DIY Beeswax Wrap Blocks: An Eco-Friendly Alternative to Single-Use Plastic
Beeswax wraps are an excellent alternative to single-use plastic. They are reusable, biodegradable, and contain only natural ingredients that are safe for food storage.
Our DIY Beeswax Wrap Blocks are 100g specifically blended beeswax, jojoba oil, and pine resin, formulated to ensure an optimal balance of ingredients, ensuring that your wraps are flexible, durable, and able to preserve food freshness for longer.. The blocks are easy to use, simply grate the desired amount and you’re ready to make your own wraps.
One 100g block makes approximately four 25x25cm wraps, and two 100g blocks will yield approximately five 35x35cm wraps.
We include easy-to-follow instructions for making your own beeswax wraps, so that you can customise the size and shape of your wraps to fit your specific needs. Whether you’re packing a sandwich for lunch or covering leftovers, beeswax wraps are an excellent alternative to single-use plastic wrap, containers, and bags.
Reduce your plastic footprint while preserving your food with a safe, natural, and sustainable alternative. Get started today and enjoy the benefits of a greener and more eco-friendly lifestyle!
DIY Instructions
What You’ll Need
- Beeswax wrap block
- 100% cotton fabric
- Scissors or pinking shears
- Brush
- Baking paper
- Baking tray
- Hanger (optional)
- Binder clips or clothespins (optional)
- Ruler (optional)
There are several options for creating these wraps:
- Using an oven
- Using an iron
- Or melt and paint
- Cut the fabric.
Cut the fabric into sizes that will fit on your baking sheet.
For a snack bag, use a 18 x 35cm piece of fabric. A 35 x 35cm square will cover most sandwiches. Pinking shears will help prevent your swatches from fraying, but scissors will also get the job done.
Oven: Preheat the oven to 95c or the lowest setting.
Iron: preheat to high setting
Melt & paint: melt wax block in double boiler saucepan and apply wax evenly with paintbrush.
- Place on a baking tray.
Line a baking tray with baking paper and place the fabric on top. If your fabric is one-sided, place the patterned side facedown. Use a fresh piece of parchment paper each time you make another wrap.
3. Grate the wax block.
Evenly distribute a liberal amount of grated beeswax blend block all over the fabric. Make sure you get near the edges too.
3A. Melt the wax and pour into cold water (saves grating).
Melt the wax block in a double boiler and slowly pour the melted wax into cold water, moving around the flow of wax. This will create small pieces of wax that can easily be used instead of grating.
- Melt and spread the beeswax.
Oven: Place the sheet in the oven for about 4-8 minutes. When the pellets melt completely, take the tray out and use a paintbrush to spread the wax evenly over the entire fabric.
Iron: Cover the grated wax with another sheet of baking paper and melt the wax with the iron. Take care to distribute wax to all edges and push excess outward away from fabric to be used next time.
Paint: If melting the wax in a double boiler, the wax can be apply directly to the cotton with a paintbrush.
NOTE: The beeswax will stick to the brush, so use one you’re okay discarding or saving to make future beeswax wraps.
- Let dry.
Using tongs, remove the fabric from the baking tray. It should feel cool to the touch after waving it for a few seconds in the air. Hang the fabric up to dry or set it on the back of a chair with the beeswax side facing up.
- Customise your wraps.
Once the beeswax has set and is not very tacky, you can add buttons or hand-sew them into small pouches.
Snack Bags: Use a 18 x 35cm piece of fabric. Once dry, fold the fabric in half with the non-treated sides facing inward. Hand sew the two sides together, leaving the top open. Turn the bag inside out, and add a button as a closure or stitch Velcro to both sides.
Sandwich Wraps: Use a 35 x 35cm piece of fabric. On the patterned side, sew a button in two adjacent corners. To close, put the side with the buttons face down. Fold the fabric into thirds around the sandwich. Flip and fold the ends of the fabric up so the buttons are on top. Wrap twine around them in a figure-eight pattern for a secure closure.
How to Care for Your Beeswax Wraps
Wash your wraps by hand in cool water with a mild dish soap. Place them on a drying rack or clothesline to dry. Avoid any heat such as hot water, microwaves, or ovens that will cause the beeswax can melt, ruining your wraps.
Repeat the above steps to “top up” the wax coating of your wraps after wear and tear.
We hope you enjoy making your own wraps for yourself and gifts. If you have any questions, please get in touch. If you’d like to share your creations, we’d love to see your results 
