changing my question - why did you choose the medium you did?

[TFCbrooke]

I didn't mean to leave out anyone by asking why did you choose paraffin or choose soy, considering I have soy, beeswax, and palm waxes in my supplies.

So, why did you choose whatever medium(s) you chose to work with??

and I'll go ahead and answer my own question now...I chose Soy because I had a lot of people asking for it. I also have palm wax and beeswax. I'm more for the natural items...we use cloth diapers on our babies and homeopathic remedies as much as we can (yes, there are times when an OTC medication is necessary) (not interested in the debate on whether soy is "natural" or not...I've done my research, I know there are new results coming out every day about soy that are not as wonderful as us "tree huggers" once thought).

Edited December 14, 2009 by TFCbrooke

[mparadise]

I originally used J50 when I first started because that is what the girl I bought my original supplies from used so I had a full case to play with. I started playing and loved the hot & cold throw so I stuck with it when I eventually went into business. A bit later customers started asking for soy so I started testing new waxes. I just couldn't find a "natural" wax that I could get to compare with my J50 UNTIL I found palm. Now I am 100% palm wax and LOVE IT!

[CareBear]

I won't be a party to the deforestation and making poor little orangs homeless so no palm here.

OK I lie - I don't use palm cuz I don't - NOTHING is without its impact on our environment. So let's be sure not to kid ourselves on that front.

"Natural" waxes for label appeal? Whatever floats your boat.

I use a blend of soy and paraffin cuz I hit one that works for me and I'm not really interested in mucking about at this time.

Edited December 14, 2009 by CareBear
cuz it's is NOT the same as its

[mparadise]

WOW Carebear....I was just responding to a question on why I use the wax I do. To each their own....

Trust me, I am very well aware of the "natural" label being just that, a label, a candle that isn't properly made is going to burn with lots of black smoke, hangups, etc no matter what wax it is but the local customers want a "natural" so that is what I give them. It's called being a responsive business owner. I happen to burn just as many paraffin or soy candles as I do palm in my own home. I just responded to customer wants or I would still be using paraffin wax. SO much easier to work with, much less finicky AND available locally BUT my sales went up 2-3x once I switched so what am I to do? That said, I do only order my palm from suppliers that are RSPO members to attempt to ensure the wax is being harvested and manufactured responsibly but of course I can not follow it from the trees to my workshop so I am well aware that I am working on blind faith there but atleast I am making the effort.

Edited December 14, 2009 by mparadise

[Stella1952]

As I said in the other thread, I chose veggie waxes because they are new and represent a challenge. That they come from readily renewable resources is also a big factor in my decision. I don't label my product as "natural" because there is nothing natural about the way most vegetable waxes are derived. It's a bogus term meant to trick people into thinking they are getting something more wonderful than they really are. It ain't "green" either.

I won't be a party to the deforestation and making poor little orangs homeless so no palm here.

The soy-palm wars are as full of disinformation as the paraffin-soy wars for the same greedhead, economic-based reasons. Palm oil (41.31 million tons) is the most widely used cooking oil in the world, followed by soy (37.54 million tons). Rapeseed (canola) follows (18.24 million tons). All are used for cooking, SVO use and biofuels. Using palm wax is no more likely to contribute to deforestation than soy or paraffin - they ALL contribute when unethical people damage their environments to make room for mega-operations which prey on the lack of economic choices of indigenous populations. Columbia, Nicaragua, Malaysia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and the Philippines are the world's largest producers of palm oil. Orangutans are not indigenous to all of those places. Many wax suppliers are critically aware of the economic & environmental impacts and are producing their products wisely and fair trading it. Some are not. CandleScience, for example, took great care in choosing the source for their palm wax products. Edited December 14, 2009 by Stella1952

[Gypsyjen]

After having burned Yank's for years, and noticing the alarming amount of black soot that ended up on the jar and on my walls, I tried a soy candle and it didn't have that same black soot and lasted longer than the Yank's. So I decided to go soy when I went into candlemaking. I love that it comes in flakes and is easy to measure out, I love that it smells a bit like vanilla ice cream out of the bag, and I love that I can power-burn it (I have always been a serious power-burner) without getting the black soot. Now I use a parasoy blend because I like the translucency it lends to the candle - soy alone is too opaque for my preference. Also, more FO's throw better in the parasoy than plain soy.

