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How to make your own food wrap

Beeswax wraps are a planet-friendly alternative to cling film. Beeswax food wraps are simple to make, last a long time and you can customise them to your liking so they look great too!

You will need

  • Cotton fabric
  • Pinking shears or scissors
  • Baking tray
  • Baking parchment
  • Cosmetic grade beeswax pellets (available from health food stores or online)
  • Pastry or paint brush
  • A pen
  • Washing line and pegs

Beeswax food wraps are simple to make, last a long time and you can customise them to your liking so they look great too!

 

Instructions

 

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 90°C and cut the fabric to the size food wrap you’d like to make

Using pinking shears will minimise fraying but scissors will do the job too!

 

Step 2

Place your fabric on a baking tray lined with baking parchment

If the fabric you’ve chosen is one-sided, remember to place the patterned side facedown.

 

Step 3

Sprinkle beeswax pellets evenly across the fabric

You want the wax to cover the fabric when melted but without any excess. If in doubt, try a little and then if there are any gaps after step 4 (below) you can add more and repeat.

Making your own wood wrap - wax on fabric

 

Step 4

Put the sheet in the oven for 5-10 minutes

IMPORTANT – Keep watching the fabric all the time it is in the oven as it is a fire risk!

 

Step 5

Spread the beeswax

When the pellets have melted completely, use oven gloves to remove the tray from the oven and spread the beeswax evenly over the whole fabric with a paint brush or pastry brush

You’ll have to be quick to spread the wax before it cools, but don’t worry, you can always repeat step 4 if it sets before you’ve finished.

 

Step 6

Time to dry!

Remove the fabric from the baking sheet using tongs, hang it up to dry over newspaper to catch any drips

Your home-made food wrap is ready to use once the beeswax has set and isn’t tacky.

 

Caring for your beeswax food wraps

Your food wraps can last up to a year or more if treated nicely and looked after. It’s recommended that you give them a refresh every 3 months or so by popping back in the oven on a baking parchment covered tray, but it depends on how often you use them.

To clean, simply splash a little washing up liquid and gently wash with cold water. Avoid contact with heat such as hot water, microwaves or ovens – you don’t want to melt the beeswax! Not suitable for use with raw meats.

Home made food wrap on a jar

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