Packaging
All major packaging components are recyclable: candles, melts, and burners are shipped in locally made cardboard boxes with shredded paper fill, and decorated with ropes/ribbons and dried flowers. This means minimal to no single-use plastic in packaging.
Boema goes beyond one-time use by offering a jar return and refill service: customers can send back their empty Boema candle jars (or even other jars) to be refilled rather than buying a new candle each time. By enabling jar reuse, Boema mitigates waste at product end-of-life and aligns with guidance to use refillable containers as a sustainable alternative.
The brand has not specified if its paper materials are from recycled or FSC-certified sources, nor if it uses compostable shipping tape or labels, but overall packaging impact is very low, with no plastic inserts or foam, and an emphasis on recyclability and local sourcing.
Material Sustainability
Boema’s entire product line is made from a small set of plant-based materials – primarily soy wax, cotton or wooden wicks, fragrance oils, glass or ceramic vessels, and dried botanical decorations.
The brand avoids paraffin wax entirely, using 100% pure soybean-derived wax with no blending of cheaper paraffin or palm wax. This is significant because paraffin (a petroleum byproduct) is non-renewable and has a high-carbon footprint, whereas soy wax is renewable and biodegradable.
Boema further commits to plant based, sustainable components by using unbleached cotton braided wicks and occasionally wooden wicks. Cotton and wood are renewable resources, and Boema’s use of lead-free, coreless wicks avoids the toxic metal content that was historically a problem in candles.
One area to scrutinize is Boema’s fragrance oils. The brand states it uses “high-grade fragrance oils specifically designed for candles”, which implies they are formulated to be safe for burning. However, it is not specified whether these fragrances are essential oils, synthetic aroma oils, or a blend, nor whether they are phthalate-free. Boema’s use of the term “ecofriendly fragrances” in its story suggests an effort to select safer scent oils, but transparency is limited.
Energy & Carbon Footprint
Boema Candles is a small-scale, local brand, which inherently keeps its energy usage and emissions relatively low, but the brand provides little data or formal initiatives on this front.
There is no public information on Boema’s energy sources, manufacturing emissions, or efforts to reduce greenhouse gases. This lack of reporting or targets means Boema cannot score in the higher tiers for climate impact. That said, Boema’s business model inherently limits emissions in several ways. Production is done by hand in a “humble workshop” in Lebanon, likely using electric melters or stovetops to melt wax, an energy need on a far smaller scale than industrial candle factories. The brand produces in small batches and sells primarily within Lebanon.
Boema also sources packaging locally, reducing transportation emissions for those inputs.
Waste Management
Boema excels in minimizing waste and promoting product circularity, fulfilling key criteria for a high tier in waste management. The brand addresses waste at multiple stages: production, packaging, and end-of-life. Because Boema’s candles are handcrafted in small batches, manufacturing waste is naturally low. They likely mix and pour wax to order, meaning minimal leftover wax. Any small amounts of excess wax can be remelted, and the dried flowers used for candle décor are organic matter (biodegradable).
By eschewing plastics and foam, Boema ensures that customers can recycle the entire packaging at home.
Boema tackles product end-of-life with its Refill or Repurpose program. Instead of treating candle jars as disposable, Boema invites customers to return their empty candle jar for a refill, or even to send in any container they have to be filled with a candle.
At the end of a candle’s life, if a customer doesn’t pursue a refill, Boema’s materials still mitigate waste: the glass jars are reusable or recyclable, and the remaining soy wax residue is biodegradable.
Business Model
As a small artisanal brand, Boema produces in limited batches and focuses on quality, hand-crafted products that have personal touch and longevity.
The brand does introduce seasonal offerings (for example, a 7-day Advent Calendar 2025 candle set and curated gift boxes), but these remain curated, themed collections rather than an endless stream of disposable novelties. Boema’s core products (candles and soy melts) use durable vessels and come in classic scents that can be refilled, indicating an emphasis on sustained use over constant replacement.
Notably, Boema’s refill program directly counters a throwaway culture – it implies the brand would rather refill your candle jar than sell you a completely new candle package each time.
Boema also engages customers through experiences rather than pure product pushing. For example, hosting candle-making workshops for the community.
