How Much Does 1 Pound Of Beeswax Cost?

Beeswax is a natural wax produced by honey bees of the genus Apis. It is formed when worker bees secrete wax from glands on the underside of their abdomen and use it to build the honeycomb cells within a beehive. Beeswax has a variety of practical uses for the bees, as it provides the structure for the honeycomb cells where honey and pollen are stored.

For humans, beeswax has many applications due to its unique physical and chemical properties. It is plastic when warm but becomes brittle and breakable when cold. It has a low melting point of around 62–64 °C and it burns easily and cleanly. Beeswax is insoluble in water but soluble in chloroform and other organic solvents. It also acts as an emulsifier, making it useful in cosmetics and skin care.

Some common uses of beeswax include candle making, lubrication, wood finishing, molded objects, art, furniture polish, protective coatings, food processing, and cosmetics. It is prized for its protective, emulsifying, and moisturizing properties in lip balms, lotions, soaps, and other body products. Beeswax production remains an important activity globally, providing income to beekeepers and supporting ecological pollination.

Sources of Beeswax

Beeswax is a natural wax produced by honeybees. It is secreted from glands on the bee’s abdomen and used by bees to build the walls of their honeycomb. Beekeepers will collect beeswax from the honeycomb when they harvest honey.

Beeswax is produced by female worker honeybees between 12-18 days old. Worker bees consume honey and pollen, which are processed by glands that secrete liquid beeswax. The wax is extruded through small wax mirrors on the bee’s abdomen and shaped into scales by the bee’s legs.

The bees use the wax to build the familiar hexagonal cells of honeycomb. The walls of the honeycomb are composed entirely of overlapping beeswax scales produced by thousands of bees working together (Source). As the bees process honey and pollen, the wax comb gets coated and darkened.

When beekeepers harvest the honey, they will scrape off the wax caps from the comb. The collected wax is melted down and filtered to produce clean beeswax for products like candles, cosmetics, and wood polish (Source). So the beeswax ultimately comes directly from honeybees within the hive.

Beeswax Production

Beeswax is produced by honey bees from glands on their abdomen. These glands convert sugar from honey into wax, which the bees use to build honeycombs in the hive [1].

To obtain beeswax for commercial use, beekeepers harvest the entire honeycomb from hives. The harvest typically occurs once or twice a year when honey is extracted. The collected combs are melted down in boiling water, filtered, and then cooled to produce raw beeswax blocks [2]. The raw beeswax is then further processed, filtered and possibly blended with other waxes before being sold.

Factors Affecting Beeswax Price

There are several key factors that influence the price of beeswax in the United States. Some of the main ones are:

Quality

Higher quality beeswax generally commands a higher price. Factors like purity, color, aroma, and texture affect quality. For example, very pure yellow beeswax is considered top quality and costs more than darker, lower purity beeswax.

Supply and Demand

When demand is high but supply is low, beeswax prices tend to rise. Droughts, diseases, and other events can reduce honey bee populations and wax production, leading to shortages. The growing popularity of beeswax products has also increased demand.

Production Costs

The costs to keep bees, extract and clean beeswax, and prepare it for market all impact the final price. Higher labor, energy, filtering, and shipping costs may translate to pricier beeswax. Economies of scale allow larger apiaries to spread costs across more production.

Location

Beeswax produced locally typically costs less than imported waxes. There are also regional price differences within the US based on factors like climate and number of beekeepers. According to Beeswax Price in US – January 2024 Market Update | Selina Wamucii, wholesale beeswax prices range from $4.08-$12.23 per kilogram in the US.

Average Retail Price

The typical price for 1 pound of beeswax when purchasing from craft stores or online retailers ranges from $15 to $25.

Major national craft chains like Michael’s and Hobby Lobby tend to price 1-pound blocks of pure beeswax around $15 to $18. Smaller independent craft shops may charge a dollar or two more.

Online at major marketplaces like Amazon and eBay, 1-pound slabs can cost between $16 to $22 including shipping. Prices are usually cheapest when buying multi-pack bundles.

Specialty retailers focused on candlemaking, soapmaking, or beekeeping tend to charge premium prices for beeswax, ranging from $20 to $25 per pound. This reflects the higher quality, purity, or sourcing of their beeswax.

