The Story Behind Our Beeswax Candle

It's far more than "just a candle".

Our beeswax candles are 100% pure beeswax, and there's a good reason for this. Some companies claim "pure beeswax" when they have as little as 30% actual beeswax. They use fillers for the rest, which makes them cheaper. The benefit of pure beeswax is cleaner burning (no residue) and substantially longer burn time, up to 10x longer than some synthetics.

We pay more for our candles, but it's worth it.

We purchase our candles from a candle maker in Saskatchewan who works closely with local beekeepers for sourcing raw beeswax. A few years back, the owner, Gwen, was driving through our town and stopped by our headquarters for a visit. It's always awesome meeting people who are passionate about their trade, and she was one of them. I've always been fascinated with bees, so this was a meeting that I was really looking forward to. I gave her a tour of the facility and introduced her to our assembly staff. As she met our crew, I could tell that something was really connecting with her and she suddenly got very quiet. When we finished the tour, she said "I had no idea you employed youth with special needs!?". It's something that we've done since VSSL started, but at that point, we had never really talked about it publicly. Amazingly, she went on to tell me that since we've been a customer of hers, she's taken the profit from our orders and used the money to send kids with special needs to summer camp! I really couldn't believe it, nor could she. We cried, we hugged. It was an amazing connection with someone from my home province.

We fully realize that using pure beeswax makes our candles more expensive than paraffin or other synthetic versions. But they're worth it for the quality alone. But once I found out where our money was going, I made a promise to always buy our beeswax from Gwen for our premium candles.

Like a lot of VSSL gear, the beeswax candle is multifunctional. There are many uses for it that many people don’t realize! 

Here are 3 different ways you can make the most out of your beeswax candle outdoors:

1. WARMTH:
Heat is obviously one of them. A candle gives off a surprising amount of heat. When your fingers are too cold to work your zipper, or tie a knot, light a candle and warm them up. A single good candle can heat up a snow cave by about 4 degrees. And when you're freezing that could be the difference between life and death.

2. RUST PREVENTION:
Wax has been used to preserve materials for thousands of years. And still today it’s a good solution for rust and corrosion prevention. Try applying it to your favorite knife to keep the blade rust-free.

3. WATERPROOFING:
Another not so common use for beeswax is waterproofing your gear. I know some people waterproof their boots with it. It can also be used as a quick repair for a rip in a tent, or in this case to patch a rip on a jacket. It's simple. Just drip some wax over the tear. This patch will at least last until I finish my trip, if not longer.

They really are more than just candles, and when I use them, it's always a good reminder to me that there are incredible people out there like Gwen who prioritize contributing to their community in meaningful ways.

I hope that this also helps you appreciate your VSSL candle for just a bit more than its functional aspects.

Many thanks!