Now I know a poorly made soy candle can soot as much as the Yank's I used to have, but I guess I got lucky when I bought that first soy candle!

[beekeeper_sd]

My husband and I are commercial beekeepers so there was no question about what kind of wax I use. Although I originally wanted to make all natural yellow beeswax candles, I have taken my candle making "out of the box" and mostly sell colored, scented beeswax candles because, you gotta give the customers what they want and most of them want scented candles.

I do love the way the beeswax candles burn and I love using my beeswax to make lotions, lip balms, soaps, etc. as well.

[CareBear]

WOW Carebear....I was just responding to a question on why I use the wax I do. To each their own....

that was my point. that we should all choose our own - that none is superior to the others. some say soy is better because it's made from soybeans, but you've read about that - same sort of thing. each choice we makes has an impact on the environment - it's all a matter of choosing what is best for us and with what we are the most comfortable.

it was not about attacking you for your choice of palm. someone could attack me for selecting soy (and paraffin!). plus I use palm in my soaps. and coconut, which is no better. and lard.

and yes, Stella - I read the debunking stuff and while I have yet to form an opinion about it, it still supports my statement that every choice has an impact.

[Desertrose]

For us it was just sheer accident that we were in Perth and the local candle supplier was selling soy and palm wax.

I'd only ever burned paraffin candles - cheap nasty ones, up until then.

We'd never even heard of soy or palm wax but jumped in anyway and haven't looked back since. I especially don't miss the sooting and to work with palm in particular feels so much nicer - cleaner or something. Not oily/greasy like soy can be and paraffin is.

It concerns me about the deforestation thing - especially when you consider what potential customers must have heard, but what can I do but trust that they say that the palm wax is coming from plantations that have lesser impact on the environment than from other sources.

Tracy

[debratant]

I use 4627 paraffin mainly....well....because of the scent throw. I really don't care about paraffin/soy/palm and the issue over the environment, whether it's natural, supports farmers etc etc.. I just want a candle that smells good. Don't get me wrong...I do care about our environment...I hate all the people that crap up this country with litter. Burns my butt. But as far as candles go...for me...it's all about the scent throw LOL.

I love feather palm...but I don't use it because it's "more natural". I use it because I love the way it looks and it smells darn good too!

[candlelady]

I use 4627 paraffin mainly....well....because of the scent throw. I really don't care about paraffin/soy/palm and the issue over the environment, whether it's natural, supports farmers etc etc.. I just want a candle that smells good. Don't get me wrong...I do care about our environment...I hate all the people that crap up this country with litter. Burns my butt. But as far as candles go...for me...it's all about the scent throw LOL. quote]

Replace 4627 with 6006 and DITTO! Well said Deb!

[IwantItgreen]

I started with soy, but soon knew 100% soy wasn't for me. I am working with a 70 soy/30 4627 comfort blend and liking it a lot. Yes I intend to stay with mostly soy because I DO live in the heartland and soybeans are an important part of our rural economy. I rejoiced when the farmers were taking out their bumper crops here this year, hoping that my wax will eventually get cheaper!!

[Circle]

As I said in the other thread, I chose veggie waxes because they are new and represent a challenge. That they come from readily renewable resources is also a big factor in my decision. I don't label my product as "natural" because there is nothing natural about the way most vegetable waxes are derived. It's a bogus term meant to trick people into thinking they are getting something more wonderful than they really are. It ain't "green" either.

The soy-palm wars are as full of disinformation as the paraffin-soy wars for the same greedhead, economic-based reasons. Palm oil (41.31 million tons) is the most widely used cooking oil in the world, followed by soy (37.54 million tons). Rapeseed (canola) follows (18.24 million tons). All are used for cooking, SVO use and biofuels. Using palm wax is no more likely to contribute to deforestation than soy or paraffin - they ALL contribute when unethical people damage their environments to make room for mega-operations which prey on the lack of economic choices of indigenous populations. Columbia, Nicaragua, Malaysia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and the Philippines are the world's largest producers of palm oil. Orangutans are not indigenous to all of those places. Many wax suppliers are critically aware of the economic & environmental impacts and are producing their products wisely and fair trading it. Some are not. CandleScience, for example, took great care in choosing the source for their palm wax products.

Orangatangs are indegenous to Malaysia. Yes there are a lot of companies that are RSPO approved.