A fun craft project that reduces plastic use, food waste and expenses, our method for making Reusable DIY Beeswax Wraps is simple and effective and aims to reduce your carbon footprint while having fun in the kitchen.
Philip and I were recently gifted a pack of reusable food wrappers and at first, we didn’t really know what to do with them. We had seen them in boutique kitchen stores, food conferences and local farmer’s markets, and we’re always curious but just never brought ourselves to actually use them.
After having sat in our drawer for a few weeks, it wasn’t until we were out of plastic wrap that Philip decided to give them a try. He had wrapped half a lime and a bunch of leftover cilantro carefully in the beeswax wraps and placed them in the refrigerator. A week later, expecting the herbs to have turned bad, Philip opened the wrap to reveal fresh and bright cilantro.
What we love about beeswax wraps is that they are an eco-friendly alternative to using plastic wrap, they’re made from natural ingredients and they last up to a year with gentle care and wash. Our favourite part? Browsing the fabric store for fun patterns that are personalized to our tastes.
What are Beeswax Wraps?
Beeswax wraps are a natural alternative to plastic wrap. Pieces of cotton fabric are saturated in a mixture starting with a base of beeswax and usually mixed with some form of resin and oil. The wraps are pliable and breathable, allowing them to be molded over food or containers while keeping its contents fresh. They can be used on almost any food (except raw meat) and can be cleaned simply with cold water and mild detergent.
If we could find one criticism for beeswax food wraps it is the expense. Reusable food wrappers don’t come cheap, usually about $20 for a 3-pack. We had seen some videos on Instagram of people making them and knew it was something we could likely make ourselves and began searching articles on how to make the best reusable food wraps.
How to Make Beeswax Wraps
There are many variations out there from the super simple method of sprinkling beeswax on fabric and popping them in the oven or ironing them between parchment, to ones a little more complex involving tree resins and oils. We reviewed the pros and cons of each method, finding that using just beeswax, while the simplest method, lacked sealing ability and tended to degrade more quickly. Adding a resin and oil to the beeswax provided the stickiness you needed for a good seal while allowing them to be pliable.
After a couple of craft days testing different ratios, we found the perfect combination of beeswax, pine resin, and jojoba oil for the most effective food wraps.
What You Need to Make Reusable Beeswax Wraps
With the exception of the actual food wrap ingredients, most items you should have available at home. For our DIY beeswax wraps you’ll need beeswax, jojoba oil, pine resin, cotton fabric, paintbrush, scissors or pinking shears, baking sheets, parchment paper, heatproof mason jar or measuring cup, string or clothesline, clothespins or clips.
What Type of Fabric Do You Use?
Natural fabrics are the best choice for making reusable food wraps. Synthetic fabrics could melt while being made and potentially expose the food you’re wrapping to chemicals. For that reason, 100% cotton, organic if possible, is your best bet. It’s relatively inexpensive and can be found in a variety of colours and patterns. Make sure to wash and dry the fabric before making the wraps.
Best Sizes for Food Wraps
You can make your homemade reusable wraps any size you desire, just ensure that they will fit on the baking sheet. We make a variety of sizes for different purposes. 4 inch squares are great for covering containers the size of cups. Larger 8 x 14-inch rectangles can be used to wrap cucumbers, bunches of herbs, or leftover baguette. Our favourite size is 10-inch squares as they are good to wrap almost anything.
Beeswax, Jojoba Oil, and Tree Resin Recipe
Making the mixture that is spread on your wraps is simple. Pour 2 tablespoons of jojoba oil in a mason jar or measuring cup. Add 6 tablespoons of pine resin and 1 cup of beeswax pellets and melt in a double boiler. Stir every few minutes until completely melted and incorporated, about 30-40 minutes.
A Couple Notes About the Double Boiler
To make homemade food wraps, you will need to set up a double boiler using either a wide-mouth mason jar or heatproof glass measuring cup. Both work well, but we found the mason jar was a little susceptible to tipping when setting in the pot of boiling water. Prevent this by placing mason jar rings on the bottom of your pot and setting the mason jar on top of them. The measuring cup is more stable, but with the resin being very difficult to clean, use a measuring cup you don’t mind having to scrape clean.
Turning Fabric to Food Wraps
Once your wax has melted, preheat your oven to 300° F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Lay a piece of fabric on the baking sheet and brush with the wax mixture. Don’t worry if it hardens, it will melt in the oven.
