Our Beeswax
Our Process
Our beeswax is filtered via a natural clay process that cleans the wax of impurities, yet allows the wax to retain its inherent color and aroma. Our candles are produced by hand in small batches.
Our Wax
At Big Dipper Wax Works, we strive to use the highest quality ingredients in our candles. That's why we are committed to making 100% pure beeswax candles. Most of the beeswax we use is collected from Northwest beekeepers, including British Columbia. The crops in this region rank lowest in exposure to pesticides in North America and is the highest quality beeswax available.
As our business grows, we have had to expand our wax resources outside of the North American channel and are exploring global wax sourcing. We are actively pursuing fair trade partnerships with beekeepers in several foreign countries. We are currently sourcing about 25% of our wax globally. We have hand selected the wax and run extensive testing to insure it is up to our high quality standards.
Color
Beeswax gets its wonderful natural color and honey-like fragrance from the pollen and nectar of the flowers the bees are pollinating. The color often depends on what particular crop the bees are pollinating. Dark berries, like blueberries or blackberries, will derive a much darker, browner wax. Clover, however, will result in a brighter, golden tone. Our colored beeswax candles are dyed with eco-friendly dyes that do not contain hazardous solvents or additives such as naphtha or naphthalene. Our dyes are never tested on animals. All of our candles are handmade, and the beeswax is never 100% consistent in shade, so there may be variations in color.
Soy Wax (Citronella Candles Only)
To make our citronella candles last longer outdoors and work effectively as insect repellent, they include a mixture of beeswax, soy wax, and essential oils. Of course, all of our other candles are only made with beeswax. Soy wax is an eco-friendly, renewable alternative to paraffin wax. Oil is extracted from the soybeans and hydrogenated. This process alters the melting point of the soy oil, making it a solid at room temperature. Our soy wax is made from soybeans grown by farmers in the United Sates. Soybeans are a completely renewable resource (in contrast to paraffin). While global reserves of oil continue to shrink, the American farming industry can continue to supply the demand for this crop. Soy wax is a very clean burning wax with reduced carbon buildup and no pollutants. There are many choices when purchasing candles, and soy wax is an excellent option.