new supply of GG Palm is different

[Pristina]

On a brighter note, I poured a few candles from the couple of cases I received from Peak and they are setting up more like the standard GG we are used to. Lot number on the stuff from Peak is 0266929.

I checked the lot number on my current bag of GG and it is the same as yours vagabond. Hmmmm....mine is from candle science too. Maybe my issue isn't the GG Palm.

I use a blend of palm and soy so maybe it's my soy wax that is the problem.

[mparadise]

The batch of GG was refused by CandleScience either last fall or spring, I can't remember which. I would hope that they did not get the same batch back and just didn't realize it. They didn't specify the problem that caused them to refused it just that they did. I am glad you found a work around for it for now. I think I will be placing an order with Peak this week too since they don't seem to have this issue.

Thanks for the update!

[Wessex]

I have sent some back to CS so they can test it. They should get it today and said they would test it immediately. I hope so. I can not seem to get an answer from them on their lot numbers, so I guess I am going to start ordering from a different company. That sucks, as they are so close and shipping is so cheap if I need it delivered. But if they don't want to check a lot number, guess they don't want my business.

Cheers,

Steve

[Candybee]

If anyone wants to compare lot numbers, here are the two numbers ink stamped on the bottom of my bag. I do not see any other numbers, so I assume these are lot numbers. One is "0093029" and the other is "0911777" or possibly "0977777". Can't quite read the last number, it is a little smeared.

Cheers,

Steve

Steve -- I have the same lot numbers: 0093029 and 0911777. Both numbers are stamped into the bottom of the bag. The bag is of course Saw 2268 from Indonesia.

[Candybee]

I'm sending a lb of the wax to CS for testing.

BTW-- Opened another case just now and it looks and smells nice like the old GG. I am melting some in my melter as I write this and will pour a few candles tonite to see if this is another bad case or the good stuff.

[IwantItgreen]

I have never used GG or any palm wax, but am following this thread to see how CS handles this problem. They are one of my main suppliers, so hopefully someone figures it out and it gets resolved satisfactorily.

[lovemylabs]

I had an email into CS a few days ago with questions and concerns. I got a response back from Diane yesterday. She did mentioned that there have been some complaints but no one has sent any wax back yet for testing. So, I'm glad to hear that both Steve and Candybee are sending in samples. She did send me a pic in my email of the batch they tested and it was the same pic they posted on this board showing their batch was GG. BUT...that doesn't mean each bag is the right bag. It was suggested by her that we order a sample of GG. Again, if we get a sample and it is GG, that doesn't mean that when we order larger bags, that they will be the correct GG. I absolutely love CS and I know this is probably a huge headache for them too. I know they are watching the board closely as well and know they will get this figured out. I seriously need to place an order with them, but just can't hit that "add to cart" button yet . Also, I had posted earlier in this thread that Aztec had GG (possibly). I finally got an email back from them as I had asked quite a few questions. Their answer to my question, "Where is it from?", was simply "overseas" LOL...Uh...ok. They also didn't clarify the difference in their instructions being different than everyone else as well as why is it listed under soy and the last things, I believe in the description on their site, says it comes in flakes. GG doesn't come in flakes. So...didn't "add to cart" for that one either. Will look forward to hearing about the test results from CS.

[Candybee]

The bag/case I opened last night is good. :smiley2: Haven't checked the lot # of the bag yet because its still in the box. I have a busy schedule today making more candles and intend to use up this bag so I will post the lot # later. I suspect that the lot # for all the bags good & bad are the same. It means some (probably most) cases are okay but a few bad ones got in the lot. I am speculating that during the manufacturing of the wax some bad palm oil was thrown in at some point leaving some cases with bad wax while others were okay. Just a theory. Won't know til CS checks out the samples.

So out of 3 cases I have opened in the past week 2 are good and 1 is bad. I have 2 unopened cases left and I guess I am going to have to open all and test to see exactly what I got.

Now off to the UPS store to drop off the sample then back to making candles all day but with the good bag!!:smiley2:

[Candybee]

Just checked the good case. The lot #0093029 is the same for all the bags; good and bad. So looks like the bad wax has been mixed in with the good using the same lot #.

