11 Eco-Friendly Sustainable Candles For A Clean Burn
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Say goodbye to boring old candles and hello to sustainable candle goodness! Sustainable candles are an eco-friendly and healthy alternative to conventional candles.
Instead of using petroleum-based paraffin wax and synthetic fragrances that can release harmful chemicals, sustainable candles are made with natural and renewable materials like soy wax or beeswax and scented with essential oils for a more natural aroma.
Plus, their production process often involves recycled materials and biodegradable or reusable containers, making them the environmentally conscious choice.
Organic, eco-friendly candles
Eco Friendly Sustainable Candles I Love
Sustainable candles are better for the planet and make your home smell amazing without any adverse health effects—no more sneezing or wheezing from the harmful chemicals released by conventional candles. Instead, you can breathe easily and enjoy the natural scents from their ingredients.
Before you light up a sustainable candle, read the guide at the bottom of this post to help you when you shop.
1. Siblings
A clear labor of love, Siblings offers a wide range of Do-It-Yourself candles with a keen eye for ingredients, packaging, and environmental impact. Most candles on the market are still mass-produced using paraffin, a petroleum byproduct.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to breathe in burning paraffin, and Siblings have the answer. They make sure their candles are phthalate & paraben-free, using clean ingredients like non-toxic oils and a coconut blend wax.
By offering this DIY approach, Siblings also puts production in our hands, making it possible to craft candles right at home rather than in a factory. This also helps with the waste associated with the packaging on several fronts.
We can easily reuse our empty candle containers by making the candles ourselves. Plus, the packaging for their candle pouches is plant-based and compostable.
With a clear commitment to greater sustainability, Siblings is also carbon neutral. They have offset their carbon footprint since their founding year in partnership with Pachama. This organization works to restore forests, protect ecosystems, and leverages data and technology to improve carbon markets.
Get started with their starter set, and don’t forget to add a wick trimmer if you need one. You can also try their bundle and save options, or shop their lovely selection by scent (olfactory) featuring options like citrus, earthy, fruity, spiced, woody, or fragrance-free.
Or shop by moods like energize, focus, relax, rejuvenate, cozy or romantic. That is possible if you want to purchase their candles or vessels. No need to buy more than what you need. A great gift option for the crafty candle lovers in your life.
2. Planted
Planted's 100% natural, sustainable candles are hand-poured, GMO-free, and made with natural waxes like soy and coconut. They are also certified cruelty-free. Burning these vegan candles will not increase the CO2 in your home—I love that! Plus, every time you purchase one of Planted's scented sustainable candles, they plant a tree on your behalf.
These eco-friendly candles are scented using pure essential oils and natural aromatic essences like vanilla and coconut. They are completely phthalate-free and free of any artificial compounds or fragrances. You can choose from Calming Lavender, Energizing Eucalyptus, or Peaceful Jasmine, to name a few.
One of the things I admire about this brand is a program they run called "Project Re-Cycle." They take the production and lifecycle of their packaging and materials into account and offer a take-back program to ensure all of their well-loved packaging can be reused or recycled. You can reuse the glass as a cocktail tumbler or mini flower vase.
Their gorgeous containers can be reused up to 10 times. They also offer a refill program, so if you love a jar and can't live without it, email them, and they will be happy to light that flame again!
Their 9oz candles will burn brightly for at least 50 hours! I've been using and love the Energizing Eucalyptus — a soft scent that fills the room and makes my home feel so happy. I love every detail of this candle. They have beautiful, sustainable skincare if you are looking for that!
3. The Growing Candle
For beautifully scented eco-friendly candles we recommend The Growing Candle! A perfect gift for Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, or the holidays, all of their candles are thoughtfully packaged and ship plastic-free.
The candles are made from soy wax, non-toxic fragrances, and cotton wicks, and they are manufactured in Toledo, Ohio if you are looking for Made in the USA products.
We tried the Astrid (Spice + Fire) and the Greta (Coffee + Cream) and loved how they filled the room with lovely aromas well after we turned them off. Check out their fragrance guide to learn more about the different fragrance options. There are lots to choose from!
Best of all, the beautiful vessels they come in double as planters for the seed paper labels around the candle so make sure to keep the label when you are ready to plant! Just soak the entire label overnight and follow their simple instructions to get different wildflower blends. Talk about thoughtfully crafted!
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4. UpRoot Design Studio
We tried the Hey Beautiful soy wood wick candle from UpRoot Design Studio and couldn’t be happier with it! It comes in a metal tin can, burns well, and emits a pleasantly sweet and floral scent. The wood wick ensures a smooth burn, though the fragrance becomes more noticeable after the second or third burn. Now, it's one of my favorite candles. Additionally, a portion of the profits from every purchase goes to charitable causes. There are quite a few other scent options to choose from, so have a look around for your favorites!
