About Dodo Crafts

On the Island of Mauritius, over 400 years ago, the dodo was free of natural predators. This made the birds very trusting and very friendly, and meant that they adapted to their environment by evolving to be flightless. These factors made them easy hunting targets for humans, as not only were the dodos unintimidated but they were unable to escape human threat through flight. Human invasion also caused a loss of habitat for the dodos and threat to dodo eggs through the introduction of non-native animal species onto the island. As a result of human behaviours, the dodo sadly became extinct.

It is trust, friendliness and human impact that are symbolised by The Dodo in Dodo Crafts. It is also Dodo who attentively creates and lovingly handmakes each crafted item especially for you.

With Dodo Crafts you can trust in the quality of the products; from where materials are sourced, to the care in how the products are made, to the arrival of them in your hands.

With Dodo Crafts you can expect friendliness in the customer service and communication you receive, as well as the environmentally friendly approach.

With Dodo Crafts you can rely on human impact to be minimalised on the environment and animal welfare through the use of cruelty free products, renewable materials and sustainable packaging. Dodo Crafts is committed to buying all materials and packaging from suppliers based in the UK.

All products sold by Dodo Crafts are handcrafted by Dodo in the UK. All wax products are CLP compliant and insured. If you have any comments, requests or ideas that you would like to share, Talk To Dodo and await your friendly response.

Why Dodo Crafts uses rapeseed wax

Dodo Crafts uses 100% rapeseed wax for all wax products as it is a completely natural, renewable and sustainable resource whilst crucially being uncompromising on the quality of the candle. This means that whilst you are relaxing to the scent of a Dodo Crafts candle, you can also relax knowing that you are indulging responsibly.

From a candle perspective, rapeseed wax has excellent hot and cold throw properties – which, in non-candle making terminology, simply means the candles have a lovely strong scent both when lit and unlit. The aromas also linger for longer with rapeseed wax as the fragrance gently evaporates from the wax pool due to the wax burning at a low temperature. Furthermore, rapeseed wax has a creamy, smooth texture which can really be appreciated in a nice clear glass jar.

When travelling around the UK in springtime, bright yellow fields can readily be spotted where rapeseed is growing. From an environmentally responsible perspective, the rapeseed wax is grown locally in the UK, France and Germany, and requires less intensive farming practices compared to other oilseed crops, helping to keep a low carbon footprint. This is especially so where other types of waxes are imported from the USA and South America. Rapeseed wax is also biodegradable with a low melting point, so when it burns it breaks down naturally without causing harm to the environment since it does not release harmful chemicals or pollutants into the air, such as paraffin wax for example, thus making it a healthier option for indoor use. Not only is natural wax healthier for us, but the growth of rapeseed helps to protect the bees and benefits the soil; as well as being used for other purposes such as cooking oil, bio-fuel and animal feed. Importantly, there is no GMO presence in rapeseed, it is not associated with deforestation and it is animal-cruelty free.

The use of natural fragrance oils

Fragrance is a very important aspect of a candle. A candle aroma should be highly appealing and last a long time. There are many factors to consider when deciding how to fragrance a candle – whether to use essential oils, synthetic fragrance oils or natural fragrance oils; alongside impact on the environment, animals and human health; both in the production of the oils and the burning of a candle. Below is a brief overview highlighting aspects of Dodo’s choice in using natural fragrance oils in Dodo Crafts’ wax products.

Essential oils are made by the extraction the oils from various aromatic botanical plant matters, making them 100% natural. This process can be sustainable, depending on the vegetation used, however the process is resource intensive. When used in a candle, the scent released is generally not very powerful or long lasting, usually due to the chemical composition degrading when being heated. Alongside this, some essential oils can release CMRs when heated or burned – CMRs being Carcinogenic, Mutagenic and Reprotoxic chemical substances that have been identified as having the potential to cause cancer, genetic mutations or harm to reproduction.

