Why Burn Clean

A warmer home starts with thoughtful choices. At OLCO, we choose organic ingredients for candles that bring nature into everyday rituals.

What goes into an OLCO candle?

Our candles are made with 100% organic soy wax, organic candle wicks, and organic essential oils. We believe you should know what is in the candle you bring into your home.

Why choose soy wax?

Soy wax comes from soybeans, a plant-based source. Choosing it lets us build our candles around an agricultural ingredient rather than a petroleum-derived wax. A candle’s performance depends on its whole formulation, wick, and how it is burned. It is also worth looking beyond the words “soy candle”: ask whether the wax is entirely soy or part of a blend. Our choice is 100% organic soy wax, with a clear ingredient story.

Why pay attention to the wick and fragrance?

Wax is only part of the story. Wicks and scent ingredients also shape the candle experience. We choose organic candle wicks and organic essential oils as part of our ingredient approach. Look for a clear explanation of what creates the scent and what the wick is made from, rather than relying on a “natural” label alone. For us, naming our scent ingredients is part of bringing you closer to their botanical origins.

Does organic mean emission-free?

Not entirely—every candle flame produces some emissions. For us, burning organic is about choosing ingredients with intention. Organic soy wax, organic wicks, and organic essential oils are at the heart of the OLCO experience: a warm glow, nature-inspired scent, and a clear connection to what goes into each candle. We believe this thoughtful approach is the way to burn.

What about conventional candles?

What you burn matters. A candle becomes part of the air around you, and some of its emissions can be inhaled. That is why we care deeply about the wax, wick, and scent ingredients we choose.

Research has measured airborne particles and chemical emissions from candles, with results that vary by formulation and burn conditions. At OLCO, we choose organic soy wax, organic candle wicks, and organic essential oils because thoughtful sourcing and clear ingredient information are central to our craft. That care is part of what you are paying for. We believe thoughtful candle shopping starts with specific answers about wax, fragrance, and wicks—not just broad promises on a label.

Why ingredients matter: wax, wicks & fragrance

  1. Soy versus paraffin: an experimental comparison (2026)

    This company-authored study compared its soy-based natural-wax and essential-oil candles with commercial paraffin candles. The authors reported lower particulate and nitrogen oxide readings for the soy-based candles in their chamber tests. This offers a formulation-specific example of why wax selection deserves attention.

    Read with context: the study compared complete products, not certified organic versus non-organic ingredients. Some detailed pollutant results differ from the abstract’s broad cleaner-emissions claims, so it should not be treated as proof of an across-the-board soy or organic advantage.

  2. Wax quality and candle composition (2014)

    Derudi and colleagues tested container candles made with different paraffin waxes. They found that wax quality strongly influenced measured pollutant emissions, highlighting the role of raw-material purity and additives. This supports paying attention to ingredient quality; it was not a soy-versus-paraffin or organic-certification comparison.

  3. Wax and fragrance combinations (2021)

    Researchers compared soy, paraffin, palm, and stearin waxes with five fragrance mixtures and unscented controls. The study helps separate the contributions of wax and fragrance. Unscented waxes behaved similarly for many emissions, and most modeled indoor concentrations were below reference values. It did not establish that natural fragrance is safer than synthetic fragrance.

These ingredient studies explain why formulation matters. They did not test OLCO candles or prove that organic certification makes a candle safer. Our commitment to organic ingredients is a sourcing and craft choice, not a claim of zero emissions.

Make room for a mindful burn

  • Trim the wick to about 1/4 inch before lighting.
  • Use a stable, heat-resistant surface and keep the candle away from drafts and flammable objects.
  • Keep burning candles away from children and pets.
  • Never leave a burning candle unattended.
  • Keep the room ventilated and extinguish the candle if it produces persistent smoke or causes discomfort.

Our approach

Thoughtful ingredients. Clear information. A warm, welcoming ritual. That is what organically lit means to us.

Learn more: EPA: Sources of Indoor Particulate Matter.