other animal based waxes include lanolin from the wool of sheep, and ambergris, produced in the intestines of sperm whales. Another example of animal waxes that have been traded in the past is spermaceti, derived from the head oil of the sperm whale. Of course, the endangered status of the whale has stopped trading in this product and resulted in the development of synthetic substitutes. One of the most enduring qualities of the wax business has been the ability to improvise and develop substitutes in the face of supply disruptions.

carnauba wax is recovered from a variety of palm tree which grows almost exclusively in northeastern Brazil. Carnauba wax forms on the fronds of the trees and is recovered by cutting and drying the fronds, then mechanically removing the wax. Impurities are removed from the wax by melting and filtering or centrifuging. Carnauba wax is distinguished by its hardness and high melt point, combined with an ability to disperse pigments such as carbon black, properties which make carnauba useful in printing inks. It is also used to gel organic solvents and oils as a component of solvent and paste formulations. Carnauba polishes to a high gloss, and is used to polish items such as leather products, candies, metal surfaces, etc. sales3 at paraffinco dot com.