When you’re creating a tranquil mood or relaxing atmosphere in the home, burning some candles can be the perfect way to create a cozy space. Still, it’s important to keep in mind that toxic fumes and chemicals may be emanating from your latest assortment of candles; regular wax is usually infused with additives, chemicals, and other elements that can lead to a variety of health problems. Add these to a small living space, and you may be doing more harm than good.

Soy wax candles offer a much healthier alternative, giving you an excuse to join the eco-friendly movement and even breathe more easily. According to the National Candle Association, almost $2 billion is spent on candles and candle accessories in the U.S. each year; while most of these are paraffin and petroleum-based products, there are some sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives available.

Soy wax candles are preferable to paraffin or traditional ingredients for a variety of reasons:

Soy wax candles are non-carcinogenic. The fumes produced from burning soy wax are not harmful to your health, and since they are made with non-toxic elements, they will not be dangerous for children or the elderly either.

Soy wax is biodegradable, meaning that you can reuse and recycle these candles with peace of mind.

Soy wax candles burn between 30-50% longer than paraffin candles and other synthetic combinations. You can enjoy a longer-lasting candle and fragrance, without having to replace or buy a new set-possibly saving money too!

Soy wax is less likely to leave behind any soot. Your room can enjoy a fresh and clean burn without residue left behind on walls, or excess ash and soot after a complete burn. Soy wax candles also tend to burn at cooler rates, making them a little safer for children and pets who may touch the candle accidentally.

It is important to note that soy wax is NOT organic. The process used to turn soybean oil into soy wax requires chemicals, which are not organic.  It is possible to find waxes that are 100% soy and/or vegetable, but claims of being “organic” are simply false. Soy Organic Candles are made with a blended wax containing soy wax. We make no claim of being organic, although we do test our wax, fragrance oils and wicks to ensure that they burn properly with great scent throw and very little sooting.

Candles have been used for centuries for many different purposes. People light candles to set the mood for things like prayer, meditation and romance. Even if electrical lighting has advanced leap years in terms of technical quality over the last century, candles are still very much in use today. However, most candles manufactured in the present are made from paraffin, a synthetic petrochemical, and these things are not exactly safe or sustainable. A research conducted by a team from the South Carolina State University revealed that petroleum-based candles like those made from paraffin emit toxic chemicals like toluene and benzene. If you are an eco-conscious consumer, you might want to look into other sustainable choices. In the case of choosing candles, organic soy candles are definitely the better option. They are not only healthier for you, they are also definitely healthier for the environment; the South Carolina State University researchers found out that candles made from soybeans do not emit toxic chemicals. Summarized below are the health and environmental benefits of opting for organic soybean candles: Organic soy candles tend to burn longer and the flame they create is cooler than those made by paraffin wax candles. They also don’t release black soot when burned and emit only a light-colored smoke. When traditional candles produce black soot, chemicals, including potential carcinogens, are also released. You don’t want yourself inhaling these things so opting for organic soy candles is a wise decision. Real, environmentally friendly cleaning products are labeled “natural” because they are composed of non toxic cleaning substances usually from plant-based material. In the same way, organic soy candles are considered natural because they are made from soybeans, not from chemical components. Safe, organic candles do not contain chemicals like toluene, benzene and lead. They also contain only natural fragrances from essential herbal oils. Organic soy candles as a fuel source are much more sustainable than petroleum-based fuels like kerosene. Because they are made from soybeans, which can be replanted over time, organic soy candles can be considered as a renewable energy resource. Opting for organic soy candles helps to preserve good air quality and lessens your risk of developing asthma and allergies. Organic soy candles are also often easy to clean and are washable with soap and water. They are practical, inexpensive and come in many different shapes and sizes to suit your needs. So go environment friendly, choose organic soy candles today.

SoyOrganicCandle.com

What Does a Bayberry Candle Signify?

Steeped in American history, bayberry candles have been given as gifts of prosperity and friendship for centuries. Their gentle aroma and sage green appearance make for a festive look on any table that is set for Christmas dinner. While the main significance of the bayberry candle is its historical tie to good wishes for the new year, bayberry candles have religious and cultural significance as well.

Colonial History

According to the National Candle Association, colonial women discovered that boiling the berries of the bayberry bush resulted in a sweet smelling wax with a clean burn. Legend has it that the group of women who discovered bayberry wax started the colonial tradition of giving bayberry candles as Christmas gifts. Since the extraction process was time consuming, bayberry candles diminished in popularity over the years.

