Hollow beeswax candles double as zero waste gift boxes

After products are removed and the candle used, all that remains is a recyclable, aluminium base

Spotted: Spiral Melt candles provide two-in-one gifts. The candle itself is hollow, providing space for small gift items. When emptied, the candle burns in a patented spiral pattern, eventually leaving only the recyclable aluminium base. Inspired to create an alternative to the mountains of waste produced each year during the holidays, industrial designer Catalina Navarro developed a candle design that drips into the candle rather than outside it, allowing every bit of the beeswax to be used.

Handmade in Canada, the candles are Bureau Veritas certified and in addition to the beeswax and aluminium, use only cotton and paper wicks and recycled paper labels. The candles are available in three shapes — round, square and oval — and a range of scents, including orange, cinnamon, lavender, french vanilla, candy cane and eucalyptus.

Available to buy as single items for individual use, the candles are also sold to retail outlets that want to use more sustainable packaging. Spiral Melt itself sells the candles filled with Lindt chocolates and has plans to introduce additional gift items sometime this year.

Sustainable packaging is having an exciting moment, finally making noticeable headway in reducing reliance on single-use plastics. Recent innovations spotted by Springwise include a stretchable, printable, recyclable paper wrap and carbon-negative packaging made from a mix of mycelium and agricultural waste.

Explore more: Manufacturing Innovations | Retail Innovations