Candle Making

Candles have been used to provide both illumination and warmth for thousands of years and have been manufactured using a variety of techniques. Modern candle making consists of melting wax, then pouring it into a mold or glass container, inserting the wick and allowing the wax to harden. Dyes and fragrances can be added to the melted wax to produce different colored and scented candles

Fast Facts

1. Annual U.S. retail candle sales exceed $2 billion
2. Candles are used in 7 out of 10 U.S. households
3. Rathbornes Candles, in Dublin Ireland, has been in business since 1488
4. Beginning in 1415, tallow candles were used as streetlights in London, England for hundreds of years
5. Candles have a long history of use in many religious ceremonies
6. Types of wax used in modern candle making:
   1. Paraffin
   2. Beeswax
   3. Soy bean wax
   4. Carnauba (palm) wax

History

Although the Ancient Egyptians made beeswax candles as early as 3,000 B.C., most early candles were made from whale or other animal fats until the mid 19th century when paraffin manufacturing developed. Paraffin wax produced longer burning, less unpleasant smelling and more affordable candles than those made from animal fats. Paraffin remains the most popular candle wax, although modern candles are most often used for decorative purposes rather than for lighting or warmth.

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