Nwax 351 & Nwax 371: olivewax source
We get several request and questions about our olivewaxes and their degree of sustainability. We are truly honored actually that we could offer this wax to the candleindustry and proud that we had our hand in the development of the raw materials.
We'll bring the olivewax-story step by step. Some terminology might be unknown, we'll try to explain those seperately.
1. Olives are harvested and pressed. That olive oil is used (and suiteable) for human consumption. 1, 2, 3 pressings, cold/hot pressing etc.
2. The leftovers from those pressings, called press cakes, contain still a considerable amount of oil.
3. Those press cakes are collected from around the mediterranean and those last amounts of oil are extracted with alcohol or solvent.
4, As this olive oil is not suiteable for human consumption, we call this kind of oils, technical grade. They are only used in non-humanconsumption applications.
5, This technical olive oil still contains however valuable components for other applications. Oleic acid (C18/1) is extracted as a valuable component for the homecare and detergent industry.
6. This leftover, that was extracted from the leftover, that's the raw material that is used for the production of our olive waxes
To turn oil into a wax, there's a process called hydrogenation. This process is nothing more than turning unsaturated fatty acids into saturated fatty acids.
Saturated fatty acid is also known as 'stearine'. The name 'stearine' is derived from trivial name of the most common saturated fatty acid known in nature: stearic acid (C18).
So why it is so sustainable?
- No rainforest has been chopped
- It's locally grown and produced (Europe)
- No agricultural area is extra occupied as it is a leftover from food production
- Olivetrees are low demanding (fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides,...)
- No desertification/erosion
Nchem cooperated with the producer of this olive fatty acid to make a wax that's easier to handle for candle makers. This are the raw materials used to produce our Nwax 371 and Nwax 351. Best suitable for pillars and waxmelts. Also for containercandles when glassadhesion isn't a topic, as it most likely will shrink in your container.
Any further questions or remarks? Put them in the comments below and we'll try to get back to you asap.