At TerranMade, we firmly believe in doing our part to save the planet (and it’s inhabitants) as much as possible. Back in February 2020, we touched on this a little bit, but we’ve made TONS of strides in making sure our products are safe for you and the environment.
In this blog post, I’m going to give you ALL the details of our products, from our wax to our packaging, and even some areas we can and are working to improve on.
Wax
We believe in using natural materials and being eco-friendly, which is why we use two ingredients for our candles and melts: wax and fragrance. We only use 100% soy wax that has no additives, dyes, or anything else. Soy wax is a renewable material and the kinds that we use (one for candles and one for melts) are grown and produced in the U.S.
Fragrance Oil
Since the beginning of this candle journey, I’ve looked for ingredients that aren’t just safe for me to use, but safe for you to enjoy in your homes. I’m proud to have used Phthalate-free scents since launch and won’t change that any time soon. The fragrances I use in our candles are not just free from Phthalates, but free from carcinogens, reproductive toxins and other hazardous chemicals commonly found in fragrance oils.
Wicks
The wicks that we use in our candles are flat braided cotton wick with paper threads woven into the cotton, connected to a metal tab. This design helps ensure a consistent burn with our soy wax in our candles. And you know what? They're zinc-free and lead-free. No harmful chemicals! Just be sure to burn your candle for 3-4 hours with every burn and trim your wick down to 1/4 inch before burning! Read more candle safety tips here.
Wax Melt Product Bags
Yup! Even our wax melt boxes are eco-friendly! They’re made with food grade kraft paper for the exterior, and recyclable PET for the trays. Even the sheet that protects the melts is made from PET!
Product Labels
Even though sometimes they’re applied a little askew (more proof that a human made your product), our labels are now eco-friendly! They’re made with 100% FSC certified post-consumer content, are completely recyclable as part of paper waste, processed chlorine-free during manufacturing, and printed with soy-based ink (the packaging is made with vegetable-based ink)!
Package Peanuts
When I told you I was going to give you all the details, I mean ALL. OF. THEM. Our packing peanuts come straight out of the boxes our materials arrive in (reduce, reuse, recycle) and the best part? They’re made of cornstarch! While I probably wouldn’t just start munching on them willy-nilly, if your little one(s) (human or furbabies) get their hands/paws on them, it likely won’t hurt them (I say likely because allergies do exist). The peanuts are dissolvable in water, as well. 😊
Boxes
I ship my products in two types of boxes: the free Priority Mail boxes that USPS offers and some other plain corrugated boxes. Both of these types of boxes are made from recycled materials and can be reused/recycled themselves!
Where we can improve
One of my visions for this company is to move it toward using nothing but clean, safe, recyclable/recycled materials for every one of our supplies. While the list above is long, we still have some work to do. In addition to being transparent ourselves, we would like our suppliers to be more transparent as well. Not something we can easily do, but we can try. Here are the facts about the rest of our supplies.
Glass Jars and Lids
While our jars and lids are cleanable and reusable, we aren’t 100% sure if they are made with recycled glass or if our lids are made with recycled metal/plastic. The reason? The supplier hasn’t displayed this information on their site. But the second we get it, we’ll pass it on to you and look at making changes as necessary.
If you know of some recycled glass manufacturers that make candle jars or eco-friendly lid manufacturers, PLEASE reach out and let us know!
Bubble Wrap
To help protect our candles from cracking or getting crushed from the average shipping process, I wrap them in bubble wrap. I’m thinking of moving away from this not putting anything around the candles and relying on the packing peanuts to do their thing or maybe even wrapping in kraft paper. If you get a package with no bubble wrap, congratulations! We’re testing out a new process. 😊
Shipping Labels
Part of the reason that I switched to a printer specifically for labels is to reduce the headache of having to buy or refill ink so often. While I’m not entirely sure what the labels themselves are made of, I can say with complete confidence that the printer I use requires no ink or toner since it’s a thermal printer. A small step in the right direction, but a step nonetheless.
Wax Melt Shipping Bags
These poly bubble mailers are made of a plastic (boooo!) that is pretty strong and lightweight. This helps keep the shipping cost for you down and aids in protecting the structural integrity of your wax melts to the best of its ability. (Side note: The heat, however, can’t be beat.) I am currently exploring different options for these bags and I hope to find something by the time these run out.
Onward + Upward
While there has been a TON of researching going on over here, we still haven’t landed on anything that would allow us to keep our prices the same for you. Again, if you know of any eco (and wallet) friendly companies that make sustainable, recycled, or eco-friendly products for anything on this list, please reach out to us using this form.
Thank you for all your continued support!
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