Last year, I switched waxes for my scented container candles, like my Dungeons & Dragons class candles. This year, I’m doing the same for the pillar wax used in my decorative candles. Let me explain why.

No Paraffin
From the beginning, I knew I wanted to work with natural waxes. So, no paraffin. It comes from petroleum, oil, and coal shale, and it releases toxic chemicals when burned. It is also the most-used wax in big retail candles because it’s cheap in production and holds fragrance really well.

So natural wax it is
When I started, soy wax was the most prominent wax on the market. It’s plant-based, which makes it more eco-friendly. It’s also very nice to work with: it has a smooth surface, burns well, and has a good fragrance throw. But during my first year of producing candles, I learned that the soybean industry is responsible for a lot of deforestation and has high demands for resources, especially energy, water, agrochemicals, and soil. It is also mostly produced in tropical countries like Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay.

So I looked further and found rapeseed wax. It’s also plant-based, and it’s grown in the EU and Canada. This is a more local product for us, since I’m based in Belgium, and so is my supplier, who produces locally.

For my container candles, I did a lot of testing with the different wax types they offer and came to love their rapeseed/coconut blend (>90/<10%). Coconut is a high-yield and renewable crop and therefore more sustainable than soy wax. The downside is that it’s not grown in Europe and needs to be transported here.

This is a balance I’m willing to make, because I really like working with this product, and it gives the best burn and fragrance throw.

Switch in 2026 After my container candles, it’s time for my decor candles to switch from soy wax to 100% rapeseed wax. In my honest opinion, I should have done it much sooner. Besides the same reasons I have for my container candles, soy wax has a major issue in pillar candles. They often develop frosting, a white coloration that is mostly visible on darker-colored candles. This is a natural change in the wax, but it significantly changes the look of the candles and makes them difficult to sell. So, if you bought one of my pillar candles in the past, chances are high yours will frost. Just light the candle, nothing will happen, and get another one.