Beeswax wraps have proven to be a wonderful substitute for single-use plastic wrap; they’re a staple in my kitchen—and in those of my coworkers as well. The only downside? Premade wraps can get pretty pricey. Which is how I found myself wondering about a DIY solution. How complicated could it be to make your own beeswax wrap? You just need, what, beeswax...and wrap? I was determined to figure it out.
Using the magic of Google, I found DIY bloggers who had boldly walked before me, testing various methods for making beeswax wraps at home. To those bloggers, with their skillful SEO tactics and enthusiasm for rigorous and careful testing, I offer my gratitude.
Many (but not all) of these bloggers endorse using pine resin and jojoba oil in addition to beeswax for the sake of adding both flexibility and stickiness. These ingredients are also used in commercial beeswax wraps, like those made by our favorite, Bee’s Wrap. The only problem with that is that food grade pine resin and jojoba oil are not cheap, and sort of defeat the purpose of finding a more affordable alternative to the premade stuff.
I decided to see if I could make DIY beeswax wraps using beeswax and nothing else, following a couple of methods suggested by the blogverse. Here’s what I learned:
You should use cotton fabric:
The first time I attempted making beeswax wraps, I failed. I had purchased what I thought were cotton napkins. In reality they were a cotton-poly blend, a sin both in the Bible and in making beeswax wrap. 100% cotton is the best fabric for the job as it readily absorbs beeswax and is a naturally durable and affordable fiber. If you don’t want to go out and buy cotton muslin, you can breathe new life into an old cotton blouse or t-shirt by cutting it up and turning it into beeswax wrap.
If you don't want to sacrifice a t-shirt (or you want your wraps to look nicer), the pure cotton flour sack towels below will work well for this project. You can cut them into smaller pieces if you want to make a variety of sizes.
Craft Basics American Flour Sack Towels, Pack of 10
Conduct a beeswax sniff test:
Any filtered beeswax is fine to use, but keep in mind that beeswax can have a natural scent that may or may not be desirable. I used Beesworks yellow beeswax, which is cosmetic grade and triple filtered, but still has a slight grassy smell. It doesn’t leach into food as far as I've noticed, and I find the smell somewhat pleasant, but if you are sensitive to odors you may want to opt for odorless beeswax instead.
Beesworks Beeswax Pellets, 1 lb.
Beeswax Bars, Pack of 7
An oven works (just very slowly):
Many DIY websites suggest making beeswax wraps in an oven at low heat. To do it simply place fabric on a lined baking sheet and sprinkle beeswax pellets or grated beeswax onto the fabric. Once the wax has melted, you can spread it around with a brush before removing the coated cloth from the oven to cool.
