August 8, 2025 • Updated December 30, 2025

How to Make Beeswax Wraps

Are you trying to cut down on using plastic wrap? These reusable fabric beeswax wraps are great for wrapping up food and can be reused for up to a year. This project is great for using up fabric samples or scraps from other projects and the end result will keep grocery items like cheese, cut produce and more fresh without the use of plastic! Read on for the full tutorial on how to make your own beeswax wraps.

DIY Reusable Food Wraps | Spoonflower Blog

A few years ago, Spoonflower artist Robbi Lindeman and her husband bought an old, abandoned farmhouse along the Lake Michigan coastline. While slowly rehabbing the farmhouse, they watched the clusters of bee hives on the edges the fields come alive each spring. Living amongst the bees, Robbi became keenly aware of how important they are to the preservation and sustainability of agriculture. Along with their vital role as pollinators to ensure the survival of the farmer’s flowering crops, local apiarists have economic stability by stocking bees to the farms and producing honey. This introduction to Sleeping Bear Farms, their local honey producer, inspired her to create food wraps using their beeswax.

A food wrap is a reusable, biodegradable food storage wrap commonly made of 100% organic cotton, pure beeswax, organic jojoba oil and natural tree resin.

This beeswax mixture is perfect for upcycling fabric leftovers or samples. This DIY has the dual benefits of eliminating single-use plastic in the home while repurposing our Spoonflower scraps—a win/win that is a small yet significant step to a healthier planet. While there are many DIY recipes out in the world of beeswax wraps, Robbi’s experimentation has led her to find improvements for sufficient cling and pliability to keep food fresh. Using three simple ingredients, you can coat and infuse the organic cotton naturally: beeswax, tree resin and jojoba oil.

The Benefits of Reusable Food Wraps

Great alternative to single-use cling-wrap or zip top bags
Wraps are eco-friendly, 100% natural, non-toxic and biodegradable
Naturally stores and protects food from light, moisture and air
The natural antibacterial properties of all three ingredients helps keep food fresher, longer while allowing the wraps to be reused many times over
Wraps are washable and reusable and can last up to 12 months with proper maintenance
Wraps can be composted or used as fire starters for wood-burning stoves or campfires, ensuring zero waste

https://www.youtube.com/embed/V_sNo2a-a6g?feature=oembed

The measurements listed below will yield enough to cover one 27” x 18” fat quarter of Organic Cotton Sateen. For larger batches, use 12 parts beeswax, 9 parts resin and 1 part jojoba oil.

Supplies

1 fat quarter Organic Cotton Sateen or woven cotton remnant fabric – we’re using Mother Earth Map Wraps™
2 tablespoons solidly-packed, grated raw beeswax or easy-to-melt beeswax pellets
1 1/2 tablespoons powder ed tree resin – food grade variety
1/2 teaspoon orga nic jojoba oil
Pinking shears
Grater – if you are using raw beeswax instead of pellets
Measuring spoons
Electric wok or a stove-top, double boiler set-up for melting the ingredients
Wooden stir stick
Wide roll of unbleached parchment paper
Short-bristle, 2” wide brush
Old iron
Hair dryer (optional)
Drying rack or clothesline (optional)

Helpful Tips Before You Get Started

We recommend using Spoonflower’s Organic Cotton Sateen because of our eco-friendly print process that uses 100% biodegradable, non-toxic inks — good choices for a fabric intended to wrap our foods. Using a thin but tightly woven organic cotton is key to wraps that will readily absorb the wax but also helps malleability.

Learn more about Organic Cotton Sateen

Beeswax residue is difficult to completely remove, so it’s best to use old tools for this project. Check your local thrift shop if you don’t have the tools at hand!

Steps to Make Reusable Beeswax Food Wraps

Step 1. Prep Your Space

DIY reusable wraps are a messy process, so make sure you cover your surfaces with an old tablecloth.

Step 2. Cut Out Your Fabric Shapes

If using the Mother Earth Map Wraps design, cut out all six shapes from the fat quarter with pinking shears to prevent the edges from fraying. You can also use fabric leftovers — just make sure they’re large enough to fully cover the items you’ll be using them with!

Step 3. Melt the Ingredients

In your pot or wok, melt the beeswax, powdered tree resin and organic jojoba oil on a medium temperature or stove-top double-boiler. Stir using a wooden stick. Since these ingredients are flammable, do not leave them unattended. Once the ingredients are melted, turn the heat down to low. Beeswax has a melting point of approximately 145° F to 147° F (63°C to 64°C). To avoid discoloration and overheating, your mixture should not go above 185 °F (85 °C). To prevent the wax mixture from overheating, turn off the wok between each wrap coating.

Important Note: Caution must be taken in the melting process with these ingredients because they are flammable. Never leave the mixture unattended during the melting process. A low heat and careful attention are advisable.

Step 4. Cover Your Fabric With the Melted Wax Mixture

Starting at the center of the fabric and moving out to the edges in each direction, quickly brush the melted wax mixture over one of the cut out fabric pieces with short strokes. Brush and evenly coat entire surface of the wrap fabric.

Step 5. Place the Wax-Coated Fabric Between Parchment Paper and Iron

Place the wax-coated fabric between two sheets of parchment paper, making sure the parchment covers the fabric and several inches beyond.

Iron the parchment-covered fabric at a medium-to-med-high setting, making sure to keep the iron moving the entire time. Ironing from the center outward, pushing any excess wax beyond the edges of the fabric for a lightly saturated but even coating over entire fabric. It should look evenly wet all over.

Pro tip: If you do get wax on your iron, wipe it off well with an old towel or a rag. If you do not remove the wax from your iron, it will smoke when reheated.

Step 6. Remove the Parchment from the Fabric

Lift the top parchment off the fabric while the wax is still warm from ironing. Continue pulling the fabric away from the bottom parchment sheet and quickly lift the fabric off the parchment.

Step 7: Cool the Wax Fabric Wrap

Gently wave the fabric back and forth in the air for a few seconds to cool, or hang on a line. If the wrap’s wax surface looks slightly uneven, re-warm the wax surface using a blow dryer on low heat to slightly re-melt and even out the wax.

Step 8. Scrunch Up the Wrap to Soften

After making your beeswax wraps, simply scrunch the beeswax wrap a few times to soften the wrap to help it adhere better. Being a natural beeswax product, expect minor creases and cracks as it wears. Staining will also happen with food like beets and pomegranates. With normal use and proper care, wraps are reusable for about one year.