Place in the oven for 3-4 minutes, then flip the fabric and brush additional wax on areas that aren’t saturated. Put back in the oven another 3 minutes. Carefully pick up the fabric from its corners using tongs and allow any excess wax to drip off. You can use your fingers if you’re feeling brave. Clip the wraps on a string tied between two cupboards to dry completely, about 5-7 minutes. Wash the food wraps with cold water and dry before storing until ready to use.
Care Instructions for Reusable Beeswax Wraps
Homemade beeswax wraps will last up to a year or more with regular use and proper care. Wash the wraps with cold water and gentle detergent. If the wax begins to deteriorate, pop the wraps in your oven at 300° F for a few minutes. This will redistribute the wax and should give you an additional 4-6 months of use.
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Beeswax Alternatives to Make Vegan Food Wraps
If you’re vegan, don’t worry, you can still make your own food wrappers. Instead of beeswax, you use carnauba wax. You can get a recipe to make vegan food wraps from Mountain Rose Herbs.
Shop our Homemade Reusable Beeswax Food Wrap Recipe
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Essential Ingredients for Making Homemade Beeswax Wraps
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PrintHow to Make Reusable Beeswax Wraps
Save the waste and make your own reusable food wrappers with this simple recipe adapted from Mountain Rose Herbs.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 8 to 12 wraps 1x
- Category: lifestlye
- Method: stovetop/oven
- Cuisine: DIY
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) organic jojoba oil
- 6 tbsp (3/4 oz/20g) food grade pine resin
- 1 cup (2.75oz/75g) organic beeswax pellets
- 1 1/2 yards 100% cotton fabric (organic preferred)
- 1 lt/qt wide mouth mason jar or heat proof glass measuring cup
- paint brush
- string, hung taught to hang fabric from
- clothespins or clips
Instructions
No. 1 | Add jojoba oil, pine resin, and beeswax to mason jar or measuring cup.
No. 2 | Fill the pot with water so that the water line is above the ingredients in the jar. Heat the water on high-heat until it begins to boil, then turn heat down to medium-high to maintain a light boil. Add water to the pot as necessary to ensure the water line always stays above the ingredients in the jar.
No. 3 | After about 10 minutes, the beeswax should be partially melted and you can begin stirring the mixture every 5-7 minutes, until both the pine resin and beeswax have melted and combined, about 30-40 minutes. Reduce the heat to a simmer and leave the jar in the water while you are making the wraps.
No. 4 | While the ingredients are melting cut your fabric into your desired shapes and sizes.
No. 5 | Once the beeswax and pine resin have melted, preheat your oven to 300° F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place a piece of fabric on each baking sheet and brush with the beeswax mixture until the fabric is saturated. Don’t worry if it hardens as it will re-liquify in the oven.
No. 6 | Put the baking sheets in the oven for 3 minutes. Remove and turn the fabric over using tongs (or fingers if calloused or you have a high resistance to pain). Brush additional wax on any spots of fabric that aren’t saturated. Place the pan back in the oven to bake an additional 3 minutes.
No. 7 | Using the tongs, carefully lift the fabric from two corners and allow any excess wax to drip off. Hang the wraps using clothespins or clips on a piece of string and allow to fully dry.
Notes
- the pine resin is very difficult to remove from anything once hardened, ensure to wear grubby clothes and use equipment you aren’t too attached to.
- place mason jar rings on the bottom of your pot to prevent the mason jar from tipping while melting the wax.
Keywords: beeswax wraps, homemade food wraps, how to make beeswax wraps
57 Comments
Liz Machin
November 26, 2019 at 4:12 pmI have bees wax blocks. Any idea what weight a cup of pellets would be? Thanks.
Chef Sous Chef
November 26, 2019 at 4:19 pmHi Liz,
It should be about 2.5-3oz.Good luck with the project!
Mari
December 9, 2019 at 5:01 pmI ordered the pellet pine rosin instead of the powdered. Any idea on what the weight should be?
Thank you!
Chef Sous Chef
December 10, 2019 at 8:51 amHi Mari,
Thanks for stopping by. You will want to use about 3/4oz or 20g of the pine rosin. Good luck!
Evelyn Barney
February 3, 2020 at 2:58 pmI ordered the pellets too. Glad there is a ‘hack.’
Liz Machin
December 10, 2019 at 4:34 pmThank you. I’m making them for friends as Christmas gifts. And some for me too!
Meg Davies
December 13, 2019 at 12:56 pmHi there,
Followed your instructions and found them really easy to follow, thank you! When I took my first wrap out of the oven, it looks like the dye has run from the fabric slightly. I washed the fabrics before doing anything. Is this normal? Its not loads but want to make sure its safe to use on food. The fabric is 100 per cent cotton.
