Candles are the ultimate good green gift!
Whether it’s a birthday, for a Hostess, a Housewarming, a Wedding, a thank you, or almost any holiday… there is no situation I can think of where a candle is not an always-acceptable and always appreciated gift.
The National Candle Association research says that nine out of ten people use candles as a focal point for their interior home décor as well as exterior like patios and yards, because candles can create the perfect atmosphere, making people feel cozy and likely to be more intimate. They also appreciate the way candles provide aromatherapy-like relaxation and stress reduction. That’s just two of the many reasons we think candles are the perfect indulgent, luxury gift.
But we know the eco-conscious gift-giver wants to make eco-friendly (as well as eco-chic) candle choices. Since we get a lot of questions from our customers wondering what they should be looking for, we want to answer that question here:
Can a candle be a good, natural, or green gift? The answer is YES!
(As long as you check for two things: Wax and Wick.)
Our Good Gift Naturally Candles always have lead free wicks and wax made from sustainable, renewable resources.
Soy Candles in Recycled Wine Bottles
But to break it down so you know why, let’s start with WAX.
A lot of candles are made from Paraffin Wax. Paraffin is a petroleum product. Some argue that paraffin is natural, since it comes from petroleum. Although that is true petroleum is NOT a RENEWABLE resource, it causes pollution in its production and, in its wax form, burns certain chemical compounds, so we do not find Paraffin to be green or planet-friendly.
The two green-est options for candle wax are Sox and Beeswax because both are renewable. Beeswax that can be produced fresh every year by worker bees and soy can come from a new crop of soy beans each season.
Soy candle wax has another benefit in that it is produced here in the United States as soy bean crops have increased exponentially! By using soy candle wax in your candles you help American farmers, help soy wax producers, and you are using a cleaner burning candle that is made from a renewable resource, which is why we think soy candles are the best!
Since the one out of the ten people mentioned above that don’t use candles frequently say it gives them a headache, which is often caused by the chemicals burning in the paraffin, you might just be changing someone’s life by giving them the gift of a soy candle!
Next, the WICK:
Candle Soot can also cause headaches and indoor air pollution, which is where the wick becomes important. Wicks can have metal cores – which is the last thing you want. Instead, look for 100% cotton wicks, cotton wicks with paper cores or even hemp wicks.
Pillars candles are popular, but if you do like candles encased in glass, the greenest way to go is a candle encased in a recycled material, like our Dreambean Reserve Soy Candles in Recycled Wine Bottles. These handmade beauties are perfect for events like wedding and baby showers, dinner parties etc because they are unscented. Instead of a scent ‘war’ between a candle and delicious aroma of your food, you get a luminous glow that makes everything on the plate look extra sumptuous. These fragrance-free candles are also perfect gifts for people who may have scent allergies.
For those who want to give the gift of indulgent relaxation, after you check about wax & wick, go for a candle labeled with the words “spa” or “aromatherapy”. Scents can positively affect mood by triggering memories, aiding concentration or inducing calm, but that usually works best if the scents are made from essential oils, rather than an inorganic chemical mix. We love Dreambeam’s Spa Candles for just that reason – the natural scents and clean burn make for a scrumptious aromatherapy experience.
Spa Candle Set
By the way, we offer Dreambean eco home & bath products because in addition to them being an eco-friendly and socially responsible line, everything they sell is made by participants of Bright Endeavors by New Moms Inc. in Chicago which finds permanent job placement for the young women that lovingly create and package each product! Ultimately at Good Gifts Naturally we strive to provide products that give on more than one level , so not only is your gift of a candle going to be enjoyed the recipient, the gift-giver knows they helped create the opportunity for someone to have a future rich with personal achievement, confidence and self-respect and the product they purchased is green… which makes a candle more than just a good gift, it becomes a GOOD GIFT NATURALLY!
To read more about Bright Endeavors, click HERE.
To check out our full offerings of Good Gifts Naturally Candles click here.
