There are tonnes of reusable and sustainable alternatives to plastic (check out the links at the bottom of the page for some ideas). We absolutely love beeswax wraps, they’re easy to make at home, can be restored when they get a bit old and tired and when they eventually can no longer be used they can go straight in the home compost bin!

A beeswax wrap can replace single-use plastic items like cling wrap and zip lock bags. They can be used to wrap sandwiches, cover leftover plates of food and can even be made into a pouch to transport fruit, nuts or other goodies. The wrap can be washed and used again and again.

To make your very own set of wraps, follow the instructions below:

Method: 

1. Preheat the oven to 80°C, or the lowest setting if your oven doesn’t go this low. 

2. Cover the baking tray with baking paper.

3. Practice making your first wrap with the smallest of the sizes by placing one small piece of cloth on the baking paper. 

4. Grate approximately 7g of the wax blend blocks over the cloth making sure you have an even spread.

5. Place the baking tray into the oven. The wax will slowly begin to melt (4-8min). Once all the wax has melted remove the baking tray from the oven and use a scrunched up piece of baking paper to spread the wax on the fabric.

6. If required, grate some more wax to fill in the gaps where there is no melted wax and place back in the oven.

7. Repeat steps 6 & 7 until the wrap is completely covered with wax.

8. Once your wrap is completely covered in wax remove it from the oven and immediately pick up the two top corners using the tongs or tweezers and pull the wrap up from the baking paper. 

9. Let the excess wax drip onto the baking paper. Once the wrap begins to stiffen (approximately 1-2 minutes) it can be hung over a clothes horse or chair to fully set (approximately 5-10 minutes). Be careful not to do this too soon, if the wrap hasn’t hardened enough it will leave wax behind on the clothes horse rack. If it does leave wax behind it can easily be cleaned with an old dry cloth and elbow grease.

Cleaning: To clean waxy utensils, simply pour boiling water over them until all the wax has melted away. We’d suggest doing this outside so wax doesn’t go down your sink.

Check out this video for ideas on how to use your wrap.

Care Instructions:

• Please wait 24 hours before you use your wrap for the first time as the wax needs to settle in.

• Wash your wrap with warm soapy water and a sponge and let it dry after each use.

• Please don’t microwave or put your wrap on hot surfaces.

• If your wrap starts to look tired and cracked you can revitalise it by placing it in an 80°C oven (or lowest setting) on a piece of parchment paper and allow the wax to melt until the cracks go away. Carefully remove the wrap from the oven and quickly hang it up to cool and re-set. Check out this video of how to do it.

Materials: 

• Cotton cloth

• Wax blend cubes

• Grater 

• Baking tray 

• Baking paper 

• 2 x tweezers or tongs

• Scissors

This activity requires an oven.

Method: 

1. Preheat the oven to 80°C, or the lowest setting if your oven doesn’t go this low. 

2. Cut your cotton fabric into squares. We find that 25cm x 25cm is good for small bowls, cut vegetables such as an avocado or half tomato and leftover blocks of hard cheese and 35cm x 35cm is good for large bowls and sandwiches.

3. Cover the baking tray with baking paper.

4. Place one piece of fabric on the baking paper.

5. Grate some of your wax blend block over the cloth making sure you have an even spread. Around 20g of wax is a good start for a 35cm x 35cm wrap. 

6. Place the baking tray into the oven. The wax will slowly begin to melt (4-8min). Once all the wax has melted remove the baking tray from the oven and use a scrunched up piece of baking paper to spread the wax on the fabric.

7. If required, grate some more wax to fill in the gaps where there is no melted wax and place back in the oven.

8. Repeat steps 6 & 7 until the wrap is completely covered with wax.

9. Once your wrap is completely covered in wax remove it from the oven and immediately pick up the two top corners using the tongs or tweezers and pull the wrap up from the baking paper. 

10. Let the excess wax drip onto the baking paper. Once the wrap begins to stiffen (approximately 1-2 minutes) it can be hung over a clothes horse or chair to fully set (approximately 5-10 minutes). Be careful not to do this too soon, if the wrap hasn’t hardened enough it will leave wax behind on the clothes horse rack. If it does leave wax behind it can easily be cleaned with an old dry cloth and elbow grease.

Cleaning: To clean waxy utensils, simply pour boiling water over them until all the wax has melted away. We’d suggest doing this outside so wax doesn’t go down your sink.

Check out this video for ideas on how to use your wrap.

Care Instructions:

• Please wait 24 hours before you use your wrap for the first time as the wax needs to settle in.

• Wash your wrap with warm soapy water and a sponge and let it dry after each use.

• Please don’t microwave or put your wrap on hot surfaces.