So in general, the retail price per pound that most consumers pay falls right around $20 for good quality pure beeswax blocks from reputable suppliers.

Wholesale & Bulk Prices

Buying beeswax in bulk quantities can lead to significant cost savings compared to retail pricing. Beekeepers, crafters, candle makers, and other high-volume users can often purchase wholesale beeswax at a discounted rate.

The price per pound decreases as the quantity increases. For example, one pound of beeswax may cost $15-20 at retail. But buying 25-50 pounds from a wholesaler may only cost $12-15 per pound. Purchasing full boxes of beeswax (35-60 lbs) can further reduce the per-pound price to $8-12.

When purchasing wholesale, consider that you’ll need to pay shipping costs on large, heavy boxes. So your total price per pound should factor in shipping expenses. Many vendors offer free shipping above a minimum order quantity. Buying directly from a local apiary or beekeeper may also help avoid shipping fees.

Overall, buying beeswax in bulk quantities can save 20-50% off typical retail pricing. Just be sure to have storage space and a need for large volumes. Otherwise, the convenience of retail may be worth the extra cost per pound.

Pricing for Raw Beeswax

One of the most affordable ways to purchase beeswax is to buy it unfiltered and unprocessed directly from beekeepers. This raw beeswax contains bits of honey, propolis, and other impurities from the hive. Since it requires more cleaning and processing on the part of the buyer, raw beeswax typically sells for lower prices than refined products.

Beekeepers often sell beeswax for $3 to $6 per pound. This can fluctuate depending on whether you buy smaller hobbyist quantities versus larger commercial volumes. Buying a full box of beeswax (around 25-35 lbs) directly from an apiary will offer the lowest per-pound pricing.

When buying raw beeswax from beekeepers, you can expect to pay on the lower end of the average price range. Unfiltered beeswax avoids the costs of processing, packaging, and retail markups. However, it requires extra steps to clean and render the wax into a usable form. Overall, raw beeswax offers an affordable option compared to refined and specialty waxes.

Organic & Specialty Options

There are a number of specialty options for beeswax that tend to come at a higher premium. Organic beeswax is generally 10-25% more expensive than regular beeswax. To be certified organic, the bees cannot be given antibiotics and the hives cannot contain pesticide residues. Organic producers also follow strict guidelines for sustainably harvesting beeswax.

Fair trade beeswax is sourced from beekeepers that are paid fair wages in developing regions. This also comes with a markup, usually around 15-20%.

There are also options for region-specific beeswax. Local beeswax may be preferred by crafters and artisans who want to know the exact source of their materials. Beeswax from certain flowering regions may also be prized for its unique aroma, texture, or color. These specialty regional beeswaxes can cost 50-100% more than regular beeswax.

Price Fluctuations

The price of beeswax has fluctuated over time, but has generally trended upward. According to IndexBox, the average global import price for beeswax was $4,692 per ton in 2022, up 6.4% from the previous year. In the United States specifically, the average export price was $3,852 per ton in 2022, down 13% year-over-year according to IndexBox.

There is also some seasonality to beeswax prices. Prices tend to be higher in the winter and spring months when supply is lower. In the peak summer months when bees are most active producing wax, prices tend to decline a bit before picking back up in the fall and early winter.

Many factors can impact beeswax prices including honey production levels, demand from buyers, cost of production, and availability of substitutes like paraffin wax. But overall, pure beeswax remains a specialty product with prices averaging in the $5-15 per pound range depending on quality and market conditions.

Conclusion

In summary, the price of 1 pound of beeswax can vary greatly depending on the source, quality, and any special processing. Raw beeswax direct from a beekeeper or apiary typically costs $5-10 per pound. Organic certified beeswax runs $1-3 higher per pound. Retail prices in stores and online average around $14-16 per pound for regular beeswax candles and blocks. Wholesale and bulk prices can be as low as $9-12 per pound. Specialty cosmetic-grade beeswax commands upwards of $18-25 per pound. Factors like organic certification, filtering, rendered vs raw, and wax quality impact price. But overall, most standard 1 pound blocks of beeswax fall within the $14-16 retail price point.