Thanks!
Chef Sous Chef
December 14, 2019 at 11:19 amHi Meg,
So glad you found the instructions easy to follow! A think a little running is fine and the beeswax and pine will seal the wraps regardless.Thanks for stopping by, happy holidays!
Dawn Kalsbeek
December 14, 2019 at 5:59 pmThis is fabulous. Two questions though. How long to dry the sheets and what do I do with the leftover mixture? Can I just let it harden and then remelt it when I need it again?
Chef Sous Chef
December 15, 2019 at 10:11 amHi Dawn,
Thanks for stopping by. Glad you enjoy the article! I find the wraps dry in 5 minutes when hanging, then I transfer them to a flat surface for additional 15-20 minutes before storing/packaging them for gifts. I haven’t tried reusing the mixture as I always use mine up but I don’t foresee there being an issue with reusing the mixture.
BethAnn
December 16, 2019 at 5:48 pmHi! I’m making these for gifts but wondering if the “pine” smell will dissipate over time? If it has a pine smell, not sure anyone is going to want to use it to cover food?? Any thoughts on this greatly appreciated. Also, your instructions were easy to follow and what a fun way to use up leftover scrap fabrics from other projects! Thanks!
Chef Sous Chef
December 17, 2019 at 11:12 amHi Beth, We’re so happy the project went well for you. The pine smell will dissipate but does take some time. You can try washing them with lukewarm water and soap a few times before gifting them to help it along a little more quickly.
Megan
December 23, 2019 at 2:36 amHi, do you know if it’s okay to use other kind of tree resin instead of pine? I have found Douglas Fir resin on some trees near where I live, and would love be able to harvest the resin myself to be even more eco friendly.
Chef Sous Chef
December 23, 2019 at 1:56 pmHi Megan, I believe it is okay to use different types of tree resin, as long as they are safe for human consumption. Douglas fir would be safe to use, I assume it would have the same properties as pine resin for the wraps. If you try it out please let us know how it worked for you!
Amy
December 6, 2020 at 6:30 pmHello- I’m using Damar resin (found at my local art supply store). It is food safe according to my research and while it has a strongish odor for a period of time it isn’t very piney. It’s smells more like that lovely smell of an art supply store- a little oily painty but pleasant. It is also a tree resin but just slightly less pungent. If that helps.
Philip + Mystique
December 14, 2020 at 9:33 amThanks Amy,
We will have to try it out. Thanks for the suggestion 🙂
Kristina
December 23, 2019 at 5:58 pmI have just finished making some wraps according to your directions. When the beeswax and resin was melting I found it separated a bit and I ended up with a gloopy blob about the size of a walnut that wouldn’t incorporate into the rest of the liquid. I continued anyway, and now the wraps are dry but don’t seem to be sticky enough to seal. Any suggestions?
Chef Sous Chef
December 23, 2019 at 11:01 pmHi Kristina, I have had a similar experience to you once before, but just melted it longer until I was able to combine them. The wraps should still work well for wrapping fruit, vegetables and herbs, but just may not work as well for wrapping containers and bowls. Sorry it wasn’t a completely successful experience for you, but hope you still get good use from the wraps and enjoyed the project. 🙂
ann lin
January 28, 2020 at 2:50 pmHello! I am looking forward to making these using your recipe – yours came out gorgeous by the way! Just want to ask, in the past using another recipe (oven only), I have found my wraps to come out very yellow. Yours don’t look yellow tinted at all, and I was wondering if you used white pellets/ found that a certain method (perhaps brushing it on first) helps? Thank you!
Chef Sous Chef
January 28, 2020 at 2:54 pmHi Ann,
We did you white pellets, but the resin tinted the wax so they do have a light yellow colour to them. We also find that the first wrap would come out more yellow (possibly the resin sticking to the brush a bit). Good luck!
Emily
December 24, 2019 at 9:14 amPeanut butter takes off pine resin!! Something about the oils, and if it’s chunky PB it’ll help scrub even more- it’s a florist tip from my wife. I used it on my hands and all the utensils that were sticky when I was done :).
This recipe and method is great- I used 2 batches to make 12 wraps ranging from 9×9 to 12×12. I haven’t actually put them to use yet but most of them are gifts so I’m just glad the project wasn’t a disaster.
I recommend using light-colored fabric since the darks that I used are REALLY dark now. Think about how the fabric will look when wet- that’s how the color will turn out when they’re saturated with wax! Also the dark fabrics that I used bled the most, especially red.
