I’m sure you have noticed that the majority of ‘sustainable’ and ‘natural’ candles are produced using Soy wax, however due to insufficient regulations these marketing buzzwords don’t always reflect a candle’s ingredients or ethical production.
Soy wax can be seen as unsustainable due to the way it is produced. This can be understood through the significant spotlight put on the Soybean industry, due to its soaring expansion, which is raising concerns regarding its environmental effects.
Soy is derived from Soybeans which happens to be the second largest agricultural driver of deforestation worldwide following the beef industry (World Wildlife Fund). Due to its soaring demand and numerous uses including 90% being used as animal feed in order to produce cheap meat and dairy, Soya beans are grown on an industrial scale thus having a multitude of negative environmental and social economic impacts, despite this 3 million tons of soy is still exported each year.
Due to the recent expansion of soy production on an immense global scale, vast areas of the Amazon, Cerrado, Savannah and Gran Chaco have been cleared, threatening biodiversity and ecosystems. 30 million acres of the amazon are lost each year due to the production of soy; this is equivalent to 1 football pitch every 2 seconds! The sad truth is, if these extreme measures continue, it is estimated that the Amazon will only be able to sustain for another 20 years.
Having been made aware of the astonishing facts of the Soy industry, Pampae has opted for a more environmentally friendly alternative. Our wax is organically sourced from coconuts releasing a natural earthy scent and clean burn. Coconut wax doesn’t contain any genetically modified ingredients, is biodegradable and vegan friendly!
We recommend carrying out your own due diligence when purchasing products which claim to be ‘Natural’ and ‘Sustainable’. By taking responsibility in this way and becoming conscious consumers, we can do our part to protect our beautiful home, planet Earth, and pave the way for a more sustainable future.