Why Paraffin Wax is the Best Choice for Our Natural Firelighters

At Certainly Wood, we are dedicated to providing high-quality, sustainable, and environmentally friendly products. This commitment extends to the very core of our Flamers range – the wax. We understand that consumers are increasingly concerned about the environmental impact of the products they choose. Therefore, we have carefully researched and selected paraffin wax as the optimal coating for our natural firelighters as available on the market as we write this.

How are Flamers & KindleFlamers made?

Flamers natural firelighters are made from FSC-certified wood wool sourced from responsibly managed forests. The wood wool is turned into long rope and then carefully dipped into fully refined paraffin wax for a specified amount of time, creating a highly efficient and reliable firelighter which provides a long burn and is also clean to handle. 

Watch how Flamers are made.

Research

We have been investigating whether other alternative waxes produced from, for example, rapeseed, may be a better alternative for coating our firelighters. However, we have so far identified that paraffin wax remains the superior choice due to its minimal environmental impact and compliance with industry standards.

Environmental Impact

Our fully refined paraffin wax is produced from a waste product, upcycling a material that would otherwise end up in landfills. Instead it's turned into a food-grade wax with high performance and low cost.

The use of paraffin has a significantly smaller environmental impact compared to the effects of common mass deforestation, monoculture, and negative impacts on soil that tend to occur with alternative oil production. Alternative oils (like rapeseed) currently present more negative environmental impacts, including huge impacts diversity due to use of pesticides and chemicals which accelerate rapeseed's growth.

Compliance with Standards

The paraffin wax we use meets EN13432 (Compostable materials) & EN 13430 (recyclable) standards. This ensures that our Flamers and KindleFlamers are not only effective but also environmentally friendly, meeting the necessary criteria for sustainability. The performance of paraffin wax is also far superior to other types of wax we have tested, therefore not compromising on the ability to only use one Flamer per fire, every time. 

When it comes to choosing the right wax for our natural firelighters, the evidence points to paraffin wax as the best option, hence we will continue to use it in our production of Flamers. Its benefits extend beyond just functionality, encompassing environmental considerations and regulatory compliance.