What Can Be Used as a Wick for a Candle?

The most reliable wick options are cotton (flat-braided, square-braided, or cored), hemp, and paper. Flat-braided cotton is the most versatile, works in most container candles, and is nearly self-trimming as it curls into the flame during burning. Square-braided cotton handles thicker waxes like beeswax. Hemp burns slow and steady with minimal smoke. Wood wicks deliver that crackling, fireplace-style burn that has become increasingly popular in container candles, but can be difficult to formulate. They can easily be extinguished if the wax type melts too quickly, leading to a candle that has to constantly be relit.

Wax type, container diameter, fragrance load, and colorant all affect wick performance, and a wick that burns clean in soy can tunnel or smoke in beeswax. You have to burn test: pour the same wax into identical containers, try two or three wick sizes, and look for a full melt pool within the first two hours, minimal mushrooming, and a stable flame height.

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