From Hive to Home: Our Process & The Wax
At DowerFina, we believe that understanding where something comes from makes it all the more special. Here is the story of our beeswax, from the moment it is created inside the hive to the finished candle in your hands.
1. Collection - Where Does Beeswax Come From?
Beeswax is one of nature's most remarkable materials, and it begins not with gathering, but with creation. Young worker bees produce wax themselves, secreting a liquid from eight specialised glands on their abdomens. This liquid quickly hardens into tiny flakes, which the bees chew and mix with their saliva to soften before moulding it into the precise hexagonal cells of the honeycomb. Beeswax is the building material of the hive, used to store honey, pollen, and to raise new brood.
To extract the wax, we remove the comb from the hive frames, either during honey harvesting by uncapping the honeycomb cells, or when old combs are replaced. Replacing old combs is an important part of responsible hive management, as comb darkens and ages over time and can harbour a buildup of bacteria, fungi, and disease if left too long. Fresh comb produces the lightest, purest wax, while wax from older combs tends to be darker in colour and lower in quality due to the accumulated residues from years of use inside the hive.
2. Filtering - Cleaning the Wax
Raw beeswax straight from the hive contains impurities; bits of honey, propolis, pollen, and debris; and needs to be carefully cleaned before it can be used. We filter our wax multiple times using a simple, natural method. We gently heat the raw wax in a large pot with water on low heat until it melts, then pour it slowly through cotton t-shirts stretched over a bucket, allowing the wax to filter through while catching all impurities. We leave it to set and dry for up to 24 hours before removing it from the bucket. We repeat this process as many times as needed until the wax is clean, pure, and ready to use. No chemicals, no shortcuts, just patience and time.
3. The Value of Beeswax - Why It Is So Special
Beeswax is one of the most labour-intensive natural materials to produce, and that is reflected in its value. It takes bees an enormous amount of energy to produce wax - roughly 5 to 10 kilograms of honey is consumed by the bees to produce just 1 kilogram of wax. This is why beeswax is significantly more valuable than honey by weight, and why we handle every gram of it with such care and respect.
Beyond candles, beeswax has been used for centuries for a remarkable range of purposes, including wood polish and furniture care, skincare and lip balms, soap making, waterproofing leather and fabric, food wraps as a natural alternative to plastic, pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications, and even as a lubricant for drawers, zippers, and tools. We believe it is truly one of nature's most versatile and precious materials.
4. Candle Making - Pouring with Care
Every single candle we make is hand poured. Once the wax has been cleaned and is ready, we heat it slowly and gently, then allow it to cool to just the right temperature before carefully pouring it into prepared moulds fitted with a cotton wick. Temperature is everything in candle making. Pout it too hot and the candle can crack as it cools, pour it too cold and the wax sets unevenly. Getting it right takes practice, a looot of patience, and a good read of the conditions on the day. Especially in winter, with changing temperatures outside, cracking still happens from time to time, and when it does we simply remelt the wax and start again. Nothing is ever wasted. Every candle that leaves our hands has been made with full attention and care, and we wouldn't have it any other way.
