Frequently Asked Questions About Our Products...
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What is the best way to burn a Shire Fire Candle?
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Our recommended burn time is 3-4 hours. Be sure to trim the wick to 1/4" before each lighting. Always allow the melt pool to reach the edges of the jars before extinguishing. This will allow the candle to burn evenly and prevent "tunneling." Be sure never to leave a candle unattended or in reach of children, pets or a draft. Allow the jar to cool completely before handling. How to burn reminder on the bottom of your jar.
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Why soy?
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We choose to work with soy wax for a variety of reasons. We love that it's an 100% renewable resource and carbon neutral. We love that it burns more cleanly - and better yet - for a longer period of time than paraffin. We love the way soy wax smells mixed with a good fragrance. Soy candles are better for the environment and your health: they are non-toxic and burn cleaner than paraffin wax. It produces as much as 90% less soot than paraffin wax. This soot can blacken walls, ceilings, and furniture, contaminate ventilation ductwork in your home, and most importantly, add toxic carcinogens into the air that you breathe.
Soy also helps U.S. farmers by creating important economic growth for the agricultural sector of the US economy.
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How is soy wax made?
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Soy beans are husked and dried into flake form, then the oil is extracted from the flakes and hydrogenated. The hydrogenation alters the chemical compound so that soy bean oil is a solid at room temperature - soy wax! Leftover bean husks are typically used as animal feed.
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Is your soy wax GMO free?
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The short answer is no but it is Certified Kosher and has been approved as "fit to use" and contains no additives.
The protein used to test for the presence of GMOs is not present in soy wax, therefore there is no reliable way to test for GMO free soy wax. Furthermore, only a very small percentage of soy beans grown in the US are considered organic/GMO free. If and when GMO-free soy wax becomes readily available, we will definitely use it!
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Are your fragrances phthalate free? What is a phthalate?
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All our fragrances are phthalate free. Phthalates are used to dissolve raw materials in apothecary goods, medicine, and fragrances. Recently there has been concern linking high levels of phthalates to health issues, especially in children. While there are no regulations against phthalate use in candles, we decided not to work with fragrances with phthalates in them. The levels of phthalates typically found in a candle are not harmful to a consumer or manufacturer, but we decided that simpler is always better.
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Are your candles vegan? Do you or your suppliers test on animals?
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Our candles and fragrances are considered vegan! We are happy to report that neither we nor our suppliers engage in animal testing.
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Are your candles really 100% soy?
Yes, our candles are made from 100% non-GMO (non- genetically modified) soy wax and we do not add any additives to our soy, like paraffin wax.
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What causes the white marks on my soy candles?
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Occasionally, white marks may appear on soy candles due to the nature of the soy wax. The tiny, white looking crystals on the tops and sides of jars are called frosting and are very similar to the frosted look on chocolate. This is a natural characteristic of soy wax and should not be treated as a flaw. It does not affect the quality or burn of the candle.
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Why is there is wet oil on top of my soy container candle?
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Since soybean wax has a lower melting point than paraffin wax, it can release excess (fragrance) oils which it cannot hold (usually due to extreme temperature changes due to shipping - i.e. going from hot trucks to an air-conditioned environment or going from cold trucks in the winter to heated stores). You can leave it or wipe it out with a tissue or paper towel. Sweat from soy candles does not affect the burn quality and generally the sweat drops will not show up again after your first burn.
For optimum performance of soy candles, please store in a cool area out of in-direct and direct sunlight. Also, it can be caused by the scent sweating or separating out of the soy candles. We have found that 100% soy wax does not mix well with high concentrations of pure essential oil. Therefore, scented soy candle jars are more likely to sweat when warmed during shipping. This is just the fragrance oils coming to the surface. Some soy candle manufacturers recommended that you blot the top with a Kleenex or paper towel to prevent spillage.
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Why does my soy candle look frosty? Is it drying out?
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No, your soy candle does not dry out. Frosting is a natural characteristic of soy. It is not a flaw. It is strictly unique to pure soy candles. Often times it is called the "bloom". Actually, many customers are concerned if there is no frosting on their soy candles. It is a way that a customer can tell if their candle is really made with pure, all-natural soy wax. It's part of the soy experience!
Frosting does not seem to affect the scent throw or the burning properties of the candle. You can safely burn a candle with a bloom without worry. Frosting is a particular crystal growth of vegetable oils. It will cause the candle to look dry, which is simply a characteristic of that crystal structure, but has nothing to do with the candle "drying out". To minimize frosting, try to keep your candle out of direct sunlight and florescent lighting. Even changes in the weather can cause additional frosting. It is almost impossible to stop the soy wax from blooming.
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Do you use essential oils in your candles?
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We use fragrance oils that do have 40-80% components of essential oils, but we do not use straight essential oils. While we love essential oils, we think that fragrance oils are better for use in candles, as the scent throw is stronger. Many essential oils tend to evaporate when they are burned because the flash point is so low.
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Can the jar be repurposed?
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When a 1/4" of wax remains, discontinue use of candle. Place your candle in the freezer, and once the wax hardens, it can be chipped out along with the wick. If there is more than a little bit of wax left, we recommend the "oven method" - place your candle in a warm oven and allow the wax to liquify. Carefully dump and compost the wax out and wipe clean. Soap and water can then be used to remove the wax residue. Use to store pens, plant succulents in or just recycle!
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How fragrant are your candles?
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We find that our candles fill a medium-size room nicely. For larger rooms or rooms with high ceilings we recommend our 8oz candles or 2 or more 4 oz. Smaller candles are better burned at a desk or in a small space such as a bathroom. Because we use natural soy wax, our candles will not have the same scent throw as paraffin candles. We like that our candles are not overwhelming, but rather can be used every day.
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How often are new scents/products released?
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We try to release 1-3 new scents to our line each year. We also run 1-3 seasonal specials throughout the year. Follow us on social media and sign up for our newsletter on the homepage for sneak peaks at upcoming products.
ORDERS & CUSTOMER CARE
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How long will it take for my order to arrive?
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Domestic orders leave our studio within 24-48 business hours and take 2-7 days to arrive via USPS. Wholesale order take 3 days-2 weeks to arrive depending on the season. We will be sure to contact you if there is any delay.
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How can I track my order?
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You will receive an email with tracking information once your order has shipped. If for some reason you did not receive this information, let us know at shirefirecandles@gmail.com and we will send it over.
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Do you offer wholesale?
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Yes! Please call us at 413-446-9896 to discuss wholesale options for your retail location.
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Is there sales tax?
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Retail orders shipped to Massachusetts require sales tax. Wholesale orders and orders shipped to other states do not require sales tax.
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What shipping method do you use?
We mostly use USPS Priority Mail or Flat Rate.
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Do you offer exchanges or returns?
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We always want our customers to be satisfied. If for any reason you are not happy with your purchase, please contact us at shirefirecandles@gmail.com. We ask that return shipping be paid by the customer.
Can I send a candle as a gift?
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Absolutely! If you would like a hand-typed gift note or if it's going directly to the giftee, just make a note at checkout and we will not include a sales receipt.
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Do you ship internationally?
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Not currently but will in the future.
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