Beeswax Wrap Directions

Make Your Own Beeswax Wraps

Making your own reusable beeswax wraps is easy and fun to do.

Making reusable beeswax wraps

This has to be one of the most anticipated DIY recipes. Reusable food wraps are super trendy now, how cool is that! The best thing about beeswax wraps is that you can choose whatever pattern you like to make them your own! Using 4 ingredients and a couple of minutes on a weekday night (these took 20 minutes on a Monday evening!) you can reduce your plastic impact on the planet. Upcycle any old 100% cotton materials or clothes in your cupboards to be even more environmentally friendly.

Note: New fabric should be washed to remove any residual chemicals from manufacturing and dying.

Equipment;

Ingredients: 

  • 20g Natural Beeswax*
  • 8g Pine Resin
  • 1/2 Tbsp Jojoba Oil (this is antibacterial so makes your wraps food grade!)
  • 2 x 30cm/30cm 100% cotton fabric in any colour you wish (if you have any spare scraps at home from old projects this is even better. These are from old curtain offcuts)

Method:

  1. Preheat your oven to 100°C or 210°F.
  2. Line a baking tray with baking paper. This will protect your tray from the mixture which can be very difficult to remove. Place your washed cotton fabric on top, making sure that it fits comfortably.
  3. Melt your pine resin and beeswax in a stainless steel pot on the stove on low heat, or in a pyrex bowl in a microwave. Melt slowly otherwise, the pine resin will caramelise and no longer melt. As soon as it is all melted take off the heat or out of the microwave.
  4. Add in your jojoba oil and mix.
  5. Using a brush that is clean but you aren’t very attached to, brush the mixture onto your fabric. Start with a very thin layer that just coats the whole sheet. (If it is too thick it leaves a waxy residue on your container that you are attaching it to and it sticks to your hands as well, not very desirable.)
  6. Put this in the oven for a maximum of 1 minute. Take out of the oven and carefully peel your beeswax wrap away from your baking paper and hold it up to the light. If there are any bald patches, place your wrap back onto the baking paper and brush over with more mixture.
  7. Place back in the oven and repeat step 6.
  8. Dry your beeswax wrap by swishing it in the air for a few seconds. Once cooled hang it up for a couple of hours to fully set.
  9. Repeat the process to expand your beeswax wraps collection!

This mixture is for two beeswax wraps so simply multiply with how many you plan to make. I also found that you can wax a large piece of material and when you cut it into smaller pieces, it doesn’t fray at the edges.

How to Clean Your Beeswax Wraps:

To clean beeswax wraps, rinse the wrap with cool or lukewarm water and eco-friendly dish soap. You can use a cloth or sponge to wipe them down, then rinse them off. Please don't put your wraps in the dishwasher.

How to Refresh Your Beeswax Wraps:

Every 1-3 months, once the well-used wraps look a little creased and tired, you can re-set and refresh your Beeswax Wrap. To do this put it on some baking paper on a baking tray in an oven that is as low as possible (around 50-75 degrees will do it) for about 2-3 minutes.

How to Clean Your Beeswax Pot:

Once you have used up your mixture, pour boiling water into your stainless steel pot. Bring to the boil and tip the waxy water outside so the wax doesn’t clog up your kitchen drain. Wipe the pot with a serviette or paper towel and finish by giving it an extra wash with soapy water.

*Please note: Natural Beeswax can not be shipped to WA in accordance with the Government of Western Australia quarantine regulations. 

Beeswax wrap covering jar

Use the heat of your hands to soften the wax to mould around jars and bowls. The beeswax will become sticky when warm and will seal to the jar or bowl.

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