Fragrance oils are synthetic scents that mimic the scent of natural substances. Synthetic fragrance oils are produced through the use of synthetic compounds and by-products of petroleum, which is not environmentally friendly, sustainable or healthy. They can also contain certain phthalates such as DBP and DEHP which are chemicals used to help prolong the diffusion of fragrances but have been associated with potential hormone disruption and impact on reproduction. DEP is another type of phthalate commonly used in fragrance oils; however it has been found to be non-toxic if used at safe levels and is classified as non-hazardous under EU regulations.

Natural fragrance oils use a mix of synthetic compounds and plant extracts or a constructed copy of the same molecular structure of plant oil without needing to use actual plants. This can involve less intensive use of resource compared to the production of essential oils, be environmentally friendly and sustainable, as well as release a stronger scent for a longer time. Whilst natural fragrance oils can include the use of essential oils, the quantity used is heavily reduced compared to a candle made using only essential oils; making the health effects significantly less and quantities used are considered safe and within allowed regulations.

Dodo Crafts uses natural fragrance oils that are designed to be as simple, clean and as natural as possible whilst delivering a range of notes and a strong scent throw. The fragrance oils are made from natural ingredients including essential oils, extracts, resins and isolates, but are not fully natural. Compounds that aren’t sourced direct from nature are either chemically identical to naturally found compounds, artificially created or modified slightly, usually to give a slightly stronger scent. All of the fragrance oils are vegan, cruelty free, paraben free, silicon free and PEG free, with most being CMR and phthalate free also. Please see individual products for specific properties of the fragrance oils or Talk To Dodo if you require further information.

Every candle needs a wick

Every component of Dodo Crafts wax products is carefully considered; including the TCR wicks used in the candles and tea lights. TCR wicks comply with European REACH standards, the requirements of the RAL regulation (Candles Quality Assurance RAL-GZ 041) and the cotton used in their creation is certified OEKO-TEX® 100 class I or II. The wicks are designed to minimise carbon build-up and have a consistent flame. This helps to create a cleaner and more evenly distributed burn, resulting in more of the wax being burned and the candle lasting longer. The wicks are also vegan and cruelty free, made in Europe and supplied by a company in the UK.

The significance of the bamboo lid

Every Dodo Crafts candle is unique. The glass containers are hand blown, giving each one individual character. In addition, every candle comes with a natural bamboo lid hand-crafted by Dodo specifically to fit each candle. The lid helps to retain the beautiful scent of the candle so the full fragrance can be released when the candle is lit. A lid also helps to prevent dust from settling on top of the candle between burns, allowing a cleaner burn and nicer appearance. Not only does the bamboo lid provide an aesthetically pleasing finish to the candle, but it is environmentally friendly too. Bamboo grows very rapidly; requiring less fertiliser, irrigation and pesticides compared to traditional forestry; and absorbs more carbon dioxide than trees. This makes bamboo a sustainable resource that helps to reduce deforestation, has minimal environmental impact and contributes to cleaner air and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

So the products are environmentally friendly, but what about the packaging?

A quality product requires active thought to each element including the packaging, right down to the ribbon that ties everything up. All boxes are made from fully recyclable materials, some of which are partly made from recycled fibres/materials and plants. The tape is biodegradable and fully recyclable, with the paper having been sustainably sourced so that no trees were cut down to produce the tape. Adding a stylish finish to your candle, the ribbon is woven in the UK using recycled polyester yarns made from discarded plastic bottles, helping to reduce waste and lower the environmental impact. While not typically accepted in household recycling, the ribbon can certainly be reused in a number of creative ways. All cardboard packaging is fully recyclable.

All packaging used by Dodo Crafts is made and supplied in the UK, reducing the carbon footprint.

Tips on how to care for your candle and candle safety information

Protect your surface by placing the candle on a heat-protected surface before lighting

Prior to lighting, trim to ¼ inch, if necessary

Allow wax to pool to the edges of the glass before snuffing to avoid tunnelling

Allow candle to burn for no more than three hours at a time

Safely extinguish the candle by using a snuffer

Keep the candle away from flammable items

Do not burn in a draught

Do not move a burning candle or recently snuffed candle where wax is still melted

Do not touch a lit or recently snuffed candle as it may be hot

Replace the lid on your candle once the wax has hardened