Whether you’re looking to save money or you're on the hunt for more ways to improve your eco-friendly habits, the best beeswax wraps make it easy to cover up leftovers without using single-use plastic. The style and size you choose will depend on your needs, but in general, your wraps should be food grade, easy to clean, reusable, and pliable enough to cover a variety of dishes.
The first thing you'll want to consider when shopping is the size and shape of the foods or containers you'll most often need to wrap up. Many of the plastic wrap alternatives below come in sets with pre-cut sheets in various sizes (which can work for everything from a handful of blueberries to a big bowl of pasta). However, for keeping hearty loaves of bread crusty or meals in rectangular pans sealed, you may be better off buying an extra-large, single sheet instead. Likewise, if standard sizes won't work for your needs, you could buy a handy roll and cut your own custom sheets from it.
Another thing to consider is maintenance. Though they're designed to be reusable, this type of wrap is crafted with cotton that's been coated in tacky beeswax that will degrade over time. To preserve this coating and the wrap's malleability, you'll want to regularly hand-wash it with cold water and mild dishwashing soap and then hang it to dry.
In terms of overall longevity, beeswax wraps are not meant to last forever. Some options may stay intact for a year or longer before the beeswax begins to wear off, while others might only last a few months. The good news is that a shorter lifespan is counterbalanced by the fact that most beeswax wraps are compostable.
One final important note: You shouldn’t use beeswax wraps for raw meat due to the risk of cross-contamination. You also should avoid subjecting your wraps to heat since it will melt the wax (so no microwaving or warm water).
With that said, I put together a list of the best beeswax wraps below, with a variety of sizes and sets to fit all of your food storing needs.
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01
The fan-favorite set
With over 2,500 reviews and a 4.6-star rating on Amazon, this set of three different-sized Bee's Wrap beeswax wraps has developed its own cult following. Not only do these cling well to items, but fans also like that they are handmade in Vermont with GOTS-certified organic cotton constructed from recyclable material. With this set, you'll get one small (7 by 8 inches), one medium (10 by 11 inches), and one large size (13 by 14 inches), making it great for a variety of purposes. Coated with a mixture of beeswax, jojoba oil and tree resin, these wraps can last up to a year with proper maintenance and can be composted.
If the traditional honeycomb print isn't your style, you can also get this set in other designs, including a purple clover print; a blue bear print; and a green ocean print.
One reviewer says: “These three wrappers really do cling! Work well on glass, hard plastic and metal containers [...] Thick yet pliable. Just rub in hands for a second, and voila, they cling. Also, the little bee design is super cute (I was a skeptic), and the wrappers smell like honey & wax. Like others said, this won't replace ALL single-use plastic wraps (ie: massive trays, wrapping bread dough before putting in freezer). However, they have certainly made a significant dent in our daily single-use plastic wrap consumption.”
02
The extra-large sheet
For wrapping up loaves of bread, this 13-by-24-inch Abeego beeswax wrap is ideally shaped. You can cut it in two to wrap smaller loaves or leave the full length in tact for a crusty baguette. Handcrafted in Canada with a cotton-blend, this wrap is treated with a blend of beeswax, organic jojoba oil, and tree resin, and it can last over a year with proper care. And, like the previous wrap, this one is also compostable.
One reviewer says: “The scent of the beeswax food wrap is very pleasant and not overpowering. It wraps up homemade loaves of bread with ease and keeps it from getting stale. I also really like that this product will help reduce the amount of plastic waste that ends up in the landfill and ocean.”
03
The customizable one
If you want to be able to cut your own custom sizes and shapes, this 75-by -14-inch roll of Bees4Seas beeswax wrapping is what you need. Easy to cut with any pair of scissors, it's made with organic unbleached cotton along with beeswax, jojoba oil, coconut oil, and tree resin. This option can last for several months, according to the brand, and when it's spent it can be composted.
One reviewer says: “I've tried beeswax wraps from other companies but having a long roll where you can customize the size of your wrap is genius! I like to bring my wraps to the deli to get large blocks of cheese so this Bees4Seas roll was perfect for cutting large-sizes wraps. The quality of the wrap is great. And I like that it's made in the US and all the ingredients are sourced in the US.”
04
The value set
These Cultical beeswax food wraps are simply a great deal; The set comes with six different wraps: two small (7 by 8 inches), two medium (10 by 11 inches), and two large (13 by 14 inches). They're made of GOTS-certified organic cotton, with a blend of beeswax, jojoba oil, and tree resin, and each size has its own colorful print that helps to distinguish it from the others.
Although the manufacturer doesn’t indicate how long these wraps will last, one Amazon user reported that they are "going strong after several uses." Other reviewers also applauded them for their durability and ability to effectively seal off the edges of containers. Just note that this is the only pick on this list that is listed as biodegradable rather than compostable.
One reviewer says: “These are great! We have slowly been transitioning away from using plastics and this is another step in the right direction. They hold onto my glass dishes VERY well. They work SO much better then my cling wrap.”