I do know that when I open a bag of the bad stuff I get a smell something like old crayons or something a bit rotten or stale. It just has a slightly off smell. When I open a bag of the good wax it smells sort of clean or has very little odor. Also, when I weigh it out the good wax is lighter while the bad wax is more compact and heavy. Of course you know the diff right away when you make candles with the bad wax.

Just got back from the postal store where I dropped off the sample wax for CS. They should get it in a couple of days hopefully and test it out. Can't wait to hear the results. Will post what I find out.

Edited October 14, 2010 by Candybee

[Wessex]

I never really noticed the smell issue, but just took a big smell of the bad stuff and it does seem to be a bit off. The thing I noticed most was the size of the flakes. They were more uniform than the good batch, with alot of smaller flakes (and seemed to be a bit more "dusty" when transfering). The good stuff had a much larger size variance in the flakes. I know it doesn't sound like much, but it is a difference. Did the good bag have just the 0093029 lot number on it, or did it have both the 0093029 and the 0911777 number also? Just trying to figure this out before I attempt to order more. Hate to have half good/half bad bags mixed.

Cheers,

Steve

[Candybee]

Did the good bag have just the 0093029 lot number on it, or did it have both the 0093029 and the 0911777 number also? Just trying to figure this out before I attempt to order more. Hate to have half good/half bad bags mixed.

Cheers,

Steve

Each bag has two numbers. Diane at CS explained to me that the first one #0093029 is the lot number. Don't remember what she said the second number is but she did say it is not the lot number. And yes my good bags and the bad one all have the same lot number #0093029 on them.

[brudil18]

Tested 5 new bags I recieved yesterday. All of them bad. This is not good.

[lovemylabs]

I am so sorry. You must be so upset. I would be. During this busy season we all need things to run smoothly. This situation is costing alot of people time and money...including CS. I wish they could test a small amount BEFORE we get it. Not the headache of everyone testing, realizing it's not it and then having to make arrangements to send it back. I know that's alot to ask, but wow...it sure would solve so many problems for everyone, as well as CS. I'm going to order a sample from Aztec afterall. Crap...I really hate this! Still looking forward to hearing from Steve and Candybee on what CS tells them on their test results. Oh...do your numbers match Steves and Candybees? Just curious...that could be a whole new headache couldn't it?!

Edited October 15, 2010 by lovemylabs

[brudil18]

It is very frustrating. I have over $300 dollars of worthless wax. I have been following this thread before I purchased spoke with Diane as well and she sent the pic from their test results. I figured there was a good shot at getting some good bags.

The fact that all 5 bags are bad has me really concerned. This could not have happened at worse time! I've got orders to fill and no viable wax to use. Not to mention the expense of having to ship all this back as well.

CS has told me there may be variations and I have to change pour temps and all the other things we have all heard. Variations would be a small change. This however is a flat out different wax. It doesn't hold color the same. The crystal pattern is so different that it is impossible for it to be GG. I to notice that it really sinks in the middle after it has cooled.

Yes, my numbers match Steves and Candybee too. The bags are stamped with both on the bottom.

[candlescience]

Hello Everyone,

It appears that waxes that work and those that don't have the same lot number, which is of course the most difficult situation. This is also the only way a bad wax could get into our system.

All of our waxes come from Sumi Asih in Indonesia. We order directly from them, but IGI also orders and sells to other distributors. There is an equal chance of a batch like this between any of the suppliers, but it appears that we may have drawn the short straw this time. Our testing procedure is about the same as IGI's, and we've both rejected batches in the past.

As previously stated, and is always our policy - any product that is defective can be returned (we pay return shipping too) for a full refund. I know this may not solve the problem of expensive shipping from another supplier, but I think you'll agree that it is fair.

We've received samples from a couple customers and are already testing. We'll confirm the test results of our customers, but also try to put our extensive experience into coming up with an alternative process to get this wax to act like it usually does.

We appreciate everyone's understanding as we work through this. We, like you, are a small business that is greatly affected when manufacturers have issues. We feel it is our duty to support our customers, especially when these things happen.

