Welcome to our second post in a series of posts about the different candle waxes available.
What did you think of our previous post about Palm Wax Candles? Did it change your mind about palm wax in either a positive or negative way?
Today we will be looking at Soy Wax.
Soy Wax is made from Soy oil which comes from the soybean or soya bean. The soybean is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean which has numerous uses.
These days, soybeans are an importantly global crop, providing oil and protein. In the United States, the bulk of the harvest is solvent-extracted with hexane, and the "toasted" defatted soymeal (50% protein) then makes possible the raising of farm animals on an industrial scale never before seen in human history. A very small proportion of the crop is consumed directly by humans. But, soybean products do appear in a large range of processed foods.
Similar to palm wax, although not publicised to the same level, environmental groups have reported soybean cultivation in Brazil has destroyed large areas of Amazon rainforest. Although clearcutting of rain forests in Brazil has now slowed down dramatically as, after a Greenpeace campaign in 2006, Brazilian soy producers, the government and concerned organizations agreed companies would no longer buy soy grown on newly deforested lands in the Amazon rainforest.
To make Soy wax, the soy oil is processed by hydrogenation which turns the oil into a solid. The wax is still quite soft after all this processing and will not form pillar candles easily. Soy candles have a lower than normal temperature melting point and therefore are in containers, normally stylish glass jars. If you own a soy pillar, it might have been combined with another wax — most likely paraffin.
Soy Wax Candles have many benefits including:
- Soy Wax burns at a lower temperature than paraffin wax, giving it a longer burning time and making soy candles cost-effective.
- Soy Candles much less smoke than paraffin candles and because the candles are all natural, the smoke does not contain any toxins and carcinogens.
- Soy wax is natural, biodergradable, and soy beans are a renewable resource.
- Because soy wax is water soluble, it is very easy to clean up any spills, unlike traditional candle waxes.
- Soy wax candles distribute fragrance more evenly than paraffin candles.
See the large range of 100% Natural Soy Candles at Alma Importers.
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