I’ve been stung by the zero-waste bug. I’m pretty sure it was a bee.

In my ongoing quest for a plastic-free-as-can-be lifestyle (ok, its been like 3 weeks) I have made some simple yet pretty impactful changes like shopping for dry goods in bulk, using mason jars and metal straws, and consistently bringing reusable tote bags with me everywhere I go.

I am still in process of using up all of the plastic-y stuff I had bought from my pre-zero-waste life as I continue to search for alternatives. I was intrigued by beeswax food wraps as a near-perfect solution for plastic wrap. I just simply refuse to pay the $8-15 price tag for a piece of cotton covered in wax!

After plenty of research, here’s the cheapest, fastest and easiest way to make your own beeswax food wraps. Chances are you already have all of the materials you will need around your home!

You will need…

Cotton fabric squares Beeswax pellets Parchment paper Scissors Iron Large cookie sheet

To make this project even more sustainable and cost effective you can re-purpose old cotton t-shirts or bed sheets to use as your fabric pieces. I came across these lovely fabric squares in the clearance section of Walmart for $.50 each!

The purchased fabric pieces measured 18″ x 21″. Using my favorite scissors by Tonic Studios, I cut the fabric into quarters so I was able to get four 9″ x 10.5″ pieces from each $.50 piece of fabric. Feel free to measure and cut your fabric pieces to the size and shape you desire.

Next, cover the cookie sheet with a layer of parchment paper to protect it and then place a piece of cotton fabric on top of that. Begin sprinkling beeswax pellets liberally on top of the fabric.

To maximize time and resources we will create two wraps at once so be sure to generously add enough wax for two wraps.

I found my beeswax pellets from a bulk store near me which cost $13.99 per pound. I got a small jar full which was the perfect amount for this project and it only cost $1.30!

If you can’t find wax in bulk you can easily find packaged wax online or at a local craft store. To get really resourceful you can find a beeswax candle and grate it into small pellet size pieces!

Back to the project… add another layer of fabric on top of the beeswax you just sprinkled and then top it all with another piece of parchment paper.

Now that your wax is sandwiched between two pieces of fabric, and your fabric is sandwiched between two sheets of parchment paper, take your iron on a low setting (no steam) and begin melting the beeswax pellets into the fabric.

There are a few other ways I saw others melt their wax such as putting it in the oven for a few minutes or using a heat gun. I like this ironing method best because you can see where the wax is melting and use the iron to move around the wax under the parchment paper ensuring each inch of the fabric gets coated. If needed, you can stop to add more wax to the dry areas and continue to melt until saturation is achieved.

While the fabric pieces are still warm, peel away the fabric pieces from the parchment and each other and set aside or hang to cool. It’ll only take a few minutes before it begins to stiffen.

Trim the edges with pinking shears. I used regular bladed scissors since my pinking shears were too dull to cut through the wax fabric. Ugh. Next time I will try to cut with pinking shears before melting the wax!

There it is! The fastest and cheapest way to make sustainable cotton and beeswax food wraps.

It’s perfect for wrapping 1/2 eaten fruits like avocados or bananas. Or use it to cover bowls or plates of food. Use up to 150 times or until it loses tackiness. Simply compost it when you’ve gotten all of its use!

NOTE: it can not be heated! Do not use in the microwave like you would normal plastic wrap.

TO CLEAN: use cool soapy water and wipe dry with towel.

If you’ve been keeping track of the math you’ll know that the total for each individual 9″x10.5″ beeswax wrap came out to a whopping $.65 each! I can get down with that price.

Comment below if you are using beeswax wraps! Did you make them yourself? How did it turn out for you!?

-N