Stay tuned and take care!

Dan

[Jena]

Dan & CandleScience,

It seems more often than not that manufacturers want to stick their heads in the ground and tell you that they don't see any issues with their products, and leave us to deal with it.

I applaud CandleScience for helping out customers with bad products, both with support and willingness to accept bad products back. I only wish other companies (manufacturers and suppliers) would stand behind their products as you do.

Keep up the good karma!

Jena

[Wessex]

Needed some wax really badly so decided to order another bag from CS yesterday. It arrived today and I opened it up as soon as it was through the door. It was the exact same lot number as the "dud" wax, but did not have the "crayon" smell to it. Poured a couple testers and they are finishing cooling as we speak. Looks like it is proper GG Palm!!! Saves me a roadtrip to PA tomorrow. This has got to be a nightmare for CS. It sucks for us, but sucks much more for them. Hope they can get it figured out.

Cheers,

Steve

[lovemylabs]

Awesome Steve!! I'm so glad for ya. I have a sample coming from Aztec, but still wanna go back to CS. We've always been pleased with them and they have always had great products, Customer Service and can't beat the shipping. Even if we test the wax from Aztec, and it proves to be the right stuff, we'll still go back to CS anyway. That's who we're comfortable with. But oh boy....happy pouring over the weekend

[Wessex]

Oh, yeah, the Turk n' Surf is going, pour pots and jars ready to be cycled through the oven and lots of wicking just finished! What really sucks though, is I got a call about 30 minutes ago and have to be at Ft. Bragg tomorrow morning. That means I have to leave here at 2 am, and could have gone by CS to pick the wax up today if they had called last night!! Oh, well. Pour until I have to leave...

Cheers,

Steve

[Judy, USMC]

have to be at Ft. Bragg tomorrow morning. That means I have to leave here at 2 am, and could have gone by CS to pick the wax up today if they had called last night!!

Well, hopefully you can order and swing by on your way back home ~ and save on a lot of shipping!

[IwantItgreen]

I got a call about 30 minutes ago and have to be at Ft. Bragg tomorrow morning.

Cheers,

Steve

Hi, just wanted to say "Thanks for all you do for our country"

Blessings to you and yours.

[brudil18]

Just figured I'd give an update. Drove to PA today and picked up four bags of GG Palm, lot # 0266929. I'm back in business the bags are good and have long night pouring ahead.

[Candybee]

Opened up my last two bags to check and looks like they are both good. So out of 5 bags only 1 was bad. This being the case I feel confident to continue buying from Candle Science.

I am using up the case of bad wax by mixing it in with the good wax at about 15% or 10 lbs good; 2 lbs bad. With this mix I am getting a good blend that is working; great crystal pattern, color, burn, level tops. I am happy I can use up the bad batch and not waste any.

CS notified me that they received my 1 lb sample of the bad wax and will run some tests on it. I also got a credit for it. Just waiting to see what they have to say.

[CatlinPM]

I had this happen to me recently too, but didn't think to check on the boards to see if anyone else was experiencing this issue.

I hope they fixed it because I need to order a pallet of wax from them in the next couple of weeks. I have been making candles with GG and buying it from CS ever since they first started carrying it and have never experienced this issue before.

It was definitely only some of the bags that were affected because out of the 15 bags I ordered from them previously only 2 or 3 had the crystallization problem.

[Candybee]

I had this happen to me recently too, but didn't think to check on the boards to see if anyone else was experiencing this issue.

I hope they fixed it because I need to order a pallet of wax from them in the next couple of weeks. I have been making candles with GG and buying it from CS ever since they first started carrying it and have never experienced this issue before.

It was definitely only some of the bags that were affected because out of the 15 bags I ordered from them previously only 2 or 3 had the crystallization problem.

Like I posted earlier you can mix some of the non-crystalizing batch in with the good at about 10-15% with no problems.

I'm still waiting to hear back from CS about the problem wax. Am wondering if they intend to pull the bad cases out and send them back to the manufacturer. They really need to do something about it.