Conventional store-bought big brand candles use braided cotton wicks that are bleached white. These wicks can also contain a core in order to enhance the burn and keep the wick upright, which can be made from paper, zinc, tin, or other materials. Wick cores can even contain lead, though many countries now have regulations about lead in candle wicks. This is because when a candle is burning, not only does it release the scent into the air, it also disperses any chemicals within the candle or wick. 

As with all of our other ingredients, Fontana wanted a clean, nontoxic alternative to traditional wicks. All of our wicks are untreated Cherry wood, ensuring that no additional or unnecessary chemicals are released into the air when they’re burning. All of the wood for these wicks is sourced from Forest Stewardship Council Certified mills, which certifies that the wood was harvested responsibly and sustainably. Additionally, for every $100 we spend on wicks, our supplier plants a tree with Trees for the Future. How many trees do you think we’ve planted after 6 years? 🤔

When developing our candles, each new scent and size is wick tested to determine the wick for the perfect burn. This means that our wicks might look a little bit different from candle to candle. Our candles may have one large wick, two smaller wicks, or wicks of two different sizes. 

As your Fontana candle burns or after it has cooled, you may notice that the wick is curling out from the center, sometimes in two directions. We often get questions through our customer service about whether that means the wick is broken or defective - not to worry! As the candle burns, if the candle has multiple wicks, they may curl away from each other. This just means that your candle is in need of a good wick trim. 

There are a few different ways to go about trimming a wooden wick. You can wait for the candle to cool, and then pinch off the burnt ends of the wick with your fingers. That way, none of the burnt wick falls back into the candle. Or, you can use a wick trimmer (you can now find our favorite for sale on our website)! We don’t recommend using a regular pair of scissors, since it may be difficult to reach the wick for an even trim. At Fontana, we use a wick trimmer to finish every candle before we put the lid and label on. 

We recommend trimming your wick after every burn so that your candle burns evenly and has a healthy flame! If you have any additional questions about candle care, see our candle care video here, or contact our customer service! We're happy to help! Please reach us at customer@fontanacandlecompany.com and you can typically see a response from us in less than 24 hours!