Wooden Wick FAQ
We are so pleased to announce that our 100% soy candles are now exclusively made with wooden wicks!
Why this change, you ask? Great question!
Wooden wicks offer several benefits over traditional candle wicks. We continue to pursue sustainability and making changes in favor of the health of our environment, so switching to using wooden wicks is a no brainer!
Do wood wicks burn cleaner than cotton wicks?
Yes! Wooden wicks burn much cleaner, and while they don’t get the carbon build-up that needs to be trimmed off of cotton wicks, they will develop a slight amount of ash at the tip of the wick. The ash can be easily broken off when cool before relighting or cut using a wick trimmer. Cotton wicks will often “mushroom” or “bloom.” Wooden wicks don’t – basically, that means that they don’t create a ugly black ball on the top of the wick that lingers and smokes after burning for a while.
How short do I need to trim wood wicks?
Wood wicks need to be trimmed to get the most out of the candle, but they need to be trimmed even shorter than a cotton wick. A wood wick needs to be trimmed to about 1/8” to burn well and produce a nice, low flame.
Sometimes, if there is too much ash build-up, you will notice the flame getting smaller, but once you remove it, the flame comes right back to life. Just be careful not to leave any debris in your candle and follow all of the standard candle burning safety guidelines.
How do I trim a wood wick?
The best way to trim a wood wick (or any wick for that matter) is to use a wick trimmer. These are particularly angled scissors specifically designed for reaching into narrow candle containers to trim wicks. If you don't have a wick trimmer, you can find one on our merch page. Or, alternatively, you can use a pair of nail clippers to carefully trim excess wick. Be extra cautious to remove any debris from the candle before burning.
I know traditional wicks can sometimes have lead or other chemicals in them. Are there any similar concerns with wood wicks?
There is nothing added to a wood wick; it's simply made of wood. No accelerants, paraffin or lead, as can be found in some cotton wicks.
One more cool perk is that wood wicks softly crackle when lit! If you like a tiny fireplace crackling merrily on your table, then our candles are right for you! Candles already provide cozy ambiance via smell, glow, and warmth, but wood wicks add one more layer to that with sound!