I'm testing new candle containers: amber glass jars, and I'd love to know what you think.
At College Green I've always made my natural soy wax candles in tins - they look a bit like mini paint pots & I've kept as much of the matte silver packaging on show as possible.
There are lots of benefits of using aluminium. It's 100% recyclable & reusable and is the most recycled packaging in Europe.
It can be recycled forever without degrading, is lightweight, unbreakable and relatively inexpensive.... but...
...the one thing you don't get with a tin candle is the `glow' - that softly flickering flame that shows through the packaging and creates a warm and cosy ambience to a room.
And like aluminium, glass is also recyclable forever without degrading, though it is breakable, heavier and more expensive.
So I've bought some amber glass jars with aluminium lids and am testing them with the most popular fragrances.
Candle making isn't an easy art: each fragrance oil and wick type and size reacts differently in the container. The size and shape of the container has a bearing on the wick size too, so multiple testing is essential to ensure the candle burns cleanly, with an even wick and a full `melt pool' (if you've ever burned a candle that just creates a tunnel down the centre of the container, leaving wax all around, you'll know what we mean).
So what do you think? Do I switch to amber or stay with tin? Let me know what you think to the new amber glass jars - either on the College Green Instagram story, or by Messenger or email.
Whatever the feedback, I'll be busy making a stock of candles soon for ... ssssh! Christmas :-)
Rachael x