Folklore

According to colonial folklore, sweethearts who are separated at Christmas should light bayberry candles to be united by the candle’s gentle aroma. In addition, burning a gifted bayberry candle down to the end on Christmas Eve will bring luck and good fortune for the following year. In fact there is a poem that has been passed down through the years. “A bayberry candle burned to the socket, will bring joy to the heart and gold to the pocket.”

Religious Significance

Many Christians believe that the light of the bayberry candle on Christmas Eve will welcome the Christ child into their homes. Legend states that the Bay Tree sheltered the holy family during a storm and as a result lightning will never strike it. Neo-pagans burn the bayberry candle for prosperity and happiness on Yule or the Winter Solstice.

Special Occasions

For the settlers, bayberry candles signified the special pleasures of Christmastime and they still do today. One pound of bayberry wax requires 15 pounds of bayberries. In addition, the process of extracting the wax is time consuming and difficult. Bayberry wax is made by boiling the berries then repeatedly skimming the wax from the top. Because of this tedious process, bayberry candles were only burned on special occasions during colonial times. They were valued for their delicate scent, but also for their rarity.

Welcome to SoyOrganicCandle.com. We are glad that you are here and are pleased to offer a large catalog of candles and candle related accessories. Our brand, Soy Organic Candle, is made here in Western Pennsylvania. You will find our candles in many shapes and sizes with a choice of eighteen standard candle fragrances and six special holiday fragrances. All of our candles are clean burning and with a great fragrance throw. In addition to our own product line, you will find an array of other specialty items like wood wicks, diffusers and fragrance bowls.

Our mission along with providing quality products is to provide you with excellent service. We know that good customer service is a key factor in your buying decisions and you CAN count on us to deliver the level of customer support that you need and deserve.

We hope you enjoy your shopping experience with us and we look forward to being your number one for choice for candles & more!!

John & Susan Byrnes

About us!

Early American Candle was established in 1962 by owners Elmer and Dorothy Byrnes in Wescosville, PA.  Elmer’s son, John and his wife, Susan are the current owners and relocated the business to Allison Park, PA in 1995. We are proud members of the International Guild of Candle Artisans. We continue to be a family owned business and we continue to enhance and expand our product line. In 2005, we started to manufacture our candles using soy based wax and have since trade marked our line as Soy Organic Candle.

We manufacture many types of jar, tealight, and pillar candles as well as other specialty candles. Our products have evolved over the years changing jar styles and fragrances to meet the needs of candle buyers everywhere. We sell our quality products directly to consumers online and through our retail store(The Early American Candle Shop) located in Allison Park, PA.

Customer Service Hours:

Monday-Friday

8:00AM to 5:00 PM.

Our Store Hours:

Monday-Saturday

10:00AM to 5:00 PM.

Soy Candles & Soy Wax Candle Information

This article is meant to raise awareness of the hazards involved with burning petroleum (paraffin) based scented candles in your home. The good news is that you don’t have to quit burning scented candles altogether. There is a safe alternative… soy wax candles or soy candles.

There are up to 11 carcinogen compound (cancer causing agents) found in paraffin candles. All 11 of these compounds have been considered “toxic air agents” by the State of California. There is supporting documentation that paraffin candle soot contains some of the compounds given off by burning diesel fuel. Are you concerned?

Many want to alleviate our dependencies on foreign oil. Although the scented candle industry has a small impact on our foreign oil dependency, most paraffin wax is manufactured from petroleum from foreign countries. Each year the “National Candle Association” estimates $2 billion in sales of scented candles and candle accessories. Although this number means little to the amount of actual barrels of crude oil needed to produce this amount of wax, it does tell us (with the majority of candles sold still being paraffin petrol based), that an enormous amount of paraffin wax is consumed in the United States.

By burning soy wax candles (soy candles), it makes a statement. It states that your scented candles or soy candles are truly American, from the farmer planting the soy bean, to the refinery extracting the oil, to the soy wax candle maker putting it all together for you. Soy candles are truly American made. Check out this soy wax candle maker : www.soyorganiccandle.com

There are lots of places to learn about soy wax and the scented soy wax candles that are made from it. If you need more information on soy wax candles, let us know. We are constantly searching for updated information concerning soy wax, paraffin wax, & soy candles.

The last thing we should worry about is our paraffin candles and what they are slowly doing to us! By burning soy candles, we have one less thing to worry about!

If cream colored velvet had a scent it would be CHARDONNAY. Soft sensual tendrils of lemon, peaches and oak wrap around you like a lover’s embrace. The overall effect is warm and inviting. It’s the perfect scent for a romantic moonlight dinner for two.

