4 Reasons to Choose Zinc Wicks for Your Homemade Candles

One of the best things about making your own candles is being able to control everything that goes into them. Naturally enough, most people focus on the wax since this has such an impact on the colour and fragrance of a candle, but it's also well worth checking out all the available types of wick.

The wick is what's responsible for drawing fuel up to the flame, and the type you choose can have an impact on everything from how long your candles burn to how easy they are to create. While each type has its own pros and cons, many people still find that zinc wicks make the best option.

Here are just four reasons why.

1. Makes Production Easier   

The process of making candles can be extremely fun and rewarding, but it can also be something of a challenge. However, zinc wicks make things easier. They are a type of cored wick that combines a cotton outer braid with a zinc core structure. Other cored wicks use materials like paper or cotton, but zinc is the most rigid core. That rigidity makes it easier to keep the wick straight when it is placed within the melted wax as you make your candle. Less rigid wicks may curl as they go in or as the wax hardens, which will ruin your candles. This is why zinc wicks are particularly recommended for beginners.

2. Stays Upright While Burning  

The rigidity of zinc wicks doesn't just help during the production process. That zinc core also helps the wick stay straight as it burns. When the wax doesn't stay straight, it may dip into the wax and probably won't burn as efficiently as it should.

3. Provides Long Burn Times

One of the main differences between candle wicks is how hotly they burn, and one notable characteristic of zinc wicks is that they produce a relatively cool flame. This means that burn times are increased, which means your candles will last longer. As such, you won't need to make more as often and won't produce more waste than is necessary.

4. Completely Non-Toxic

One thing people sometimes worry about is the toxicity of metal core candle wicks. This is naturally an important concern since these are candles you're probably going to be burning in your own home, but it isn't actually something you need to worry about with zinc wicks. Older metal core wicks contained lead, which was toxic. However, modern zinc wicks are completely safe and non-toxic, so they're ideal for making homemade candles.

For more information, contact a candle-making supply store near you.