Beeswax food wraps? What are those? Why would I want to use them?
Reusable beeswax food wraps are a low waste replacement for sandwich bags and saran wrap in the kitchen. You can use them thousands of times to avoid all of that waste going in to the trash.
How many times do you reuse saran wrap? Sandwich bags? Didn’t think so. This low waste swap can save you money, waste, and let you be the talk of the lunch table.
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So, I decided to make some of these DIY Beeswax Wraps on Saturday. It only took me about an hour but it took a little perfecting with the recipe I was following. By the end, we had it MASTERED! Here is what I did to make these beautiful wraps:
Materials:
- 8 oz of Beeswax Pellets
- 100% cotton fabric of any design- be careful, some colors may bleed
- Parchment Paper- I used If You Care Parchment Paper
because it is compostable (woo!)
- Scissors
- Tongs
- Basting Brush
– you will not want to use it after this project
- Baking sheets
- Twine and Laundry Pins or Binder Clips
– you will not want to use it after this project
Step 1: Cut fabric to sizes that you want
I made three different sizes and all of them were rectangles. You can make them any size or shape you would like. I have seen people make circular ones for plates and pans too!
The sizes I chose were:
- Large: 13in x 14in
- Medium: 10in x 11in
- Small: 7in x 8in
I cut all of my pieces and trimmed the frays on the edges. You can use pinking shears to avoid the fraying and for pretty edges!
Step 2: Setup your project mastering area
I hung twine by my cabinet knobs and had binder clips ready to hang the fabric to dry, kind of like a clothesline. The wax dries within 2-3 minutes but I would recommend putting parchment paper down under it in case some wax drips.
Cover your baking sheet in parchment paper and place it on your stove top.
Step 3: Start melting your beeswax!
Place your first piece of fabric on parchment paper and place the pellets or shavings on top of it. You will get the feel for how much to use as you go on, I would say for the small use around 2 teaspoons of wax, medium a tablespoon, and large a tablespoon and a half.
Turn the stove on very low heat, simmer or 1-2 and let the beeswax start melting. As the fabric got larger we would start in one corner and rotate it around. As the wax melted, we coated the fabric with the basting brush, trying to spread it around evenly.
We did not having much standing wax in our pan, it was just enough for the fabric to soak in and be coated completely. Make sure to spread the wax to all of the edges.
You may want to start with scrap fabric just to get the hang of it! We burnt our first one by leaving it on the stove for too long. But we only made that mistake once! It takes a little getting used to but practice makes perfect!
Step 4: Hang to dry!
Take your tongs and pick up a corner. Surprisingly, the fabric is not too hot so we were able to grab the other corner with our fingers, but some were warmer than others! So be extra careful.
Hang your fabric on the clothesline and let stand for a minute or so. The wax hardens very fast!
Aaaand you are all done! Once they were hung, I let each piece dry for about 5 minutes, cut off any stray frays and repeated! The consistency of the fabric after should be stiff, not stiff as a board but it should stand on its own if you are holding it parallel to the ground, the larger ones may flop a bit.
Well, you are all ready to reuse, gift, and love your plastic wraps without having to buy saran wrap or sandwich bags again! You can place these wraps on top of plates, jars, bowls, etc and warm the wax with your hands a bit and it will morph around the edges!
Here are some frequently asked questions about these wraps:
What do you wrap in them?
Plates, jars, bowls, leftovers, sandwiches on the go, and much more! You can use them to cover your food or you can use them in place of plastic sandwich bags too! The wax seals with the warmth of your hands and keeps the air out!
How do I clean them?
Wipe off homemade wraps with a washcloth or sponge and you are all done! I would advise you not to put it in the sink or dishwasher for the wax will melt and that would not be a fun a clean up!
How long will they last?
I have heard these do last for about a year and a half! Yay!
How much did they cost?
I made 6 of each size and the entire project cost me around $30 (USD)! I will now not have to buy saran wrap or sandwich bags for years! Woo!
Why not just use saran wrap?
These are an all natural, sustainable swap for single use plastic wraps! Every time you cut off a piece of saran wrap, it is used and thrown out to sit in a landfill for decades. Reusing beeswax wraps avoids all of this waste and avoids the chemicals in plastic from coming in contact with your food. It is also can save you money in the long run!
Can I buy these?
Although we think crafting would be more fun, you can buy a 7 sheet pack here
Share your pictures with us on Instagram @greenforesters if you decide to make them!
Have a stellar day and happy crafting!
Check out these other popular posts about sustainable living:
- How to Reduce Anxiety in a Zero Waste Lifestyle
- 21 Best Zero Waste Swaps That Save You Money!
- Best Reusable Straws of 2019
Green Foresters 
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