Firestarter / Resin-Soaked Bushcraft Igniters

(Upcycled spruce & pine bark — long burn, all-weather use)

For years, we’ve looked for ways to make Alberta Wildcraft even more sustainable. One thing kept tugging at us:
What could we do with all the resin-soaked bark left over from filtering resin for our gums, soaps, and balms?

Throwing it away never felt right — especially knowing how long resin has been used by people living close to the land. For thousands of years, many Indigenous peoples purified spruce and pine pitch to waterproof canoes, repair tools, and make adhesives. Resin has always been a powerful, resourceful material, and we try to honor that by using every part of it.

Long before Alberta Wildcraft existed, resin fire-starting was already part of our family’s outdoor life. On camping trips, hikes, and winter cookouts, we showed our kids how a small piece of dried resin can ignite instantly and burn hot, even in rain or snow. It’s one of the first bushcraft skills they learned.

When we began making wildcrafted balms and soaps, we naturally kept saving the resin-soaked bark left behind from filtering. We continued using it exactly the same way — as our reliable fire starter for nearly everything.

And to be clear:

Resin fire-starting isn’t new. It isn’t invented by anyone today.
It’s a long-standing bushcraft technique used for centuries by Indigenous peoples, hunters, trappers, and outdoor families across North America.

By Spring 2025, after years of using these ourselves, we finally decided to share our family’s fire starters with others — made the same way we’ve always used them.

🔥 Why These Work

– ignites instantly
– burns hot & steady
– cuts through damp wood
– works in rain, snow, ice, or wind
– helps build a strong fire fast
– no chemicals
– no accelerants
– no waste

🏕️ Perfect For

– camping
– bushcraft & survival kits
– hunting trips
– winter fire pits
– rainy-day fires
– emergency preparedness
– teaching kids outdoor skills

📦 What You Get

– each mesh bag contains 40 g of resin-soaked spruce & pine bark pieces

♻️ Sustainable & Traditional

These firestarters are made entirely from natural byproducts of our resin harvesting — giving the leftover bark a purpose and keeping a long-standing outdoor tradition alive.

From our family to yours — straight from the forest.