Protecting and serving our community is our number one priority at Stragus Mercantile, followed very closely by our desire to produce high-quality, hand-crafted merch to improve your journey through every day life. If you’re curious about any of the ingredients we use, our construction process, and why we chose that over something else, then keep reading! And, as always, feel free to contact us with more specific questions. We’re happy to help!
Did you know? The most common type of wax used in mass-produced candles – paraffin wax – is a product of the petroleum industry, and releases a number of questionable chemicals into the air when burned? Nearly TWICE as much soot, benzene, toluene (and more!) than similarly constructed vegetable-based waxes. They’re also not particularly sustainable or even good for the environment.
And that’s just the wax! What about the fragrance oils used to make the smelly-goods smell so good? Many mass-produced candles use fragrance oils chock-full of carcinogens, toxins, and other hazardous chemicals that aerosolize and enter the body through the lungs. Not to mention the hard-to-pronounce phthalates they often contain, and the increased level of heart disease and all-cause mortality rate suffered by those with high quantities of this chemical in their bodies.
But hey, those big box retailers will happily make sure you know all this before you buy their candles, right? RIGHT? In truth, all they want you notice is a pretty package, a fun scent, and a low price tag. In the meantime, you’re inhaling GOD KNOWS WHAT and slowly working your way toward a…I don’t know…a CONDITION of some sort.
Fear-mongering aside, we here at Stragus Mercantile TOTALLY have your back. All our candles and melts use sustainable, environmentally friendly, low soot/smoke-producing soy or soy coconut wax blends. These waxes burn far cleaner and have a stronger scent throw too, meaning your smelly-goods end up smelling EXTRA good.
In addition, all of our fragrance oils are 100% phthalate-free, and strictly adhere to the RIFM (Research Institute for Fragrance Materials) standard regarding fragrance safety. Some of our fragrance oils take it even further, going above and beyond these standards to provide the safest, highest quality, most thoroughly tested fragrances in the industry.
We just love you that much.
So the next time you’re standing in line at the Housemart or the Cot, Shower, and Other There and see some bargain-bin Pumpkin Waffle Cookie Sandwich scented candle for some ridiculously low price, now you’ll understand why it’s so cheap. And I hope you’ll come find something better…something hand-made by Stragus Mercantile. TOP
Do a quick google search for soy candles, and take a peek at the price of 8 – 9oz options. $30? $35? Even $40 per candle? More than twice to thrice the cost of unhealthy, fast-burning paraffin-based versions!
But why? Is soy wax really that much more expensive than paraffin? Is it because it’s mostly only boutique candle companies that are making them? Or is it because people are paying that much, so the prices won’t go down?
Well…it’s a little off all of those, and then some:
- Soy wax is SLIGHTLY more expensive than paraffin, but only at non-bulk levels.
- Boutique candle companies tend to only make small batches and don’t always possess the ability to buy in bulk. In addition, boutique products are often EXPECTED to be more expensive, and so they can get away with higher prices.
- People ARE paying that much, so why should the price ever go down?
However, there are so other less obvious reasons why the prices are so high:
- Overly fancy labels/containers/boxes. Unboxing is cool and all, but shipping containers are ALWAYS trash. Shiny, fancy, colorful labels are cool and all, but…how often do they actually match your decor? And what about super fancy jars or tins? What do they really add to the experience, other than to increase the cost?
- Advertising. This raises the cost dramatically, and for what? Just to get their name out?
Here at Stragus Mercantile, we’re doing something different. Our 8oz soy coconut container candles have some of the highest quality ingredients in the industry, and are priced at an EXTREMELY reasonable $16.95, or around half the industry average. We accomplish this a number of ways:
- By relying mostly on word-of-mouth and good reviews in order to get our name to market. We hope to create a rapid fan base that sells our products for us, and then everybody can win. By not paying for advertising, it keeps our costs down.
- We use simple, clear containers that showcases the beautifully colored wax, a design that makes it easier to fit our candles in with your existing decor. By using a simple yet elegant container, it keeps our costs down.
- We use simple yet stylish black-and-white themed labels. By keeping our labels simple, it keeps our costs down.
- We focus on shipping PRODUCT, and try not to worry about shipping fancy BOXES. By not paying a bunch of money for branded boxes, it keeps our costs down.
