Big Wick Energy
While fragrance undoubtedly steals the spotlight, it's the humble wick that truly shines as the MVP of any candle. Any seasoned candle maker knows that simply adding more fragrance to a candle doesn't guarantee a great-smelling outcome—the real secret lies in finding the perfect wick for the job!
A Needle in a Haystack
The purpose of a candle wick is to deliver fuel (wax and fragrance oil) to the flame. Wicks come in all sizes and materials, with hundreds of options to choose from.
Cotton wicks are the most common, available in coreless form or with cotton, paper, and zinc cores to keep them upright. They come in various braiding styles for different burning effects and can be coated in different waxes.
Wooden wicks have surged in popularity in recent years and are a personal favorite of ours. They come in different shapes, sizes, and sounds—from whispering to crackling—and are almost always uncoated.
Finding the perfect wick can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack, especially considering that a wick that works for one fragrance may not work for another. Most makers often test multiple wicks before finding the right one.
The Perfect Wick
Our "perfect wick" consists of five different X-wicks, each with slight variations in width or thickness. Made from FSC Certified Wood here in the US, our wicks are untreated and all-natural, forming a playful pyramid-shaped flame when lit.
What does FSC Certified mean? It stands for the Forest Stewardship Council, ensuring our wicks come from responsibly managed forests.
The perfect wick should:
Be strong enough to melt the top layer of wax without burning too quickly. Absorb melted wax to fuel the flame steadily without becoming sooty. Keep the wax at the perfect temperature to release fragrance without producing a fuel smell. Extinguish with a single gentle blow without smoldering or smoking. Above all, the perfect wick should be safe, considering candles are essentially tiny indoor bonfires.
Did you know that the candle industry is largely unregulated? While this allows people from all backgrounds to start their own businesses, it also means there are many poorly made candles out there. We adhere to the voluntary standards set by the NCA (The National Candle Association) for wick functionality and safety, testing each of our candles against these standards.
It took us nearly two years of rigorous testing to narrow down our wick selection to our chosen five. And with each new fragrance launch, it takes us about four months from concept to production to ensure the safety and functionality of our wicks.
Now go read our blog on why it's important to trim your wick!
Sources:
https://candles.org/elements-of-a-candle/wicks/
https://us.fsc.org/en-us/who-we-are
https://candles.org/industry-standards/