Wrap It Up With Beeswax Wrap!
- Lisa Wright Burbach
- Sep 12
- 3 min read
Environment: Wrap it up with Bees Wax Wrap
My husband, Van, works with landfills. This gives us a unique perspective because he gets a first-hand experience with problems landfills can face, like running out of space and chemical leaching from items in the landfills potentially leaching into our streams and waterways. One thing he hates is plastic bags!! He says they are the bane of landfills! They get stuck in fences, hang from trees, and blow into watersheds. His experience reminds us to live more sustainably and consider our plastic use.
Making this change to a more sustainable lifestyle doesn’t happen overnight. Like anything else, it helps to start small and make one or two changes at a time. One of our first swaps was giving up paper towels (we already used cloth napkins). We bought some adorable flannel cloths, “Unpaper towels” from Marley’s Monsters, and one time we built up a whole collection! I’ll be honest, it took a little getting used to, and I occasionally still keep 1 roll of bamboo paper towels on hand, for the really gross things. Little shifts in our behaviors add up and make a difference.
Today, let’s talk about one of my favorite eco-friendly swaps: Beeswax Wraps instead of plastic wrap.
Why Give up Plasctic Wrap?
It is not recyclable: Plastic wrap contributes to our plastic waste problem; it’s difficult to recycle, and similar to plastic bags, often escape the landfill clogging up streams, equipment, etc.
Can Leach into our food: Chemicals from the plastic and coatings may leach into your food. DO NOT microwave plastics!
Doesn’t work as well as we thought: A recent study found that plastic wrap does not help reduce spoiling and in some cases may speed it up, creating more waste.
Adds to the microplastics problem: Microplastics are now being found in our blood, cord blood, breast milk, and our bodies. Small changes over time can help reduce the amount you consume. Some impact has been found to be due to packaging and storage.
Plastic wrap is convenient, but can be harmful to us and the environment, making a simple swap is a win all the way around!
My Favorite Option: Beeswax Wraps
What do you do if you don’t use plastic wrap? One of my favorite options is Bees Wax Wrap, a natural alternative that works surprisingly well! This is organic cotton that has been coated with melted beeswax, plant oils, and tree resin. Some brands don’t use the pine resin, but in my opinion it helps the wrap be more pliable and stick to itself.
How they work: the warmth of your hands softens the wrap so that it molds around food containers and food items creating a natural seal. We use them for:Sandwiches
Cheese
Cut fruits and veggies
Covering bowls or jars without lids
Cut, functional, and saves us from throwing away roll after roll of plastic wrap!
A Few Things to Know:
Don’t use with hot things or under hot water because the wax will melt.
Sticky foods can be very hard to clean up
Raw meat or fish makes it hard to sanitize the wraps
Do not take it to the beach! I learned this the hard way, sand plus sticky stuff, not the SANDwich I wanted.
If you use it for things with strong aromas, designate a piece or two for that purpose. They can hold the aromas because they are porous.
They can be refreshed by re-coating them with more wax
When completely worn out use them as a fire starter.
Clean with cool water, mild dish soap, and a soft cloth
You can buy beeswax wraps from lots of eco-friendly shops, but if you’re a DIY’er it is easy to make (and refresh) your own beeswax wraps.
Where to buy?
Places like Amazon, Trader Joes, and Walmart often have some good options. Look for organic.
Making your own lets you pick fun fabrics, save money, and be more sustainable.
If you’d like to make your own Here are a couple recipes to try:
Recipe from Mountain Rose Herbs https://blog.mountainroseherbs.com/the-complete-guide-to-diy-beeswax-wraps-including-a-beeless-vegan-food-wrap
I like to use Aromatics International for beeswax and Jojoba, but there are many places to find it, make sure it is pure since you will be using it for food items.
Or Coconut oil
Your favorite designs, but find 100% organic and organic if possible
Happy Sustainable living!
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