Soy candles are made from soy wax, which is hydrogenated soybean oil. Soy wax was invented in 1992 by Michael Richards who was looking for a cheaper alternative to beeswax. As he entered the candle industry he realized there was a growing demand for natural wax candles. Soy wax is often mixed with fragrances to produces scented soy candles. They are available in supermarkets and specialized stores and can also be bought online. It is also easy and very rewarding making soy candles at home.

Advantages of soy candles

Soy candles have to following advantages compared to paraffin wax candles:

Soy candles are cheap – Beeswax is a great natural alternative to paraffin, but to get the same results as a soy-based candle, it is very expensive. Soy wax is a new alternative to paraffin wax that is cost effective. Soy wax is also made from a renewable source.

Soy wax is all-natural – Soy wax is a favorite of environmentally conscious people because it is not made from petroleum, like paraffin candles. Burning of soy candles does not increase the CO2 level in the atmosphere.

Soy candles last longer – They can last up to 50% longer than paraffin candles.

Wax spills are easy to clean – It’s very difficult to remove paraffin wax from furniture or textiles. Soy wax spills can easily be cleaned up with hot soapy water.

Soy candles produce less soot – Soot should be avoided because it is very unhealthy and can eventually coat furniture and walls. Soy candles produce about 90% less soot that paraffin candles.

Scented soy candles distribute more flavor – The incorporation of soybean oil lowers the melting point of the candle, which translates into cooler burning candles and faster scent dispersion. The lower melting point of soy wax results in a larger size of the liquid wax pool around the candle wick. It is from this liquid wax pool that the fragrance oils evaporate into the atmosphere.

Benefits of Soy Candles

Why Burn Soy Candles?

Those who have burned soy already have seen the benefits of soy candles, both to both your health and the environment first hand. As with most soy wax candle websites, it’s our pleasure to present the facts, myths, and benefits of soy candles.

Clean Burning

One of the most famous benefits of soy candles is how clean they burn. Soy wax doesn’t not produce the black soot like paraffin does. While some might say “no soot”, it’s actually “little soot”. Everything that burns puts off smoke, and soy candles are no exception. However, the amount of smoke released from soy wax is so minimum, there are very few that notice it.

If you have ever had a soy wax candle in the past that did leave black soot around the jar, there are several reasons this may have happened. One explanation is it wasn’t 100% soy, but rather a soy/paraffin blend. Many advertise “soy candle” have unknown blends that you may not catch unless you search deep into their site. If it doesn’t say 100% or tell you what’s in the candles, watch out.

Another reason you see black soot could have been the use of metal wicks. While no candle made in the US has lead, they can have zinc. Zinc wicks are not toxic like lead, but they will produce more soot than cotton or hemp wicks.

There are other possible reasons, but those are a few.

Promoting American Farmers

Help the farmers and everyone benefits. Soy beans are grown in American fields, and processed into soy wax in the US as well. This is one of the most important benefits of soy candles!

You don’t have to be an economic major to know cheap paraffin candles made in other countries doesn’t benefit anyone but the big business selling it. Support our farmers and our economy!

Cost Effective

A point which sometimes isn’t included in many lists of the benefits of soy candles. You may be shocked by this point, but in many cases soy wax candles can be more cost effective than paraffin. Not only in quality, but in quantity too. Soy not only burns cleaner, but slower too. A soy candle can burn up to twice as long (sometimes even more!) than parafin, giving you twice the candle.

Wonderful Scent Throw

When it’s said that a candle scent “throws well”, this means it fills the room with a strong, lasting scent. Soy wax candles not only have a great scent throw, but also have a cleaner smell. It’s been noted by many that paraffin wax will give them headaches. Of course it’s not the scent itself, but the additional chemicals the paraffin is putting off. Because soy burns so clean, you’ll get a cleaner scent as well.

Facts & Myths About Soy Candles

Some information you may have seen about soy may or may not be true. For more reading on the facts and myths, our blog has articles and detailed information on the benefits of soy candles. See below for a list of important posts which cover facts, myths, and benefits of soy candles.

Planning a party? Then you are probably thinking about how you can make the event special. Candles, especially Tea Lights can be used to make the party elegant and fun.  They burn for about 5 hours, and are perfect for any décor. Here are some great ideas to “ LIGHT  UP” the party.
Everyone thinks about putting a candle in your bathroom but an even better idea is to fill your bathtub with water and float some Tea Lights. Yes they do float! It’s beautiful and even safer than that candle on the sink.
Need a centerpiece? How about a glass bowl with floating Tea Lights?  You can even add a goldfish or two to create a tropical theme.
Tea Lights placed in any type of glass holder can be strategically located in trees and throughout your yard or deck to create the sparkle that special gatherings need.