Beeswax Wraps

I’ve been wanting to try out beeswax wraps for ages but the ones you can buy in the aren’t cheap and I wasn’t sure I could justify spending on them. We stopped using cling film quite a while ago but I’m always keen to cut down on waste so thought beeswax wraps would make a more sustainable alternative to foil or parchment paper.

After a bit of googling I decided to have a go at making them myself. Having chatted to a few friends who were also keen to give them a try we decided to club together to buy a big bag of beeswax pellets and we all got together one evening to give it go.

If you’d like to try, here’s the method we used. Put the oven on the lowest setting and prepare a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. You’ll need 100% cotton fabric cut to size – we found that smaller pieces were much easier to work with than big pieces. Trimming the edges with pinking shears helps stop the fabric fraying but isn’t essential. Place the fabric on the lined baking sheet and sprinkle with wax pellets. I found the edges and corners sometimes didn’t get covered so make sure you put some pellets in those places. Pop the baking tray in the oven and watch carefully – take it out when the pellets have just melted and using an old paint brush spread round any wax that has pooled or over an areas that haven’t got any wax. You’ll need to work quickly as the wax sets very fast. You might need to add a few more pellets to any areas that haven’t been covered – if you do just pop it back in the oven until the extra wax has melted and repeat the brushing if needed. Peel the fabric off the parchment paper and hold for a few minutes whilst it dries. We then draped them over the back of a chair in to fully dry. And that’s it – your wrap is ready to use.

I’ve found them really useful for covering bowls in the fridge and wrapping cheese. I think the only thing I wouldn’t use them for is meat or fish as they can only be wiped clean with warm water – getting them hot will cause the wax to melt. I’m definitely a convert and have already made a few more.