All this allows us to make the best quality product possible without passing a bunch of superfluous costs on to you. Which means you can buy MORE candles for LESS money. And we think that’s just awesome. TOP
Soy and soy coconut waxes have their own interesting complexities that might appear as flaws, as first. Here are a few things you might notice in your candles and what they mean.
Wet Spots – Sometimes, when a freshly poured candle is cooling, the wax shrinks faster than it should, and it pulls away from the container. This leaves some strange looking ‘wet spots’ that, while they might look odd, do not affect the life or burn of your candle. We’ve gotten pretty good at controlling the environment and pouring at just the right temperature, so wet spots are rare, but you might see one or two from time to time.
Cracking/Sink holes – Soy and soy coconut waxes are softer than the more traditional paraffin waxes, During the cooling process, air bubbles in the wax might cause the wax to crack in places, and sometimes sinkholes might even form. While these might affect the immediate appearance of the candles, both of these problems will rectify themselves upon first burn.
Frosting – Wax exists in a strange state somewhere between a solid and a liquid, and as such, it’s not entirely stable. Over time, crystals begin to slowly form in the wax, and this presents as a sort of ‘frosting’ on the surface of the candle. A lighter colored area that spreads with time. This is a very common occurrence in soy candles, and will even show up in soy coconut candles if left to age. This is the number one reason why most candle makers that use soy or soy coconut waxes opt for opaque containers.
Here at Stragus Mercantile, we celebrate our imperfections. These small ‘defects’ prove the quality of our ingredients, as candles made with lower quality materials don’t often display the quirks listed above. This is how you know we are using the materials we say we’re using! So don’t fret. It’s a feature and not a bug!
Soy coconut candles are better that paraffin in a number of ways, but that doesn’t mean they don’t come with their own quirks! Sometimes the wax pulls away from the jar, creating what looks like wet spots. As a softer wax, they also have a tendency to crack or suffer from sinkholes if they cool too quickly during the manufacturing process. And finally, as a wholly natural product, they can discolor over time, taking on an almost frosted appearance as small crystals begin to grow on the surface of the wax.
None of these complications affect the quality of the candles, of course, but you might notice them from time to time. That being said, if you want to get the best performance out of your candles AND you want to burn them in the safest possible manner, read on!
The Wick – For the greatest longevity and cleanest burn, you want to make sure to keep the wick trimmed to the proper length before every burn. On paraffin candles, this means cutting wick to around 1/4 of a inch, but because soy coconut is a softer wax that melts at lower temperatures, the wick will operate best if trimmed to 1/8 of inch. This can accomplished using scissors or a special tool called a wick trimmer, or even a pair of toenail clippers in a pinch!
Burn Time – Once a candle is lit, it’s important to allow it to burn for at least an hour. This gives it the time to form a proper melt pool and ensures it operates properly the next time it’s lit. At the same time, it’s important not to burn the candle for longer than four hours at a time. Beyond this point, the chances of weakening the glass to the point of breaking increases dramatically. Finally, allow your candle to properly cool between uses. Three to four hours of rest is usually enough for your candle to return to room temperature.
Room Size – It’s also important to maintain the proper expectations for your candles to prevent disappointment. The size of the candle dictates what size room the scent will be able to fill. Smaller candles like votives will only be able to put out enough scent for small rooms like bathrooms and laundry rooms, while our larger 8oz double wicked candles are appropriate for bedrooms and offices. Finally, larger open spaces require larger candles, like our 17oz tri-wicked candles (a product in development), or a collection of 8oz candles to fill the space. Understanding this will help prevent disappointment when using a candle in a space that’s too large for it to cover. TOP
You know those little trees that people hang from their rearview mirror to make their car smell good? Well, a Freshie is the modern day upgrade. Made from EVA plastic (more well-known as foam rubber), Freshies are constructed of a special type of bead that can absorb fragrance oils up to 30% of their weight. They are then baked into fun shapes so you can accessorize and deodorize your car at the same time! Depending on the ambient temperature, a single Freshie will maintain its scent for 30 to 45 days. Once you experience how AMAZING they make your car or truck smell, you’ll never hang another cardboard tree from your mirror again! TOP
More different questions? Let us know below and we’ll get back to you! TOP
14704 Gravity Falls Ln, Oklahoma City, OK 73142