Sustainability in candles is usually sold as a label. We think it is really three choices: how well the candle is made, what it is made from, and what it comes wrapped in. Get those right and less ends up in the bin. Here is how we approach each one, starting with our 45-point quality check.
Our 45-point quality check
Think about the last candle that let you down. It tunnelled, smoked or barely smelled. You paid for wax, glass, packaging and shipping, then threw most of it away.
A candle that fails is waste. So every Glow tealight passes 45 separate checks before it leaves us. They cover the things that decide how a candle burns: the wick, the wax, the fragrance and the finish. Fail one point and it does not go in the box.
Why does quality matter for sustainability?
Because the greenest candle is the one you burn right to the end. One tealight that burns evenly beats two that tunnel.
The waxes we choose
Wax is the biggest part of any candle, so it is the biggest choice we make. Our tealights use a blend of soy and food-grade paraffin. Soy brings a cleaner, slower burn. Paraffin carries scent well, so you need fewer candles to fill a room.
We pair that with an 8% fragrance load, which means how much scent oil sits in the wax. Too little and the smell is weak, so people light more. Getting it right means one tealight does the job of two.
Each tealight also sits on a four-footed base for a steady flame, and burns for 3 to 4 hours.
The packaging we choose
Packaging is part of a candle's footprint too, and often the part people throw away first. We designed our 2026 advent calendar box with no foil. Foil can make paper and card harder to recycle, so leaving it off keeps the whole box simpler to deal with.
It is a small choice. But across a full production run, small choices add up.
- No foil on the advent calendar box
- A wax blend chosen for a cleaner burn
- Every tealight checked before it ships
Coming soon: the Icon Collection
The same thinking is going into our next UK range. The Icon Collection is on its way, with 3-wick candles, tealights and wax melts. Each one goes through the same 45-point check before it reaches you.
We are keeping the scents under wraps for now. Sign up to our emails if you want to hear first.
Quick answers
What does a 45-point quality check look at?
The wick, the wax, the fragrance and the finish. Every point affects how evenly a candle burns and how long its scent lasts.
What makes a candle more sustainable?
Good materials, simple packaging and a candle that burns fully. Buying fewer, better candles wastes far less than buying many cheap ones.
Every tealight in the Glow advent calendar has passed all 45 checks. For what to do at home once it arrives, read our guide to eco friendly scented candles.
Related reading
- Eco Friendly Scented Candles: The Wax, and Your Half: the wax we use and how to burn with less waste
- Soy vs Paraffin Candles: What the Research Actually Says: a balanced look at the wax debate
- Three Wick Candles: The First Burn That Decides Everything: the one burn that stops tunnelling for good
