The Complete Guide to EcoOlive Wax

What Is EcoOlive?

EcoOlive is an olive oil-based wax. Relatively new to the candle market compared to soy or coconut. Two versions: one for pillars, one for containers.

Why olive? It's a European crop (less shipping than Asian coconut or American soy), burns clean, and has excellent fragrance retention.

The Honest Truth About Olive Wax

It's newer, so there's less community knowledge. You won't find as many YouTube tutorials or forum threads as you will for soy. You're a bit more on your own.

That said, it works. The scent throw rivals coconut wax. The burn is clean. And it's genuinely sustainable if that matters to your customers.

EcoOlive Pillar Wax

Specs

• Melt point: 58-60°C
• Pour temperature: 70-75°C
• Fragrance load: up to 8%
• Colour: Off-white to pale cream

What It's Good For

Pillar candles, moulded shapes, votives. Releases well from silicone moulds. Holds detail nicely.

What It's Not For

Container candles. Too hard. Use EcoOlive Container for jars.

Working With EcoOlive Pillar

Melt at 85°C. Olive wax can be stubborn to melt fully. Make sure there are no cloudy bits.

Add fragrance at 75-80°C. Stir for 2 minutes minimum.

Pour at 70-75°C. This is hotter than soy pillar wax. If you pour too cool, you'll get surface imperfections.

Two-pour method works well. First pour, let skin form, poke relief holes, second pour 5°C cooler.

Wick Sizing for EcoOlive Pillar

Olive wax burns slower than soy. You may need to size up.

Pillar Diameter	Suggested Wick
5cm (2")	LX 12-14
7cm (2.75")	LX 16-18
10cm (4")	LX 20-22 or double wick

Test thoroughly. Olive wax is less forgiving than soy if you get the wick wrong.

EcoOlive Container Wax

Specs

• Melt point: 46-48°C
• Pour temperature: 60-65°C
• Fragrance load: up to 10%
• Colour: Off-white

What It's Good For

Container candles in glass, ceramic, or tins. Good glass adhesion when poured correctly.

Working With EcoOlive Container

Melt at 85°C until completely clear. No cloudy patches.

Add fragrance at 75°C. Olive wax holds fragrance well. You can often get away with 8% and still have strong throw.

Pour at 60-65°C. Slightly hotter than soy container wax. Pre-warm your jars.

Cool slowly. Room temperature, away from windows and doors.

Wick Sizing for EcoOlive Container

Similar to soy-coconut blends. Start with these:

Container Diameter	Suggested Wick
6cm (2.4")	ECO 6-8
7cm (2.75")	ECO 10-12
8cm (3.15")	ECO 12-14
9cm+ (3.5"+)	ECO 16 or double wick

Troubleshooting EcoOlive

Cloudy or Mottled Appearance

Didn't melt fully. Olive wax needs higher temperatures to achieve a complete melt. Heat to 85°C and hold there until perfectly clear.

Poor Glass Adhesion

Wet spots in containers. Same causes as soy: cold jars, pouring too hot, cooling too fast.

Fix: Pre-warm jars, pour at 60°C (not 65°C), cool at steady room temperature.

Surface Cracks (Pillars)

Cooled too fast or poured too cool.

Fix: Pour at 75°C, not 70°C. Let cool naturally. No fridges.

Weak Hot Throw

Olive wax needs a proper melt pool to release scent. If your candle tunnels, the throw suffers.

Check wick size. You may need to go up one size. A full melt pool within 2-3 hours of lighting is what you're after.

Fragrance Separation

Oily patches on the surface. Added fragrance when wax was too cool, or used too much.

Fix: Add at 75°C minimum. Stay at 8-9% until you've tested at 10%.

Curing EcoOlive

2 weeks minimum for best results. Olive wax takes longer to cure than soy.

Cold throw develops slowly. Don't judge until it's had time.

Why Choose Olive Over Soy?

Scent throw. EcoOlive holds fragrance exceptionally well. Many makers find the hot throw rivals coconut wax.

European sourcing. If your brand story involves sustainability and low food miles, olive wax fits.

Clean burn. No soot, no smoke when wicked correctly.

Why Not Choose Olive?

Less community support. Fewer tutorials, fewer forum threads to troubleshoot from.

Higher price than soy. Your margins need to accommodate it.

Slightly more demanding to work with. Less forgiving of temperature mistakes.