The founders of UpRoot Design Studio use their backgrounds in illustration and green product design to create products that encourage sustainable living. Their commitment to combining practicality with creativity shines through in their unique, eco-friendly candle line.
5. Simple Ritual
Simple Ritual makes some of the best sustainable candles with a fun vintage vibe. They make clean-burning, toxin-free, vegan soy wax candles repurposed with forgotten vintage glass found locally in Ontario, Canada. I mean, does it get any better?
You can buy non-toxic scented candles in vintage jars or tins that can be repurposed when your candle burns out.
Their non-GMO, eco-friendly candles use paraben- and phthalate-free premium fragrances and pure essential oils. The owner Kayla is a cancer survivor and takes this stuff seriously.
Premium fragrance oils are produced using only the purest essential oils derived solely from natural, raw botanical sources. The wick is also made from cotton, so there is no lead here.
The soy wax is as pure as its gets and is sourced from the USA from a company that offers sustainable processes and supply chain procedures. Plant-based waxes are a completely natural renewable resource and the preferred choice in the journey toward sustainability.
The team at Simple Ritual is passionate about making products that prioritize sustainability by re-purposing old materials, and they are also really serious about giving back. A percentage of every candle sold goes to Young Adult Cancer Canada (YACC), an organization that supports young adults living with, through, and beyond cancer.
These beautifully scented candles are anything but simple. Each candle selection is made in small batches and can be refilled.
The vintage candle I have came in a little red wine glass that will be my wine glass of choice once the candle is done. It's a little treasure, and I love it so much I almost don't want to light it!
6. Vellabox
Vellabox is the definition of cozy with their artisan candles delivered to your door monthly. You know I love a good subscription box, and this one is next level. They carry a wide selection of artisan candles that I am sure you will love.
All the candles featured on their website are made with 100% natural wax and scented with essential oils. You can choose from soy candles or eco-friendly wax candles like coconut. All the wicks are cotton braided.
I got to try a few of the artisan brands. Nightshift Wax Co.'s vegan soy candle is divine and made with 100% vegan soy. If I could drink the Earl Grey candle, I would! It's infused with bergamot and dried lily is vegan and cruelty-free, and comes in a gorgeous amber jar that you can easily reuse when you finish it.
The Nordic Cabin non-toxic candles are hand poured for Vellabox and come in two sizes: 8oz and 4oz. Each is beautifully scented and comes in a clear jar to keep and upcycle. If roasted chestnuts and cedarwood are your vibes, you will LOVE this brand. They make me want to be in a cabin right now!
Then there is the Often Wander candle, pictured above, which comes in a gorgeous glass vessel that will be a treasure in my home for a long time. Often Wander candles are made with 100% natural soy wax, quality essential and fragrance oils, and a cotton wick.
Clean and slow-burning, these 6-ounce smooth and creamy soy candles have a 40-hour burn time. They're hand-poured in San Francisco and San Diego, CA.
To order this sustainable candle subscription box, pick the perfect box, choose three candles, get candles to your door monthly, and set the mood. The costs start as low as $10 US/month. What an amazing gift idea!
7. GOODEE
Goodee is a black-owned business that is made up of a community of socially conscious design enthusiasts. Their ethically curated marketplace offers everything from houseware to better lifestyle products for you and the planet. And, of course, that includes candles.
The delectable candles from KOBO come in scents like thyme and calendula. Each unique, sustainable candle is made in the USA with 100% GMO-free soy wax. They use enviro-safe cotton wicks to provide a pure and clean flame that will not pollute your home.
Every candle is free of additives, dyes, phthalates, and oil-based petroleum products. Every candle is hand-poured in their family-run facility near Saratoga Springs, New York.
When you buy one of these candles from GOODEE, a portion of the sales are donated to disenfranchised groups that are specific to the brand's cultural and social community.
To reduce waste, GOODEE uses ingredients from upcycled materials, including scrap and "repurposed materials from discarded goods."
GOODEE is all about poverty reduction by ensuring a fair living wage for all supply chain workers. They also care about gender advocacy by supporting female leadership and promoting a circular economy to minimize waste.
8. Lohn
Lohn makes soy blend wax candles that are so elegant and beautiful. Engage your senses with their collection of scents that include Grapefruit & Rhubarb, Cardamom & Coconut, or Amber & Vetiver.
Lohn came onto the scene in Toronto back in 2018. They hand-pour all of their candles in-house in Toronto. These candles are infused with clean scents, made with coconut and soy wax, and come in recyclable packaging. The wick is cotton, and every candle is vegan, cruelty-free, and non-toxic.
