Sustainability

It’s part and parcel of running businesses, large or small, to make good and sensible decisions when it comes to sustainability. From the ingredients in all my products, the packaging they come in and the suppliers I use along the way it really matters, even for a small business like mine. I try to do a lot of small things to make Funky Country’s presence on the planet a little less obvious. A lot of time has gone into doing this and I’m sure it won’t be perfect, but I am working on it on a daily basis.

Where to start? Wax of course!

I love wax and have spent many hours researching and testing all manner of waxes (including paraffin) but without a doubt the Rapeseed and Coconut wax I now use is something to really get excited about! Plant based from sustainable sources without the use of pesticides or GMOs. Rapeseed in particular has a very low carbon footprint. The wax contains NO palm, paraffin or soy wax. It is non-toxic and contains no synthetic additives.

Next the fragrance oils which, as in common with nearly all fragrances are a blend of synthetic and essential oils to make natural fragrance oils. In order to get the complexity of fragrance, consistency and control of allergens this is the choice I have made. All my fragrances come from UK based businesses.

Wicks are a small but particularly important part of candle making and mine are all made from renewable cotton and linen, manufactured in the EU.

Minimal packaging that can be easily recycled

Of course, the waste created by overpackaged product is a very hot topic. I have recently taken the decision to no longer supply my candles in outer tube packaging, but in recyclable jars. The Reed diffusers come in a cute cotton bag, from 100% sustainable sources, undyed, biodegradable (rip them up and put them on the compost) and can be repurposed in many ways. The ink used on the bags is water based and no chemicals are used.

Outer boxing is 100% recyclable and the boxes used are made from 75% recycled fibres and the peanut fill I use called Eco-fill is made from corn starch and is fully biodegradable. You can put it on the compost, or it dissolves in water and you can (safely) pour it down the sink.