Chef Sous Chef
December 24, 2019 at 9:36 amHi Emily, Thanks so much for amazing tip regarding the peanut butter! I will definitely be trying it out next time. Glad you enjoyed the recipe and making the wraps. They definitely make great gifts. Happy holidays!
Sereena
January 4, 2021 at 9:01 amHi there,
thx for all the measurement conversions you posted with your recipe. So appreciated!
I render my own tree (resin)pitch supply. The oil in peanut butter IS the key. In fact, the peanut part is completely unnecessary. ANY OIL will dissolve it from your skin. I just massage a dab of regular veg oil on my hands before washing with soap & water. Works like magic!
*a previous comment was deleted and this comment edited due to the wrong star amount given by the reader. Sorry, I intended to give FOUR ☆, not one.
★★★★
Philip + Mystique
January 6, 2021 at 1:38 pmHi Sereena,
Thank you so much for the review and comments. Appreciate the tip regarding the oil, I never want to waste peanut butter 😉 Just an FYI, I deleted your previous comment with one star and added the commentary to this review. Thank you for coming back to make the change!
Carolyn Aspeslet
January 3, 2020 at 9:20 pmI only have block beeswax can you tell me in weight please?
Thank you.
Chef Sous Chef
January 4, 2020 at 10:16 amHi Carolyn, 80g (2.5-3 oz) of solid beeswax will be the equivalent of what you need for a batch of the wraps. Good luck!
Rachel
January 11, 2020 at 6:11 amHello
Thanks for the instructions! Very helpful indeed, as I’m in the UK and we don’t use the cup weighing system here can you please do these guidelines in grams or ounces please? I would recommend you do both US and UK weights in any project you post .
Thank you
Rachel 😊
Chef Sous Chef
January 13, 2020 at 1:19 pmHi Rachel. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment and the suggestion. We have made the adjustment to the recipe card to reflect volume and weight. All the best!
Jacqui
January 24, 2020 at 10:14 pmAlso metric would be good for the rest of the world 🙂 thanks – trying it now
Dale
October 20, 2020 at 8:36 amHey Jacqui: It’s pretty easy to google the measurement conversion, I do that all the time. I’m just really appreciative of them even giving us this amazing recipe and instructions.
★★★★★
Emily
January 19, 2020 at 11:45 amHi! Thanks for this. I havent tried yet but I am wondering if the smells (specifically pine) during the melting/baking process are strong and/or if you happen to know if they’re dangerous for pets. I’ve been putting off making mine for this reason (3 cats, 1 with mild asthma) and couldn’t find any info about it online. Not sure if you’d know, but thought I’d ask about how strong the smell was while making. Thanks!
Chef Sous Chef
January 20, 2020 at 10:20 amHi Emily,
There is definitely a scent from the pine resin, which can be strong depending on the ventilation. I have made them with pets in the house without issue, however, I don’t have information on whether there are any negative effects associated with the scent. Sorry I couldn’t be of more help.
Anne O’Dwyer
March 3, 2020 at 5:07 pmHello
I have a friend who has beehives and I wii feted if I can use the wax straight from the hive or if I need to process it in some way first? I’m looking forward to getting started!
Thanks
Anne
Chef Sous Chef
March 5, 2020 at 10:16 pmHi Anne, You will need to clean and render the wax before using it for the wraps, here is an article I found on how to do so: https://www.milkwood.net/2018/11/19/beeswax-diy-making-beeswax-wraps-how-to-render-your-own-wax/
Good luck with the wraps. Let us know how they turn out!
Leslie
March 5, 2020 at 7:22 pmI want to make a couple of these for my homemade sourdough bread. The commercial wraps are not always large enough. A couple of questions though: (1) there are various grades of beeswax (cosmetic, craft (ie for candle making), food safe, etc.) and though I lean towards the food safe ones, am hearing people are using the craft grade pastilles to make these wraps. Is the craft grade acceptable and safe for wraps? (2) will the pine smell permeate my bread?
Chef Sous Chef
March 5, 2020 at 10:21 pmHi Leslie,
Personally, we would stick to organic food-grade wax, but we haven’t even ventured into other grades, so I can’t really speak to that. You may get the pine smell on the outside of the bread, but it shouldn’t affect the overall flavour too much. Thanks for the questions!
Madeline
April 7, 2020 at 9:42 amHello! Wondering if there are substitutes for jojoba oil, will another neutral oil work or does jojoba have a specific quality that contributes to the final outcome?
