Walk into most kitchens and you’ll find aluminum foil and plastic wrap. Unfortunately, both of these popular single-use options tend to wind up the trash, contributing to the 146 million tons of waste that enters landfills every year.
The good news is like many of the non-eco essentials Americans use every day, there’s a sustainable swap that both saves you money and benefits the environment: beeswax wraps.
What Are Beeswax Wraps?
A beeswax wrap is a reusable cotton-based food wrap that’s coated with a layer of food-grade beeswax, jojoba oil, and rosin. This makes it just sticky enough to cover bowls or containers, or cling to itself.
Because beeswax wraps are reusable, they drastically reduce waste. Unlike aluminum foil, plastic wrap, and Ziploc bags, they can be used over and over again. Typically, a single beeswax wrap can last for up to a year with proper care—and if you do the math, that’s a lot of single-use alternatives kept out of the trash.
What Are Beeswax Wraps Used For?
There are so many ways to use beeswax wraps. First, they work as a replacement for aluminum foil and plastic wrap, allowing you to cover bowls and containers with ease.
Because they also cling to themselves, you can use them to wrap up half-eaten produce (like avocados and onions), sandwiches for work lunches, and snacks (like grapes, nuts, and pretzels). Basically, whatever food you’re trying to preserve, it will create a tight seal to keep it fresh.
How to Use and Care for Beeswax Wraps
When you’re ready to use a beeswax wrap, you’ll need to use the warmth of your hands to heat up the beeswax. This will make the wrap pliable and easy to use to secure your food.
Caring for beeswax wraps is simple: Just handwash your wrap under cold water with mild soap, as using hot water can melt off the beeswax. Then lay it out to dry before using it again.
How to Make DIY Beeswax Wraps
While you can buy store-bought beeswax wraps, you can also go the handmade route. Kelsey of Kelsey Crafts shared how she makes her DIY beeswax wraps, and the process is so easy that you’ll have an entire set ready to go within 10 minutes. Follow along below for instructions.
@kelsey_crafts Beeswax Wraps Tutorial! #beeswaxwraps #🐝 #beeswax #reusable #ecofriendly ♬ Paper Birds (3 min) – Jordan Halpern Schwartz
What You Need:
1 cup beeswax
8 Tbsp ground pine rosin
2 Tbsp jojoba oil
Foam roller or paint brush
9×9 cotton fabric pieces
Instructions:
1. Use a double boiler (or create your own with a heatproof bowl and pot) to melt down the ingredients.
2. Once the water is boiling, add the beeswax, ground pine rosin, and jojoba oil to the double boiler. Stir constantly until completely melted and smooth.
3. Dip your foam roller or paint brush into the mixture and cover one side of the fabric piece, making sure it’s saturated.
4. Lay the fabric piece on a cooling rack to dry.
5. Enjoy your new beeswax wraps!
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