Do Your Wicks Contain Metal?
As a candle consumer in 2023, do you need to be concerned about metal in your wicks? While Wick & Spice is proud to use metal-free cotton wicks, here's what you need to know about the metals used in wicks and why it matters.
Let’s start with some background. There are a handful of metals that have been or are in use in candlemaking: lead, zinc, and tin. Metal cores are sometimes added to wicks in order to add rigidity to otherwise limp cotton, aiding the manufacturing process. This was and is a common way to manufacture wicks made with cotton.
Unfortunately, lead wicks used to be very common in candle making. As awareness grew of the health risks of airborne lead, most candle makers voluntarily discontinued the use of these lead core wicks in the 1970s. Most candles manufactured in the USA were not made with lead core wicks after that industry shift, although there were still some being produced. It was not until 2003 that wicks containing lead were officially banned from the USA.
So what do manufacturers use now in place of lead? As far as metal goes, zinc and tin core wicks are still in use. Some manufacturers have tried a variety of other techniques or materials, including adding paper, different braiding patterns, and dipping the wicks in a thin coating of wax. It is important to know that according to scientific studies done on zinc and tin metal core wicks, the amount of lead they release is so small that it is considered undetectable.
Here at Wick & Spice, we take the health of your family seriously. We use wicks made of pure cotton with paper added for stability, avoiding metal entirely. We are proud that our wicks are completely free of any metal cores, going above and beyond what is considered safe. At Wick & Spice, you can enjoy the fragrances you love without compromising health or safety.
Read more on this topic:
https://www.cpsc.gov/Newsroom/News-Releases/2003/CPSC-Bans-Candles-With-Lead-Cored-Wicks
