Consider the lowly wick; the smallest component of a candle.  Just how important is a wick?  Does it really play that significant of a role in the burn ability of a candle?  After all, size, color and fragrance are what most people look for in a candle.  Let’s take a look at what makes a good wick.

 

You may have the highest quality candle but if it has the wrong size wick, it will burn improperly which will leave you with unhappy customers.  The wick serves as the candle’s “fuel pump” by drawing up the liquefied wax to the flame.  If too much wax is drawn up, the result is a flame that flares and has a nasty soot build-up.  On the other hand, if too little wax is drawn up, the flame will die out.

 

What are wicks made of?  According to the National Candle Association, “approximately 80 percent of the wicks manufactured in the United States are made of all-cotton or cotton-paper combinations.”  The rest of them are mainly metal- or paper-cored wicks.  The metal-core wicks are either zinc- or tin-core wicks.  Thankfully, lead wicks have been banned from the U.S. since 2003.

 

Higher quality wicks are made from braided, plaited or knitted fibers which allows for a slower and steadier burn.  Candles of Eden’s SoyLuscious® Soy Candles are made from the highest quality, all-natural cotton wicks.  A slow, steady burn is the result with a superior scent throw.

 

There are four major types of wicks used in most candles on the market:  Flat, square, cored and special.

 

Flat wicks are the most commonly used are flat plaited or knitted.  They have a nice, consistent burn and are self-consuming.  These wicks are typically found in taper and pillar candles.

 

Square wicks, unlike the name implies are more rounded than their Flat counterparts.  They are also used in taper and pillar candles and are also self-consuming.  They are braided or knitted and are commonly used in beeswax candles and they also can prevent clogging of the wick which can happen with certain kinds of fragrances or dyes.

 

Cored wicks have a core material to keep the wick straight while burning and are braided or knitted.  The core materials are varied and include cotton, paper, zinc or tin.  Cored wicks are in a wide variety of candles from jars, pillars, and votives to devotional lights as well.

 

Finally, there are special and oil lamp wicks which are specifically designed for special burn characteristics of certain candle applications such as insect-repelling candles.

 

So when you are choosing your candles, don’t overlook the tiny wick. You need to keep in mind all of the elements that make a quality candle which includes the wick.