Seeking natural candle wax alternatives supporting domestic farming, rapeseed wax offers versatile capabilities as a quality renewable resource. Sometimes referred to as canola wax, rapeseed wax originates from oil pressed from small black rapeseeds in the mustard family. The plant thrives across Canada and northern U.S. states with cooler climates and short growing seasons less suited for other crops.

Rapeseed wax has become popular for candle making valuing sustainable sourcing near population centers and minimizing transport. The creamy wax also facilitates creativity through molding candles by hand benefiting artisanal approaches. Read on to discover more about ecologically friendly rapeseed wax!

What is Rapeseed Wax?

Rapeseed wax consists of saturated fats extracted when pressing rapeseeds for vegetable oil production. The crude pressed oil undergoes full refinement clearing free fatty acids, colorants, and odor compounds. Introducing extra hydrogen atoms through hydrogenation converts the purified liquid oils into solid fats optimal for candle and cosmetic applications. The resultant smooth, creamy wax offers a sustainable fuel burning cleanly with vibrant light supporting North American farmers.

Where Does Rapeseed Wax Come From?

While rapeseed variants thrive across northern latitudes internationally, the majority of wax sources from Canadian provinces and northern U.S. states with colder climates less hospitable growing soy or corn at scale. Peak harvest aligns with shorter mid-summer days while bitter winters limit pests minimizing agricultural chemical needs.

Abundant spring rains sustain crops relying less on irrigation infrastructure than in southern regions as well. Limited acreage requires rotating plots preventing soil nutrient stripping and increasing sustainability. Value-added rapeseed wax production supplements farmer income security through stable yield diversity and domestic processing.

How is Rapeseed Wax Made?

Producing rapeseed wax from the raw seeds undergoes a sequence of steps:

• Pressing – Extracting crude vegetable oil from seeds using expellers
• Refining – Treating oil with acids and filtration to remove impurities
• Bleaching – Activated clay lightens the color of the refined oil
• Deodorizing – High heat strips odor compounds and volatiles
• Hydrogenation – Liquid oils react with hydrogen converting to wax
• Cooling/Flaking – Wax cooled methodically into flakes for shipping

What are Rapeseed Candles?

Candles created using rapeseed wax provide a sustainable lighting alternative able to hold shape nicely. The domestically sourced wax offers qualities similar to soy wax but a harder finish. Rapeseed wax candles burn slowly with a subtly nutty aroma able to accept infused scents.

The wax also readily accepts liquid dyes for colorful candle vessels. Rapeseed wax performs well for container candles on its own but may use small blends with paraffin or beeswax where more rigid pillars or sculptures are desired. The renewable wax aligns well with eco-conscious consumerism practices.

Is Rapeseed Good for Candles?

Rapeseed wax makes fabulous candle material generating little soot or wax dust while burning evenly down full. Lending soft texture, rapeseed suits artistic approaches hand rolling candle designs, or embedding botanicals naturally with lower melting points. As candles render during burning, pressed flowers and fruits delicately suspend within the wax pool showcasing creativity elegantly.

Making rapeseed wax candles follows similar steps as traditional waxes. For container candles, the wax serves sufficiently on its own. Seeking rigid pillars or detailed sculptures, blending modest portions of beeswax or soy wax bolsters stability. But rapeseed wax offers beginner and experienced chandlers rewarding possibilities.

Benefits of Rapeseed Candles

Candles produced using rapeseed wax offer advantages like:

• Renewable Sourced & Sustainable – Regional crops rapidly replenished
• Natural Material from Plants – Made without any petrochemicals
• Lovely Light Emission – Inviting golden glow with negligible sooting
• Artistic Potential – Pliable textures facilitate hand-shaping candles
• Interesting Embedded Botanicals – Petals, beans, and twigs suspend attractively
• Slow Even Burn – Gradually releases fragrance as wax consumes
• Clean Non-Toxic Wax – Skin safe even for massage candles
• Supports Local Agriculture – Supplements income security through wax value-adding

Best Rapeseed Wax for Candles

Seeking refined and hydrogenated rapeseed wax with high melt points between 140°F and 150°F makes the best quality candles able to stand on their own. Fuller hydrogenation ensures the wax remains malleable when warmed but sets rigid at room temperatures keeping finished candle integrity.

The purification also removes excess fatty acids and odor compounds allowing dye and essential oils to feature cleanly. Top producers like Strahl & Pitsch Inc. and Frank B. Ross Co. offer rapeseed wax well suited for chandlery.

Rapeseed Wax Candles DIY

The supple texture of rapeseed wax makes getting started crafting candles easy. Follow this simple guide:

Materials:

• Rapeseed Wax Pastilles
• Pre-Tabbed Wicks
• Essential Oils
• Containers – Heat Resistant Glass
• Double Boiler
• Spoon & Thermometer

Instructions:

• Slowly melt wax using a double boiler up to 175°F
• Remove from heat; add essential oils – about 1⁄2 tsp per cup of wax
• Carefully layer a small amount of wax; press in botanicals if using
• Pour the remainder wax around the anchored wick.
• Allow to fully cool for 48 hours undisturbed.
• Trim the wick then enjoy your botanical glowing creation!

Feel free to shape wax around objects like stones or cookie cutters!

Why Use Rapeseed Wax for Candles?

