Candelilla wax now has a certified origin

Saltillo, Coahuila – August 2025. For the first time, candelilla wax has been awarded FSC certification in Forest Management and Chain of Custody, validating its traceability, sustainability, and recognizing the commitment of the communities who produce it in the shrubland ecosystems of northern Mexico. This natural raw material is used in cosmetics, food, and electronics.

The certification was awarded to two key players:

• Sierra, Gestión y Consultoría Ambiental S.C., holds a group Forest Management certificate, which covers a total of 84,605 hectares belonging to the Las Coloradas, Bajío de Ahuichila, and Piedritas ejidos (community-managed lands), and a Chain of Custody certificate.
• Ejidos Unidos para la Producción y Manejo de los Recursos Naturales del Cañón de Hipólito–Alto de Norias S.P.R. de R.L., holds a Chain of Custody certificate covering wax refining, ensuring traceability from collection to the final product.

The Forest Management certificate was made possible through the FSC Continuous Improvement Procedure, a flexible approach that allows communities and small landowners to gradually move toward full compliance with the standard while accessing the market with evolving practices.

The award ceremony at the Antonio Narro Autonomous Agricultural University (UAAAN) Auditorium highlighted the commitment of the ejido communities of Coahuila to traceability, good production practices, and the conservation of shrubland ecosystems.  Local, state, federal, and international authorities attended the event, along with the Chief Operating Officer of FSC International, the Director of Research at UAAAN, and  representatives from FSC Mexico, Reforestamos Mexico, and the National Union of Community Forestry Organizations A.C. (UNOFOC).

“The FSC certification of candelilla wax in these communal lands shows that shrubland ecosystems can also be managed responsibly, generating social, environmental, and economic benefits. At FSC Mexico, we promote a standard that recognizes territorial diversity, including non-timber forest products such as candelilla,” said Alfonso Argüelles, national representative of FSC Mexico.

“Here, in the shrublands, candelilla is part of our identity. Today, with this FSC certificate, we are organized producers with our own voice and brand,” said Breydy Castillo, security manager at the Las Coloradas cooperative.

A collaborative network for a sustainable model

Coordination among communities, cooperatives, technicians, civil organizations, and environmental authorities made this project possible. The Las Coloradas Candelilla Wax Cooperative was established in July 2024 and is made up of men, women, and young people from the ejido, who now sell a value-added product directly to end customers, eliminating the intermediaries that historically controlled the chain.

Despite the progress made, key challenges remain: lack of local infrastructure for refining, limited working capital, and working conditions exposed to climate risks. However, FSC certification has already attracted the interest of buyers in Germany, France, and Peru.

A global benchmark for Mexican shrubland

This project demonstrates that it is possible to certify non-timber forest products in ecosystems historically excluded from sustainable markets, generating positive impacts for biodiversity, the local economy, and social justice. The case of candelilla sets a precedent for similar products in Mexico and Latin America.

FSC Mexico will continue to promote this initiative as an example of how certification can be adapted to diverse realities and connect producer communities with responsible markets.