Why does Naturelle use soy wax and not paraffin wax? Soy wax is made from soybeans and vegetables, both renewable resources. It has been found that Soy wax burns much cleaner and purer as it is all natural, non-toxic, and it is biodegradable. A great benefit is that Soy wax residue can be washed away with warm water and soap. Paraffin wax on the other hand is derived from petroleum, a limited resource and the burning of paraffin wax contributes to indoor air contamination by emitting petro-chemicals causing soot deposits and carcinogenic particulate matter. This wax contains petroleum by-products and additives that inhibit biodegradability. Unlike soy wax, paraffin wax residue is often impossible to remove. We have also found that soya wax will burn longer than paraffin wax. The tea-lite cups are manufactured using only 100% clear, flame retardant polycarbonate, widely accepted as the safest polymer resin available for this application. Polycarbonate is a lightweight, transparent polymer which maintains a very high melt point and is practically impossible to shatter.