"LOHN scents are inspired by journeys that transport you to another time and place. In the ancient world, trade routes partly developed around the pursuit of perfume ingredients and materials like amber, tea, and spices."
The Forage collection is made with 100% essential oils. Each candle is paraben-free, phthalate-free, and preservative-free. They do use some synthetic fragrances, but all the raw ingredients are sourced locally and sustainably.
9. Obakki
Obakki is one of my favorite alternatives to Amazon. It's a Canadian brand that offers an eclectic list of artisan home goods, which of course include some of the best sustainable candles!
Their Totem candles are handmade in Japan by a family in Ishikawa, who has been handcrafting these traditional Japanese candles, also known as 'wa-rousoku', in the same way since 1892.
These vegan and sustainable candles are made from wax that is harvested from the fruit of the Japanese Haze tree, and their unique hollow wicks allow them to produce a bright, tall flame. I mean just look at them—candle art, am I right?
Obakki is one of the most sustainable Canadian brands that works closely with artisans worldwide. All the items are handmade by talented artisans using local materials while protecting traditional methods.
Long-term relationships are what make Obakki so successful. Sustainable local livelihood is of the utmost importance. They co-create products that respect and preserve tradition. They follow the supply chain and ensure fair and prompt payment for all their artisans.
The founder Trina also founded a non-profit called The Obakki Foundation. They sum it up perfectly on the website:
"We support potential and transformed lives measure our results. By identifying gaps and strategically investing in sustainable solutions, we can facilitate real and lasting change. We're proud of our 100% model - when you donate to the Obakki Foundation, 100% of your contribution goes directly to our programs."
10. P.F. Candle Co.
In 2008, the humble origins of P.F. Candle Co took root when a husband and wife team, Thomas Neuberger and Kristen Pumphrey, founded the company. They were driven by the desire to provide people with high-quality candles that have a luxurious scent, yet remain affordable.
P.F. Candle Co opts for domestically sourced 100% soy wax and phthalate-free ingredients, they also take pride in producing high-quality and dependable products. They meticulously develop, produce, test, and package each item by hand in their Los Angeles, California warehouse to meet the strictest standards of quality.
In their efforts to create sustainable products, their jars are recyclable and can be repurposed. The company encourages customers to reuse the candle jars creatively by using them as storage containers, and vases, and even creating diffusers with lava rocks and essential oils.
Their vision is to make fragrance an everyday indulgence, while also being socially responsible. Kristen's DIY mindset was honed when she lost her job during the recession and moved to Austin, Texas.
She started her Etsy store there and met Thomas, and together they turned their passion for creating exceptional candles into a successful startup!
11. Fontana Candle
These candles are made from coconut oil and beeswax! We absolutely love that. Plus, like all of Fontana Candle Co.’s products, they are MADE SAFE certified, so you can rest assured that there are no toxic ingredients or chemicals here.
We tried the Wildflower Citrus Candle and the Lavender Vanilla Tangerine, two of Fontana’s best-sellers, and found them to burn evenly and very lightly scented, but there are lots of different scent options to choose from, including the Home Sweet Home Spiced Latte Candle, the Cheers! Congratulations Cinnamon Orange Clove Candle or the Pure Vanilla, to name a few.
For the best burn, let the wax pool to the edges the first time you light the candle and trim the wick to approximately ¼” (you can do this with your hands) before lighting. Avoid burning for more than 4 hours at a time.
You will also find lots of other goodies here, like wax melts, luscious lip balm, and beautifully scented bar soap. Shipping is plastic-free.
Why switch to non-toxic and sustainable candles?
The candle industry, valued at around $3.5 billion, primarily uses paraffin wax—a petroleum byproduct that contributes to global warming when burned, releasing carbon and potentially harmful gases into your home. These emissions can decrease indoor air quality and leave behind volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Additionally, many paraffin candles contain phthalates linked to health issues and may have lead in their wicks, further polluting your air.
Moreover, candles made from palm wax support deforestation in regions like Indonesia and Malaysia, threatening biodiversity and contributing to the extinction of species like the Orangutan.
Opting for eco-friendly alternatives like beeswax, soy, or coconut wax candles is better for the environment and your health. These materials burn cleaner and are sourced more sustainably.
Beeswax supports local beekeepers, though it’s important to ensure it's 100% pure as some may contain harmful additives. Soy candles are a viable vegan option, preferably organic and non-GMO to avoid pesticides and deforestation issues.
For more detailed guidance, check out our blog on how to shop for sustainable candles.
Christopher
says:You can take a look at Cernunnos Farms as well. Pure beeswax candles, locally sourced and crafted.
Candice Batista
says:Thanks for the tip, we will take a look.