Your Ultimate Candle Wick Guide
Cotton Wicks
You'll typically find cotton wicks used for scented candles. It's easy to light, it burns slowly, and it absorbs the wax, which are three very good qualities for a candle wick to possess. Cotton wicks are also usually environmentally friendly, which gives them bonus points.
Linen Wicks
As with cotton, linen wicks light easily, will hold their burn, and have minimal environmental impact. Some people prefer to use linen wicks for their candles because of their aesthetic qualities, since they tend to hold their form and elegance slightly better than other materials.
Silk Wicks
There's a reason why you won't find silk-wick candles in an everyday store: as you'll know if you've ever tried to buy a silk item of clothing, it's a pretty expensive material. Some candle manufacturers use synthetic silk in their candles, but that's largely unnecessary - the material doesn't function as a wick any better than linen or cotton.
Wooden Wicks
You have to love wooden wicks, which add another layer of experience to the candle-burning process. Just as with kindling, wooden wicks can crackle when lit, which helps to contribute to a homey and inviting atmosphere. And as with the other natural materials on this list, it's also good for the environment!
Synthetic Fiber
There's only one real advantage to synthetic fiber: it's cheap. This man made material is often used by large-scale candle manufacturers, which typically produce the worst candles on the market! While it'll burn fine, the chemical additions mean that it can be harmful to human health, and it's also pretty bad for the environment too.