How to make your own DIY beeswax wraps

Midge Ryan, creator of Instagram account @plasticfreephd, shows us how to make this great alternative to clingfilm

Last time, we quizzed Midge, the creator of the plastic-free Instagram account @plasticfreephd, on her top tips and thoughts on living more plastic-free. This time, she’s sharing her DIY recipe for homemade beeswax wraps.

Midge says beeswax wraps are a great alternative to cling film and can be reused again and again and simply wiped clean in-between uses.

There are loads of companies that make them but they can be quite expensive, but definitely worth the initial cost. If you fancy making your own it’s a fairly simply recipe but can get quite messy. I used the kit by Botanical Folk, but if you can get hold of the ingredients separately you can use whichever fabric patterns, shapes and sizes that you want.

Recipe

The basic recipe is 3 tbsp of beeswax pellets or a grated beeswax bar, 1 tbsp of pine resin, 1 tbsp jojoba oil and roughly 4 squares of 100% cotton muslin fabric.

1. Preheat oven to about 100 degrees. Melt the ingredients together in a double boiler, then place the fabric right side down onto a baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper.
2. Paint the melted mixture onto the fabric using a basting brush or paintbrush ensuring you get an even layer and then place it in the oven for 2 minutes.
3. The wrap can then be taken out and the brush used again to ensure all the fabric is covered and then placed back in the oven for a further 1 minute. When taking the wrap out of the oven use a pair of tongs to lift the edge of the wrap and allow excess wax to drip off the fabric.
4. It can then be placed on a wooden chopping board or clothes airing rack to dry. It’s then ready to use to wrap your sandwiches or cover a bowl of leftovers.