How to Ship Candles in Summer Heat

Two separate risks: broken glass and soft wax

Glass breaks when jars bump each other or the box wall. Wax softens when the package gets hot. They need different fixes, so test for both.

FedEx lists candles among items that heat or cold can damage. How much heat a candle takes depends on its wax and formula. In one wax maker’s heat test, candles were laid on their sides for 24 hours at 113°F (45°C). Candles with fragrance loads up to 13 percent held their shape, but some made with a 15 percent load melted out of their containers. That is one wax, not a rule for every wax, but it shows two things: the exact wax matters, and a heavy fragrance load can make a candle less stable in heat.

Heat cuts both ways in a mailing. Summer parcels can sit in a hot truck, a loading dock or on a porch. A package can arrive unbroken and still fail if the wax has slumped, the oil has seeped to the surface or the label has peeled. Judge a test shipment on how it looks when opened.

Pack the glass first

1. Choose a strong box. Pick one sized for a protective layer on every side, not one that snugly touches the jar.
2. Wrap each candle separately. Cover the base, rim and lid. Several shippers advise wrapping fragile items one by one with air-cellular cushioning. FedEx suggests a layer at least 3 inches thick around fragile items, and that same amount around any inner box.
3. Keep jars apart. Never let glass touch glass. Use dividers or an inner box for several jars.
4. Fill every gap so nothing moves. Then do the shake test: close the box and shake it. If you hear or feel movement, add more cushioning. This test appears in carrier guidance.
5. Seal and label well. Tape the seams and edges, mark the top and put the shipping label on a flat side.

For high-value or very breakable jars, the double-box method, where a smaller padded box sits inside a larger box with cushioning between them, adds protection. Packing advice varies a little between carriers, so follow your own carrier’s current guide.

Plan around the heat

Heat risk grows with time in transit, so the main tools are timing and speed.

• Ship early in the week. FedEx suggests Monday to Wednesday to shorten time in its network, and a candle supplier gives the same advice so parcels do not wait out a weekend.
• Choose faster service in hot weather. Fewer days in transit means fewer chances to overheat.
• Think about the destination. A cool state in June is a safer trip than a hot one.
• Offer hold-at-location or signature options. FedEx suggests these in warm months so packages do not sit outside.
• Tell customers when to expect the box and ask them to bring it indoors promptly.

Test before you promise

No box is certified “summer safe.” The only way to know is to test your own candle in your own package. Throw the box around at home first, as one supplier suggests, then send a test parcel to a friend in a hot area and ask for photos of how it arrives.

If hot lanes keep failing, it is fine to pause shipping to them in peak heat, offer local pickup or take pre-orders for cooler weeks. A clear note beats a melted candle and a refund.

Count the true shipping cost

Boxes, cushioning, labels, cold packs, faster service and your time all add up. Add them to your selling costs in how to price candles, and include a small allowance for replacement of damaged orders. For more on the glass itself, see candle containers. Your label should be settled before you ship.