Supplies:

  • Thin, 100% organic cotton fabric, cut to 8×8 in. squares or circles.
  • Organic beeswax, grated
  • Powdered pine resin (avaialble for purchase online)
  • New paintbrush (that will be used for this purpose only)
  • Cheese grater (used exclusively for beeswax)
  • Pinking shears (optional, but will help keep your fabric from unraveling at the edges )
  • Baking sheet (that will be used for this purpose only)
  • Parchment paper
  • Tongs

Instructions:

  • Preheat your oven to 225° F.
  • Place parchment paper on your baking sheet then lay your fabric square(s) in a single layer on top.
  • Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon jojoba oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons pine resin, and 2 teaspoons grated beeswax over the fabric as evenly as you can.
  • Place your sheet in the oven for 5-10 minutes or until you can see that all the ingredients have melted.
  • Use your paintbrush to smooth out the mixture all over the sheet. You want a thin, even coating.
  • Place the sheet back in the oven for 1-2 more minutes.
  • Use tongs to pick the fabric sheet off the tray and wave it gently back and forth for a few seconds to dry. (It will cool off pretty quickly.)
  • Hang your new beeswax wrap over a bowl or cup, on a line, or from a hanger and allow 24 hours to fully dry. Your wraps should last about a year with proper care.

Tips & Tricks:

  • If the coating is too thick and has begun to dry, place sheets back in the oven to let the coating re-melt. Remove the excess coating using the paintbrush.
  • When you need to clean a wrap, simply rinse in cold water with a mild soap (we suggest castile) and allow to air dry before the next use. Don’t use hot water to clean—it will melt the wax!
  • Avoid using your wraps directly on food items like meat that would require a hot water wash to sanitize the wrap.
  • Need a little more closure? Add a rubber band or tie a string over the wrap.
  • This project can be messy, so dedicate an exclusive paintbrush, grater, and baking sheet to beeswax wrap making.
  • Old beeswax wraps make great fire starters (and repurposing them makes them 100% zero-waste).