DIY Beeswax Wraps

Want to start eliminating plastic wrap from your life? Or want to make a unique, customizable gift? Then this tutorial is an easy project to do! 

What you’ll need:
-fabric
-scissors 
-beeswax 
-oven tray
-parchment paper or silicone mat 
-brush
-drying line (twine & clothes pins)

Step 1: Start by washing and drying your fabric of choice. The best type of fabric to use here is 100% cotton. It will easily absorb the wax and will be compostable at the end of its life. You can easily use an old article of clothing for this too! 

Step 2: Cut your fabric to size. I like to use pinking shears here as it will keep the sides from fraying; although that’s not completely necessary. I used 3 sizes; small of 5×5 square, medium of 8×8 square and large of 11×11 square. 

Step 3: Get a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone baking mat. Place your fabric on the sheet.

Step 4: Get your beeswax ready. I got mine from Etsy

If you bought the bar type like mine, then you will need to use a grater to make smaller pieces. I would recommend using a grater that you won’t use for food.  Mostly because it is really hard to clean off the grater once finished.  Use a dedicated grated for this purpose. I found if I used 1/2 OZ of grated beeswax on my smaller (5×5) and medium (8×8) ones. For any larger ones you may need up to 1 OZ. 

Spread the beeswax evenly across the fabric. Making sure to pay attention to the edges. 

Step 5: Preheat the over to 200°F and ‘bake’ your wraps for 5 minutes or until you see all the wax has melted. 

While you are waiting for it to melt, be sure to have a little drying station ready. I just used some twine hanging from my kitchen cabinets with clothes pins. 

Step 6: Take your wraps out of the oven and use a brush to spread any wax around that doesn’t look even.  It’s normal to see some wax on the mat here, don’t throw it out yet I’ll show you how to save the leftover melted bits at the end of this tutorial!

Step 7: Working quickly place your wraps on your drying station. You shouldn’t have to worry about any dipping because the fabric should have already absorbed the wax. As it  dries you will see how stiff they become. 

Once they dry you can always add more wax if you see any areas weren’t covered. Just do the same steps as listed above. 

That’s it! You just make a beeswax wrap! 

To use just wrap it over your choice of container. You can mold the form of the container with your hands.  The warmth of your hands will help loosen up the wax as well. 

You can easily refresh these with new wax as time progresses. 

In the ultimate name of sustainability I always love to save every bit I can! I noticed some leftover melted wax on the mat and brush that you can easily save! Once complety cooled, if your using parchment paper just mash it into a ball and you’ll see the pieces fall right off. If using a silicone mat, run your fingers over the wax to lift it off. I did find the parchment paper was easiest to do this step though. The same goes for the brush. I found it very easy to get the bits off of a silicone brush; just rub your fingers over it. You’ll be surprised on how much leftover pieces you can save! 

Some suggestions I have learned along the way for preserving the wraps 

• don’t fold them when not in use. Over time it will cause cracks to the wax. Instead store them rolled up. 

• Only hand wash in cold or lukewarm water only. No super hot water on these, as that will make the wax melt.  You’ll see how the wax repeals the water when washing.

They also make great gifts, especially for Valentine’s Day.

If you enjoyed this tutorial, you may also enjoy making a reusable fabric cover as well!  Check it out here.

More Blog Posts