Beyond sustainability supporting regional economies, rapeseed wax provides advantageous candle-making attributes:

• Rendered from annually renewable robust rotational crops
• Concentrated North American sourcing minimizes supply chain emissions
• Lovely luminous glow from low soot slow burn
• Excellent carrier of subtle essential oil aromas
• Doughy malleable texture facilitates hand-pressed sculptures
• Refined for pure blank palette accepting dyes and pigments nicely
• Supports domestic agriculture through value-added wax production

How to Use Rapeseed Wax for Candles

Working with adaptable rapeseed wax follows similar guidelines as other waxes:

• Use a double boiler to gently melt the wax to 175°F-185°F
• Test oil solubility as some may seize wax structure
• Embed botanicals or sculptures at lower temperatures
• Pour wax around 135°F for containers; and 100°F for pillars
• Cool candles gradually to maximize the appearance
• Allow 48 hours cure time before burning

Take advantage of mutable rapeseed warming for manipulating unique shapes naturally!

Why is Rapeseed Wax Expensive?

While rapeseed wax remains affordably priced for home crafting averaging $8-12 per pound online, costs exceed commercial paraffin wax that comes as an abundant petrochemical byproduct. Hydogenating and purifying smaller batched specialty oil pressings from rapeseed mechanical crushing contributes to increased expenses over directly refined crude oil waxes.

However, supporting regenerative domestic agriculture and minimizing processing emissions offsets premium pricing for many patrons. Renewable crop cultivation adds value justifying the modest bump cost-wise.

Rapeseed Wax Candle Recipe

Once comfortable using rapeseed wax, have fun with this textured honeycomb candle:

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Rapeseed Wax Pastilles
• 1 Cup Beeswax Pastilles
• Sheet of Honeycomb
• Essential Oils – Clover, Orange Blossom
• Heat Proof Glass & Wick

Directions:

• Carefully break the honeycomb into small chunks
• Combine waxes in a double boiler until melted
• Remove from heat; add honeycomb soaking for 5 minutes
• Add essential oils and briefly return to heat to incorporate
• Pour 170°F wax with suspended honeycomb chunks around the wick.
• Let fully cure for 48 hours undisturbed
• Spark wick releasing lovely hive glow!

Explore more botanical inclusions like dried flower petals or spice blends based on the season!

Environmental Impact

As an annually renewable regional crop, rapeseed wax offers environmental advantages over petroleum-based paraffin wax including:

• Provides income for North American farmers through sustainable practices
• Short-growing seasons in northern climates need fewer inputs
• Tough plants require less water, fertilizers, or pest mitigation
• Wax byproduct adds small batch supplemental income streaming
• Clean burning with negligible contaminants released
• Biodegrades preventing accumulation

The renewability, low emission production, and decomposing properties give rapeseed wax candles a favored status as an eco-friendly alternative supporting smaller local wax processors.

Beeswax vs Rapeseed Wax

• Source – Beeswax is produced by honey bees to build the honeycomb structures in their hives. Rapeseed wax comes from rapeseed oil, extracted from rapeseed plants.
• Scent – Beeswax has a mild honey-like aroma. Rapeseed wax has very little scent, resulting in a neutral product.
• Texture – Beeswax is quite hard and brittle. It can crack or crumble when handled roughly. Rapeseed wax is more pliable and flexible.
• Price – As a by-product of beekeeping, beeswax is relatively expensive, especially for pure varieties. Rapeseed wax is affordable as rapeseed oil is common.
• Natural Status – Beeswax is 100% natural. Rapeseed wax is considered semi-natural, as it undergoes processing to extract and filter the wax.

Soy Wax vs Rapeseed Wax

• Source – Soy wax starts with hydrogenated soybean oil. The wax portion is separated. Rapeseed wax comes from processed rapeseed oil.
• Scent – Soy wax has a faint, beany, or nutty aroma resembling soybeans. Rapeseed wax has very little scent.
• Fragrance Properties – The porous nature of soy wax makes it excellent at retaining fragrances. Rapeseed wax holds some fragrances moderately well.
• Texture – Soy wax is soft and smooth, with a creamy texture. Rapeseed wax is quite firm in texture but still flexible.
• Natural Status – Soy wax can claim to be a natural wax. Rapeseed wax is semi-natural due to chemical processing methods.

Paraffin Wax

• Source – Paraffin wax is extracted from petroleum sources during oil refining. It is a byproduct of crude oil processing.
• Scent and Fragrance – Paraffin wax has virtually no scent of its own and does not absorb or retain fragrances well.
• Texture – The wax crystals bond tightly, creating a hard, brittle texture that easily cracks or crumbles.
• Environmental Impact – As a petrochemical byproduct, paraffin has raised sustainability concerns compared to bio-based waxes.
• Natural Status – Paraffin wax is completely synthetic with no naturally derived ingredients.

In conclusion, with remarkable performance rivaling paraffin and ethically sourced regional origins, rapeseed wax delivers versatile candle-making capabilities supporting sustainable family farms. The supple doughy wax enables small batch artisans creative freedoms hand pressing candles or suspending attractive embedded botanicals. Vibrant dyes take nicely for personalized color patterns.

Rapeseed wax container candles make easy novice projects while more advanced recipes allow unlimited creativity. Eco-conscious consumers seeking to support regenerative agriculture within its seasonal landscape find rapeseed provides affordable abundant renewable wax through northern growing belts. For customizable candle confections that stand out using ethical domestic ingredients, explore delightful rapeseed wax!