Why We Never Use Soy, Palm or Paraffin

When we set out to make Laycock Candles, the ingredients we chose not to use mattered just as much as the ones we did. Most home fragrance brands rely on soy, palm or paraffin because they are cheap, widely available and easy to work with at scale. We ruled all three out from the very beginning and we have never reconsidered that decision.

Here is exactly why.

Why We Are Proudly Soy-Free

Soy wax is widely marketed as the natural, eco-friendly choice in home fragrance. The reality is considerably more complicated.

The global demand for soy has been one of the most significant drivers of deforestation in recent decades. Vast areas of South American rainforest and grassland have been cleared to make way for soy cultivation, destroying ecosystems and wildlife habitats in the process. The environmental cost of industrial soy farming is substantial and well documented.

There is also the question of genetic modification. The overwhelming majority of the world's commercial soy crop is now genetically modified. For a brand built on natural, plant-based ingredients and genuine transparency about what goes into every product, that is not an acceptable starting point.

At Laycock Candles we use either a coconut and rapeseed wax blend or a coconut wax blend depending on the product. Both are entirely soy-free. Both are GM-free from crop to candle. Both are chosen because they perform beautifully and because we are completely comfortable with where they come from and how they are produced.

The short answer: Soy wax sounds natural but comes with a significant environmental cost. We do not use it.

Why We Are Strictly Palm-Free

Palm oil and palm wax carry one of the most damaging environmental reputations of any agricultural product in the world. The expansion of palm plantations has been directly linked to the destruction of tropical rainforests, the loss of biodiversity and the endangerment of species including orangutans, pygmy elephants and Sumatran tigers.

Sustainable palm certification schemes exist but their effectiveness is widely questioned. Supply chains are complex and the gap between certification and genuine on-the-ground sustainability is often significant. For a brand that holds itself to a clear environmental standard, a reliance on certified sustainable palm is not a position we are willing to take.

Our position is simpler. We do not use palm. No exceptions. No caveats. Every Laycock Candles product is completely palm-free and has been since the very first batch we poured.

The short answer: Palm wax has an unacceptable environmental track record. We do not use it and we never will.

Why We Completely Avoid Paraffin

Paraffin wax is a byproduct of petroleum refining. It is, in the most literal sense, a product of the fossil fuel industry. When a paraffin candle burns it can release compounds including toluene and benzene into the air of your home, producing the black soot that stains walls and ceilings and compromising the air quality of the spaces where you live.

For a brand whose entire philosophy is built around making your home feel better, not just smell better, burning petroleum byproducts in your living room is an obvious contradiction. Every Laycock Candles product is entirely petroleum-free. Our coconut and rapeseed wax blend and coconut wax blend both burn cleanly and slowly, producing minimal soot and releasing nothing into the air of your home beyond the fragrance itself.

The short answer: Paraffin is a petroleum byproduct that can compromise the air quality of your home. We do not use it.

What We Use Instead and Why It Is Better

Choosing to avoid soy, palm and paraffin is only half of the story. The other half is what we use instead and why it is genuinely better.

Coconut wax is derived from coconut oil, one of the most sustainably produced plant oils in the world. It is fully biodegradable, renewable and produces significantly less soot than paraffin when burned. It has an exceptional ability to bind with fragrance oil and release it evenly throughout the burn, producing a richer and more consistent scent throw than most soy or paraffin alternatives.

Rapeseed wax is grown extensively across the UK and Europe and is one of the most locally sourced natural waxes available to British candle makers. Using rapeseed wax supports European agriculture, reduces the environmental cost of long-distance ingredient sourcing and connects our products to the landscape that inspires them.

Together these two waxes produce a candle and wax melt that burns cleanly, smells beautiful, lasts longer and sits more comfortably in your home than anything built on cheaper, more problematic alternatives.

Every Laycock Candles candle and wax melt is hand poured in small batches in Keighley, West Yorkshire, using these wax blends alongside either natural cotton wicks or sustainably sourced EU timber wood wicks. Our fragrances are cosmetic-grade and vegan-friendly or 100% pure essential oils depending on the product. Every piece of packaging is biodegradable or recyclable and sourced sustainably.

No soy. No palm. No paraffin. No compromises.

The short answer: Coconut and rapeseed wax are plant-based, sustainably sourced, biodegradable and genuinely better performing than the alternatives. They are the only waxes we will ever use.

The Ingredients We Will Never Use

To be completely clear about our position:

No paraffin wax or any petroleum-derived ingredient of any kind.
No soy wax, whether standard or GM-free.
No palm wax or palm oil of any kind, certified sustainable or otherwise.
No animal byproducts of any kind. Every product is vegan-friendly and cruelty-free.
No undisclosed additives. If you want to know what is in any Laycock Candles product, ask us directly and we will tell you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Laycock Candles products really soy-free?
Yes. Every Laycock Candles candle and wax melt is completely soy-free. We use either a coconut and rapeseed wax blend or a coconut wax blend depending on the product. Neither contains soy of any kind.

Are Laycock Candles products palm-free?
Yes. Every Laycock Candles product is completely palm-free. We operate a strict zero-palm policy across our entire range with no exceptions.

Do Laycock Candles products contain paraffin?
No. Every Laycock Candles product is entirely paraffin-free and petroleum-free. We use only plant-based wax blends.

Why is coconut wax better than soy wax?
Coconut wax is more sustainably sourced than soy, has a lower environmental impact and produces a richer, more consistent scent throw. It is also GM-free and not associated with the deforestation linked to industrial soy farming.

Are Laycock Candles products vegan?
Yes. Every Laycock Candles product is vegan-friendly and cruelty-free. Our wax blends contain no animal byproducts of any kind.

Where are Laycock Candles products made?
Every Laycock Candles candle and wax melt is hand poured in small batches in Keighley, West Yorkshire, by us. My husband and I oversee every pour, every label and every piece of packaging that leaves us.

What wax does Laycock Candles use?
Depending on the product, Laycock Candles uses either a sustainable coconut and rapeseed wax blend or a coconut wax blend. Both are entirely free from paraffin, soy and palm. Both are plant-based, biodegradable and sustainably sourced.

The Bottom Line

The choices we make about what not to put into our products are just as important as the choices we make about what to include. Soy, palm and paraffin are all widely used in the home fragrance industry because they are cheap and convenient. None of them meet the standard we hold ourselves to.

Coconut and rapeseed wax are better for your home, better for your air quality and better for the planet. They are the only waxes we will ever use and we are entirely comfortable with that position.

Explore the full luxury candles and wax melts at laycockcandles.com and find the fragrance that belongs in your home.

Jeanette
Founder, Laycock Candles