Chef Sous Chef
April 9, 2020 at 6:13 pmHi Madeline,
I believe any food-grade liquid oil can be used in substitution for the jojoba oil. We haven’t used others so I can’t speak from personal experience on the final outcome, but don’t imagine it would change the quality significantly. Good luck!
Julie
April 10, 2020 at 10:08 pmThis is awesome and I can’t wait to give it a try! Wondering where you got your fabrics? I’m absolutely loving the pink one with what looks like labels on it!
Chef Sous Chef
April 12, 2020 at 10:37 pmThanks so much! We bought our fabrics from Len’s Mill Store. It is a fabric and craft shop with locations in southern Ontario.
Tate
April 19, 2020 at 5:51 pmHi there I just made these and found that my hands feel quite sticky/waxy after touching them… any suggestions on how to make them less sticky?
Chef Sous Chef
April 19, 2020 at 9:37 pmHi Tate,
Washing the wraps a few times with warm water and gentle detergent should remove some of the tackiness.
Cathy Young
April 19, 2020 at 6:51 pmI was wondering how you store the clean wraps
Thanks!
Chef Sous Chef
April 19, 2020 at 9:39 pmHi Cathy,
The wraps can be folded and placed in a clean cupboard or drawer. We store ours with our reusable food containers.
Cheri
May 6, 2020 at 10:50 pmI made several wraps and they seem to be too sticky, leaving a residue on the bowl I tried to cover and making my hands sticky also. I may have used too much pine resin. Can I successfully re-do using a little more beeswax?
Chef Sous Chef
May 7, 2020 at 10:57 amHi Cheri,
Thanks for the comment and feedback. We have formulated these wraps to be a little stickier than many commercially available wraps so that it can replace using a cling wrap. They shouldn’t be sticky to the point that they make your hands tacky, so I would encourage you to re-do them with a little more beeswax. Alternatively, you can wash the wraps with mild detergent and warm water, which in my experience, does help reduce some of the tackiness. Hope this helps!
helen Pilley
June 15, 2020 at 4:00 pmI have a gas oven which apparently is unsuitable for making wraps – how do I make them using an iron please?
Chef Sous Chef
June 16, 2020 at 9:38 amHi Helen, I have not heard there being an issue with using a gas oven provided the wraps aren’t too close to the flame and temperature not too high, however, if you prefer to use an iron, you can cover it with heavy-duty foil and heat the wraps until the wax is evenly distributed. We have not personally done this so I cannot speak to the quality or results but this is the method I have read works best. Good Luck!
Molegal
June 27, 2020 at 10:00 pmI am prepped to make these. I’m puzzled by the directions to flip after 3-4 minutes and put more wax on unsaturated parts. Doesn’t this make the right side of the fabric, outside of the wrap, sticky?
Chef Sous Chef
June 29, 2020 at 9:53 amHi there, the entire fabric gets saturated in the wax mixture. The idea of flipping and brushing both sides is to ensure that the wax is evenly distributed. Both sides of the wraps will be tacky.
Paulina Munoz
August 12, 2020 at 1:39 amHow many wraps does this recipe make?
Chef Sous Chef
August 12, 2020 at 8:44 amHi Paulina,
The yield will depend on what sizes of wraps you make, however, we find it to make cover about 10sqft of fabric.
Afra Davis
December 5, 2020 at 12:13 pmTried and true! Your recipe and instructions are incredible. I made these yesterday and everything turned out beautifully. Thank you for sharing your technique and measurements!
~ So Appreciative
★★★★★
Philip + Mystique
December 14, 2020 at 9:34 amThanks, Afra! We’re so happy you love this method. It’s such a fun project 🙂
Gabby
December 23, 2020 at 12:50 pmHi, I just attempted to make this recipe and I took it out of the oven after the first coat and all if the colour from my fabric has extracted for some reason. I prewashes my fabric as per your suggestion. To you have any ideas why this would happen?
Philip + Mystique
January 6, 2021 at 1:44 pmHi Gabby,
I wish I could give you a definitive answer, but unfortunately, I have no idea why the fabric would bleed, especially after pre-washing. This is part of the reason I pre-wash the fabric before making the wraps. The only thing I can think of is if the dye is heat sensitive and you washed the fabric in cold water. I’m sorry I can’t be of more help but hope the wraps turned out ok none the less. All the best!
Janie
March 7, 2021 at 9:30 amGreat recipe! I made eight each 10×10″ and 7×7″ wraps. I’m going to make some larger ones when my full sheet pan arrives!
★★★★★