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It’s the first day of fall! And there’s just something about this time of year that makes me want to light a candle immediately. The days get shorter, the air gets crisper, and suddenly all I want is a warm glow, a cozy blanket, and something that smells like cinnamon or vanilla. It’s one of my favorite seasonal transitions for exactly this reason.
But most conventional candles are hiding some pretty unpleasant ingredients. Standard paraffin wax is a petroleum byproduct, synthetic fragrance oils can contain phthalates and other chemicals you REALLY don’t want to be breathing in, and lead-cored wicks (still more common than you’d think) release heavy metals into the air when burned. Uhh… probably not exactly the relaxing atmosphere you were going for.
But I’ve found a few companies selling really beautiful eco-friendly candles that smell incredible and burn cleanly. What makes these brands great is that they’re actually thinking about what goes into the candles and what happens when they’re gone.
Here’s what to look for:
🌲 Natural wax: soy, coconut, rapeseed, and beeswax are all renewable and biodegradable. Avoid paraffin, which is derived from petroleum, and anything vague like “wax blend” without more detail.
🌲 Cotton or wood wicks: these burn cleanly without releasing sketchy substances. Avoid metal-cored wicks.
🌲 Essential oils or phthalate-free fragrance: pure essential oils are the cleanest option. If synthetic fragrance is used, look for brands that confirm it’s phthalate-free.
🌲 Reusable or recyclable containers: glass jars, ceramics, and tins can all be reused or recycled. Packaging should ideally be plastic-free.
🌲 No greenwashing: “natural” and “eco-friendly” have no legal definition. Look for actual ingredient transparency and third-party certifications whenever possible.
Here are some of the best brands worth knowing about.
1. Jungle Culture
Coconut shell candles, ethically made in Vietnam
Jungle Culture is a brand I love for their reusable straws, their bamboo razors, and their biodegradable sponges. And their candles are just as thoughtfully made. Each one is hand-poured into a reclaimed coconut shell. The shells are salvaged after being harvested for their milk and oils, so nothing goes to waste. The wax is organic soy, scented with essential oils, completely vegan, palm oil free, and fully biodegradable. They come packaged in an organic cotton drawstring bag and recycled cardboard. Really beautiful as a gift and a truly zero waste product from start to finish.
🌍 UK-based, ships internationally
2. Keap
Certified B Corp, virtually zero waste, gives back
Keap is a New York-based brand that has been quietly doing some of the most rigorous sustainability work in the candle industry. Their candles are made from sustainable coconut wax with plant-based and biodegradable ingredients, mostly from organic and fair trade sources. They use mushroom packaging for shipments (compostable straight out of the box), biodegradable labels, and have a jar return program so glass gets reused rather than tossed. They’re a certified B Corp, a 1% for the Planet member, and share 25% of net profits with SolarAid, a charity combating poverty and climate change through solar energy. The scents are nature-inspired and developed with a master perfumer. Just a seriously impressive company all round.
🌍 US-based, ships internationally
3. Slow North
Soy wax, essential oils only, zero synthetic ingredients
Slow North is a US brand making small-batch soy wax candles scented entirely with 100% essential oils – no synthetic fragrance whatsoever, which puts them in a fairly rare category. Their wicks are cotton primed with vegetable wax rather than chemicals, and the candles come in frosted glass tumblers with sustainably sourced cork lids. No palm oil, no artificial dyes, no synthetic anything. The scent combinations are beautiful and very botanical, like eucalyptus and lavender, lemongrass and tangerine, grapefruit and spearmint.
🌍 US-based, ships within the US and Canada
4. Skar Organics
The UK’s only certified organic candle maker
Skar Organics holds a genuinely rare distinction. They’re the UK’s first and only manufacturer of certified organic candles. Every candle is housed in a pure brass keepsake container that can be recycled, upcycled, or repurposed indefinitely, and the wax blend is 100% natural and biodegradable, sourced from certified renewable sources. If certification matters to you (and it probably should), this is one of the best options available anywhere.
🌍 UK-based, ships internationally
5. Brooklyn Candle Studio
Hand-poured soy, minimalist design, plastic-free
Brooklyn Candle Studio makes hand-poured 100% soy wax candles with lead-free cotton wicks and essential oil blends, all in minimal, beautifully designed packaging that’s fully plastic-free. They’re a small independent studio and their scents tend to be earthy and atmospheric: Fern + Moss, Apple Cider, Love Potion, Sunday Morning, etc. It’s a great choice if you want something that looks as good on your shelf as it smells.
🌍 US-based, ships internationally
6. P.F. Candle Co.
Soy wax, recycled packaging, nature-inspired scents
P.F. Candle Co. is a California brand making soy wax candles with cotton wicks, scented with a combination of essential oils and phthalate-free fragrance in recyclable amber glass jars. Their scents are pretty iconic at this point: Teakwood and Tobacco, Amber and Moss, Golden Hour… and the brand has a strong commitment to reducing waste throughout their production process. Widely loved and widely available.
🌍 US-based, ships internationally and stocked in many European retailers
7. Mala the Brand
Plants a tree with every purchase, natural wax throughout
Mala the Brand is a Canadian brand using sustainable ingredients throughout their candle range and planting one tree for every purchase made. Their scents are beautiful and kind of delicious: vanilla, cinnamon and cream; citrus, berry and lemon; tonka bean, coconut and jasmine. A lovely option if you want something that smells like fall and does something good for the world at the same time.
🌍 Canada-based, ships within Canada and the US
8. Pott Candles
Pott Candles has one of the most clever zero waste concepts in the candle space. You buy a handmade pottery vessel once and keep it forever, then just order wax refills going forward. No more throwing away empty jars. The candles are made from 100% natural rapeseed and coconut wax with pure essential oils, the packaging is plastic-free, and everything is handmade in the UK. Over 30,000 people have already made the switch, which says a lot. A great gift idea!
🌍 UK-based, ships within the UK and Ireland
9. Lit Home
Lit is a UK brand hand-pouring 100% natural vegan soy wax candles into wheel-thrown ceramic vessels made in collaboration with skilled ceramicists. Every piece is unique since it’s thrown by hand on a potter’s wheel, and once your candle is done you simply order a refill in any scent you like. No plastic, no toxins, scented with pure essential oils only. The kind of thing you buy once and use forever.
🌍 UK-based, ships within the UK
Fall is honestly the best season for candles. Burn something good, something clean, and something made by a brand that actually thought about what they were putting in it. Your lungs (and your living room) will thank you.
