A Bit of Candle History

Candles- Not much has changed!

Candles have been around for over 5000 years. Independently developed by many great civilisations- the Romans, Greeks, Egyptians and Chinese to name but a few.

All you need is some fat and something to make a wick from. Various animal and plant fats have been used over the millennia- sperm whale blubber was even a popular medium during the whaling heights of the 18th and 19th centuries! During the industrial revolution, paraffin candles were introduced as a cheap alternative, being a by-product of the oil industry.

Although the candles themselves haven't changed massively, they have gone from being an essential commodity and provider of light, to being something we largely associate with leisure and relaxation. There's something really cosy and primitive about having a small, tame flickering flame dancing nearby- and even better if it smells amazing!

Although fragranced candles have recorded as far back as 500 BC, outside of religious ritual they didn't really become popular until the late 20th century. In 1969, the founder of Yankee Candle reportedly melted some crayons and turned his creation into a "scented candle" for his mother. We have no idea what it smelled like, but just over 40 years later the company sold for nearly 2 billion dollars so he must have figured something right.

The worldwide scented candle industry is now worth many billions of dollars a year- that's an awful lot of candles!

Sadly, the most popular wax type is still paraffin- and that's not great for the environment. While some switch to soy as a more "environmentally friendly" option, soy wax is still not great for the environment. Although better than paraffin, the largest producers of soy candle wax by far are Brazil and the USA. Nearly all soybeans are genetically modified here, and are farmed on vast monoculture farms- with some created from deforesting virgin rainforest. This is bad for biodiversity and our planet. In fact, as paraffin is a by-product while soy is a main crop, there's an argument to be had about which might be doing the most damage.

Our wax blend is a mix of European rapeseed and Southeast Asian coconut oil. It's GMO free. Rapeseed is usually grown as a "rotation"crop, which is better for soil health and biodiversity. Coconut palms require little water and produce a high oil yield- which makes the combination a winning choice for sustainability.

Candles have been used for thousands of years for different purposes- sometimes through necessity, sometimes for ritual, and now usually for leisure. Thanks to the internet and global supply chains, we now have a vast amount of choice- but also increased knowledge about the impact we have on our planet and the need to make sustainable choices.

At Fýri, every decision is guided by the core principle of doing things in the most sustainable way we can. We hope this is evident in our products, and in our transparency. Feel free to contact us with any questions or comments you may have!