BEES WAX WRAPS - FREE RECIPE

HOW TO MAKE BEESWAX WRAPS

A safe, pthalate-free, non-toxic, eco friendly, reusable alternative to plastic wrap for you, your family and the environment.

• Perfect for wrapping fruit and veggies for school lunches
• Use for covering bowls, platters and dishes, jams, etc.
• May be cut to size
• Mould to shape using warmth & pressure from hands
• Moisture resistant
• Natural anti-bacterial properties
• Wash in luke warm water & dishwashing soap, rinse & air dry
• May be freshened by placing on a towel between 2 sheets of baking paper and ironing.
• With care, lasts for up to a year
• Compostable/biodegradable

 NB:

• Not suitable for storing meat.
• Allow food to cool before wrapping
• Crease marks appear after use
• Do not freeze 
• Do not place in oven, microwave or hot water
• Don't use if you have an allergy to bees or bee products

YOU WILL NEED:

1. A good quality 100% cotton fabric. Quilters weight fabric preferred. Prewash to remove sizing. NB: Avoid loose open weaves. A close weave is best.
2. Bees wax: You can use bees wax alone (my preference), or use the following recipe:

• 1 Cup of 100% natural beeswax either chunks, pastilles or a block. (You will need an old cheese grater to grate from a block). NB: Do not use cosmetic wax from China. Who knows what that wax really is. The wax you use should be ‘food grade’.
• 2 tablespoons of JoJoba Oil
• ¼ Cup of Tree Resin

5. Pinking shears or rotary pinker
6. Oven & large oven tray
7. Aluminum Foil

METHOD:

• Set oven to 120 degrees celcius (49 farenheit).
• Line your largest baking tray with aluminum foil.
• If using beeswax, jojoba, resin mix, place ingredients into a mason jar and melt on stove using the double boiling method, stir well until resin dissolves.
• If using beeswax alone, use pellets or grated wax from a block.
• Cut fabric to preferred size and no larger than the baking tray. Pink edges to discourage fraying.
• Lay one piece of fabric into the lined oven tray, and if using plain beeswax sprinkle the wax lightly and evenly over the fabric.
• Place tray into the pre-heated oven for about 20 seconds or until the wax has been absorbed by the fabric. If you see areas that haven’t absorbed wax, sprinkle a little more of the wax in that area. If using the wax/jojoba/tree resin mix, drizzle the mixture lightly over the fabric using an old teaspoon.
• Using two pairs of tongs to avoid being burnt, lift fabric by corners from tray and hold up for a few seconds to allow wax to cool and set. Alternatively, place wax soaked fabroc on some aluminum foil on table or bench to cool.

ALTERNATIVE METHOD:

• Place an old towel on ironing board
• Place large sheet of baking paper on top of towel
• Lay fabric on top of baking paper and sprinkle with wax or wax mixture
• Place another large sheet of baking paper on top of the fabric (so fabric is sandwiched between 2 sheets of baking paper
• Iron the baking paper so the wax melts into the fabric. The towel should soak up any spilled wax.
• Remove waxed fabric from between layers and allow to cool.

CARE OF YOUR WRAPS:

• Wash in luke warm water & dishwashing soap, rinse.
• May be wiped dry or hung in the shade to air dry.
• Wrinkles are normal after some use and the wraps may be freshened by placing on a towel between 2 sheets of baking paper and ironed.
• With care, the wraps last for up to a year
• Some staining is normal
• Do not freeze
• Do not put in dishwasher, oven or microwave
• Allow food to cool before use
• Never put in washing machine or dryer