• If your wrap starts to look tired and cracked you can revitalise it by placing it in an 80°C oven (or lowest setting) on a piece of parchment paper and allow the wax to melt until the cracks go away. Carefully remove the wrap from the oven and quickly hang it up to cool and re-set. Check out this video of how to do it.

What a beautiful union, mindfulness and sustainability!

Colouring in is therapeutic, relaxing and calming. And making beeswax wraps is enjoyable, satisfying and easy to do.

A beeswax wrap is a great alternative for single use-plastic items like cling wrap and zip lock bags. Beeswax wraps can be used to wrap sandwiches, cover leftover plates of food and can even be made into a pouch to transport fruit or nuts. The wrap can be washed and used again and again.

While colouring in these wraps, try listening some of the following tracks or podcasts to help you relax and focus your attention on the moment. (Please note that we are not affiliated with any of these suggestions, we just think they are great background music to help you relax and work colour in your wrap.)

24/7 Happiness Frequency

Tibetan Singing Bowls

Follow these instructions to make your very own wrap:

Method: 

1. Colour in you cotton cloth using the markers provided. Please ensure you only use these markers as they are non-toxic, safe for covering food and wont bleed when the wax melts onto the fabric. 

2. Preheat the oven to 80°C, or the lowest setting if your oven doesn’t go this low. 

3. Cover the baking tray with baking paper.

4. Place the cotton cloth on the baking paper. 

5. Grate approximately 20g of the wax blend blocks over the cloth.

6. Place the baking tray into the oven. The wax will slowly begin to melt (4-8min). Once all the wax has melted remove the baking tray from the oven and use a scrunched up piece of baking paper to spread the wax on the fabric.

7. If required, grate some more wax to fill in the gaps where there is no melted wax and place back in the oven.

8. Repeat steps 6 & 7 until the wrap is completely covered with wax.

9. Once your wrap is completely covered in wax remove it from the oven and immediately pick up the two top corners using the tongs or tweezers and pull the wrap up from the baking paper. 

10. Let the excess wax drip onto the baking paper. Once the wrap begins to stiffen (approximately 1-2 minutes) it can be hung over a clothes horse or chair to fully set (approximately 5-10 minutes). Be careful not to do this too soon, if the wrap hasn’t hardened enough it will leave wax behind on the clothes horse rack. If it does leave wax behind it can easily be cleaned with an old dry cloth and elbow grease.

11. We’d love to see your artworks! Don’t forget to share your creations with us either by tagging @earthcrusaders on Instagram or by emailing a photo to us at hello@earthcrusaders.com.au.

Cleaning: To clean waxy utensils, simply pour boiling water over them until all the wax has melted away. We’d suggest doing this outside so wax doesn’t go down your sink.

Check out this video for ideas on how to use your wrap.

Care Instructions:

• Please wait 24 hours before you use your wrap for the first time as the wax needs to settle in.

• Wash your wrap with warm soapy water and a sponge and let it dry after each use.

• Please don’t microwave or put your wrap on hot surfaces.

• If your wrap starts to look tired and cracked you can revitalise it by placing it in an 80°C oven (or lowest setting) on a piece of parchment paper and allow the wax to melt until the cracks go away. Carefully remove the wrap from the oven and quickly hang it up to cool and re-set. Check out this video of how to do it.

Reusable bags are mostly popular for grocery shopping, but did you know they’re also great for when you go shopping for clothes, shoes, small appliances, books, take away, go to sleepovers… well, anything really!

By using a reusable bags you’ll be eliminating hundreds of single use plastic bags from going into landfill. Hurrah!

If you have some single use plastics at home, be sure to drop them off at the RedCycle bin which will be located near the check outs at you local Woolworth or Coles supermarket. RedCycle are a company that turn soft plastics into things like park benches, picnic tables and bollards! Find out what else can be recycled in a RedCycle bin buy visiting their website.

Watch us design our tote bag, then start designing yours!

Materials: 

• Tote Bag (provided in kit)

• Non-toxic markers (provided in kit)

Method: 

Go crazy using the markers provided to design your own reusable bag! These markers are washable so when you get sick of your design, simply pop your tote in the wash to create a new blank canvas.

Creative block? We’ve got you covered, get inspired with these patterns and illustrations!

We’d love to see your artworks! Don’t forget to share your creations with us either by tagging @earthcrusaders on Instagram or by emailing a photo to us at hello@earthcrusaders.com.au.

What next?

Thanks for supporting us and taking part in our DIY sustainability activities!

If you loved these activities, you might like to know that we also run eco incursions for kids! You can get more info by visiting our website.

In the mean time, here are some links to keeps you busy:

Follow 1 Million Women on Instagram

Wind back the clock and get your Granny Skills on.

Listen to the Little Green Pod podcast for inspiration on living more sustainably.

Find reusable products to replace single use plastics at Nourished Life or Biome Eco Store.