How are Soy Wax Candles manufactured?

Soy Wax candles are produced using the natural oil from Soybeans, however a range of other non-soy products are added in order to change the aroma and characteristics of the Soy wax candle. Oil is extracted from the Soybean through a complex process usually involving mechanical pressing and/or solvent extraction. Mechanical extraction (also known as Expeller Pressing) is a machine driven process used to extract oil from natural products, including Soybeans. Raw materials are placed under significant compressive forces which result in the expulsion of the natural oils from within. Typically, for every six kilograms of soybeans, one kilogram of oil can be extracted.

After this extraction process, the raw oil needs to be refined and bleached in order to remove any impurities and improve the overall quality of the natural soybean oil. Soy Wax candles are environmentally friendly products, whereby the remaining soy bean husks can be reused as cattle feed or fertilizer.
After the Soybean oil has been extracted, the oil then goes through the process of hydrogenation. This is a chemical process whereby hydrogen is added to the oil, which assists the oil solidifying and forming a solid wax. During this process, a range of other natural compounds and fragrances are added in order to give the scented candle is smoothing aroma, as well as to increase its melting temperature.

In a typical Soy wax candle, the melting point ranges from around 50 – 90 degrees Celsius, however there are a range of factors which can influence an individual soy wax candle’s melting point. A range of natural additives can impact the chemical structure of the soy candle and increase its melting point.

While still in a heated liquid state, the oil is poured into the desired container which has the natural braided cotton wick already in place. After the Soy oil has been poured, the container is careful taken away from any heat sources and is allowed to solidify into a natural scented soy wax candle.