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Very Interesting!


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Couldn't decide where to post this, here or on natural candles.

Tossed a coin. :wink2:

It appears that Wikipedia has updated their info on soy wax and soy candles:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soybean_wax

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soy_candle

Ironically, the link was found on a paraffin basher's website. :grin2:

Hope this provides you with some fight-back ammo!

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Thank you for posting that. Those who know me on the board know that that is what I tout everytime the soy/paraffin debate rears its ugly head--as soon as you add FOs, dyes, etc., it is just as "toxic" as paraffin. Also note that 30 paraffin candles burning 3 hours in one room produce less toxins than one cigarette--just shows how people manipulate data to shock/scare people into buying. Very good post.

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We have been adding soy to our product line little by little. I still have not "warmed up to it". I am doing large jars for a wedding - the bride wants 100% soy - no fo, nothing. That's great, except they just don't look very pretty to me. I am hoping the reception hall lights them early so by the time we get there the top is melted and not looking funky!! lol

I still prefer the paraffin.....

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LOL I knew you would be here :)

But of course! I don't bash any waxes, though several do. I don't see a point to it, but if anyone has a weird range of un-ordinary questions tossed at them, we get it. This will go well with our informational flyer and give people a chance to research for their own.

And yet people get so ... what is it ... pursed at the lips when someone points out those faults. Let's hope those people chose to read as well and maybe quit bloating the myths that have led to some real doosies.

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Ok, this is very odd! I posted a reply here and now it's not displayed! I think I may need another cup of coffee:p

I am glad to see this information in writing! I am so very tired of the false information that is being verbally spread about paraffin. Nice to see this in writting! Thanks for posting!!!

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Yeppers, this part from the first link is what we seldom hear:

"It's been a long passed myth that soy wax is a safer alternative to paraffin and cheaper than beeswax. A soy candle can be just as dangerous as a paraffin.

Because of the addition of chemicals to soy beans to make them into a viable wax, it is generally equal to paraffin and beeswax for biodegradable waxes. Another fact, which is not required to be disclosed by soy wax manufacturers is that almost all soy waxes have some paraffin added in the creation portion. This is also stated in the Michael Richards patent. [1] Significantly, several components listed are chemicals. Paraffin is the most common synthetic wax.

Soy is also listed as a known allergen by the FDA, so if a person have reactions to soy, paraffin can be a safe alternative. Additionaly, as stated in Richards' patent declaration, iodine occurs as well, so people with iodine sensitivity should be cautious with soy wax. Paraffin is used in medical, food, and many other applications."

and this part from the second link:

"A common myth with soy candles is the idea that they burn with less soot than paraffin candles. A properly made candle will have very little soot - if at all - with proper upkeep and wick trims, this includes beeswax and paraffin, and many other waxes available. A poorly made soy candle can actually have many times more soot than a paraffin candle."

and this:

"Also, because each candle maker is different and adds different items, the vast majority of soy candles are no less toxic than paraffin or beeswax. In some cases, with the chemical choices of makers, they can be more toxic than paraffin candles.

Most myths of soy wax are based on sales tactics, or misinformation spread through ill knowledge, some intentional, some not. There are so many combinations of any candle that can change even the slightest bit of properties for any of them, resulting in different burning."

Imagine That :smiley2:

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All it means is that someone managed to get their opinion onto Wikipedia. Much as I'm sympathetic to the spin, the articles are among the poorest quality I've seen and need massive cleaning up.

Better yet, they should be rewritten by someone qualified. The most expert people in the candle industry when it comes to wax are chemists. Someone who thinks "aromatic compounds" refers to fragrance oil certainly isn't a chemist. There are tons of embarrassing gaffs, inaccuracies and distortions.

Unless something is written with authority and credibility, it's of limited value in advancing or refuting anyone's argument.

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Top, I've got a question. After reading this string and the mentioned Wikipedia info, I can't help but wonder if what I was told about the GB soy (by an employee of GB) is true. I was told that it is the same product used to make Hardees biscuits. If that is fact, are people eating carcinogins & paraffin when they eat a biscuit? Or was Michael Richards referring to his invention/product?

I use both soy and paraffin, and both can have a beautiful burn with no soot if wicked properly. It has always gotten my dander up when anyone tries to knock either of them. They are both good products.

Sandi

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Top, I've got a question. After reading this string and the mentioned Wikipedia info, I can't help but wonder if what I was told about the GB soy (by an employee of GB) is true. I was told that it is the same product used to make Hardees biscuits. If that is fact, are people eating carcinogins & paraffin when they eat a biscuit? Or was Michael Richards referring to his invention/product?

I'm sure what the employee told you is true. The GB "straight soy" products used for candlemaking are flaked vegetable shortening. Mostly they sell it to the food industry for baking, frying or whatever. It's produced by hydrogenating vegetable oil, which results in a product that's solid at room temperature and also creates tons of those trans-fats that you're not supposed to eat.

Those products have no paraffin in them that I know of. They're mediocre materials for candlemaking when used straight. Sometimes emulsifiers or non-soy oils are added to improve them for that purpose (for instance GB 435, 444, 464), but the better waxes are blends of vegetable-derived and petroleum-derived materials (for instance IGI 6006).

I'm not sure that anyone outside of candlemaking calls that stuff soy. That's a buzzword to give it some mystique and create positive associations in the minds of candle purchasers. Kind of sets it apart from something that might be used by KFC.

In my mind, the term "soy" is best applied to soy protein products rather than soy oil products. The two are often confused. People with allergies are probably affected by the protein products rather than salad oil. Traditionally, eating soybeans for protein has been a little ghetto with the exception of tofu, but modern science has invented various products that increase the value of the soybean crop and give trendy eaters an alternative to real food.

By the way, you do eat paraffin too. For instance, apples and cucumbers can be coated with it. Most of it is food-grade material. It doesn't cause cancer and it's not "synthetic wax".

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