Aug 29, 2019

Beeswax Wraps

by RidgeCrest Herbals

DIY Beeswax Natural Food Wraps

Beeswax wraps are great alternatives to using plastic and for cutting down on waste. They are eco-friendly, reusable, affordable, and customizable. You can use them to cover bowls like you would plastic wrap and you can sew them into snack bags. 

Wash them with cold water (hot water may melt the wax) and mild soap for easy cleaning. They are not recommended for meat or items that have a lot of moisture like jello.

Materials:

¼ cup beeswax pellets

2 tbsp pine resin (this is optional but helps the cloth to cling better)

1 tbsp jojoba oil

4-12’’ square of 100% cotton fabric or tight woven muslin (the tighter the weave, the smoother the end product will be and this will help keep the wax from flaking later on.)

Equipment:

Parchment Paper

Baking sheet

1” wide paintbrush (can only be used for this)

Clothes drying rack

Scissors

Directions:

Cut fabric to desired shape and size. Melt the pine resin using a double boiler over medium heat. It may take a while for this to melt completely. Once melted, add the beeswax. Stir using a wooden stick until the resin and beeswax are melted completely. Slowly drizzle in the jojoba oil. Turn the heat to low to keep it melted.

Preheat oven to 225 and line baking sheet with parchment paper. Place one square of fabric/muslin on the parchment paper and paintbrush on the mixture, which will cool quickly. Place the baking sheet in the oven until the mixture is fully melted again. Only a few minutes. Take it out of the oven and spread the beeswax around again with the paintbrush to coat evenly.

Take another piece of fabric and lay it on top of the first square to blot up the extra melted wax, flip fabric over to make sure the blotting piece is now on the bottom. Return to the oven to melt again. Remove from the oven and hang the first piece to dry on a drying rack. Then repeat for remaining pieces.