Candle Jars - ASTM Standards

[KrisS]

Hello, all.

 

I'm relocating very soon, and I think I may be ready to start making candles for sale again instead of just for me. Super excited, obviously.

 

It's my understanding that the ASTM paperwork/certs must come from the factory and/or distributor. It's also my understanding that even if samples are sent to testing facilities and pass, the factory/distributor must have those batches documented to meet the requirements--it's not a one and done situation for the manufacturer.

 

Is my understanding correct?  How are you making certain that the jars you're buying meet ASTM F-2179 (2014) standards?

 

Thank you in advance.

Edited September 29, 2020 by KrisS

[birdcharm]

I briefly looked this up out of curiosity.  From what I'm reading, it's not something that is up to the candle maker, it's up to the manufacturer to ensure their glassware intended for candles passes the tests.

 

Excerpt:  "Candle manufacturers/retailers may choose to have a few pieces of glass from their batch tested independently to give them further reassurance that the glass maker was diligent, but this later testing does not confirm ASTM compliance of the batch. Only compliance to the procedure by the glass manufacturer does that."    Source

[BusyBee]

Your understanding is correct!

 

There isn't much I am doing regarding this matter other than trying to buy glass container made for candle container usage from big US manufacturer hoping that they have done their part.  This is one of the reason why I am trying to push my tins more, but there are so many who prefer glasses over tins.

 

[KrisS]

Thank you both for the responses.

 

There's a company whose products are marketed to candlemakers, and I genuinely like their glassware. I sent an email on the 9th asking them to verify they're meeting ASTM standards. The customer service rep was unaware of the standard and after further clarification advised that she'd escalated to management who was looking into it.

 

I have followed up twice since then, and have not yet received response--I feel like the rep has ghosted.

 

Simple answer is "Well, don't use them".

 

Complicated answer is that it's been alleged that there may have been instances in which a specific jar has broken while the candle is burning.  Obviously, that tends to happen when a candle is overwicked or marathon burned...but if the product doesn't meet standard, that would also be a potential issue.

[BusyBee]

For most glass container manufacturers, candle container market would be very small portion of their business.  Glass manufacturers might be able to provide verification papers if this was to be done periodically instead of every batch.  I don't know.  That sounds like almost impossible task or unwanted task to do for such a small portion of their market.  I have feeling most of them are actually marketed as glass wares instead of candle containers.

 

Foreign manufacturers would not be responsible for following any of these regulation unless they are exporting directly to US specifying it as glass candle container.  It would be responsibility of importer, and I don't see any small importers capable of following this regulation.  Maybe this is the main reason why we rarely see made in China fancy candle containers in US?  

[KrisS]

On 9/30/2020 at 9:31 PM, BusyBee said:

For most glass container manufacturers, candle container market would be very small portion of their business.  Glass manufacturers might be able to provide verification papers if this was to be done periodically instead of every batch.  I don't know.  That sounds like almost impossible task or unwanted task to do for such a small portion of their market.  I have feeling most of them are actually marketed as glass wares instead of candle containers.

 

Foreign manufacturers would not be responsible for following any of these regulation unless they are exporting directly to US specifying it as glass candle container.  It would be responsibility of importer, and I don't see any small importers capable of following this regulation.  Maybe this is the main reason why we rarely see made in China fancy candle containers in US?  

 

Thank you. Was curious if someone else had insight or would follow the same rabbit trail my brain was following.