GETTING TO KNOW

GETTING TO KNOW BEESWAX WRAPS

Since Fran Beer founded The Beeswax Wrap Co. the company has grown exponentially. So, what goes into making beeswax wra s t e eco rie l alter ati e to cli lm

What are beeswax wraps?

It started with the Egyptians, says Fran Beer, who founded The Beeswax Wrap Co. in 2017. “Egyptians used waxed fabric to put over pots; it was the natural way for them to store food.” But whilst the concept might not be new, but The Beeswax Wrap Co. is making it trendy, and the wraps are quickly becoming a popular and sustainable replacement for single use clin l and plastic tu s.

How exactly are the wraps more eco-friendly?

By using organic cotton for a start, which Fran says is something to look out for when retailers are looking to stock beeswax wraps. “If you bought beeswax wraps made from normal cotton, the go to fully understand where they’re purchasing their products from.”

So, what else goes into making a beeswax wrap?

Pine resin, which The Beeswax Wrap Co. buys from Portugal, and jojoba oil – it’s this which Fran says the company has struggled with somewhat. As it seeks to source all its raw materials sustainably and ethically, the company switched from Israel to America for its jojoba oil, which Fran admits has a bigger carbon footprint but offers more peace of mind and transparency. The team is now looking into sourcing its jojoba oil closer to home but using a company which offers complete transparency for the whole supply chain. “We want to improve every element of the ingredients we use, whether that’s the carbon footprint or the supply chain or something else. It’s about being aware of the positives and negatives of the ingredients that we buy and how, over time, we can improve as things change and develop.”

amount of water, pesticides and chemicals that go into growing that cotton means you i ht as well uy clin l . he i issue with cotton growing in countries like India and China is that the chemicals used run off into the water supply for the local population, which can lead to illness and poor crops. So, you have to start with organic cotton which uses much less water and no chemicals. It’s making sure that each element used to make the beeswax wraps isn’t causing a bigger issue at the beginning of the supply chain.”

Where is the wax sourced from?

The Beeswax Wrap Co. uses UK beeswax, all sourced from within 30 miles of its workshop in the Cotswolds, though Fran warns of companies claiming to be using ‘organic’ UK beeswax as there is no such thing. “We’re such a small island and bees only roam for a couple of miles, so there is no way that you can say that it’s organic – it doesn’t exist. So, it’s looking for clarity in where the beeswax comes from. We’ve met all the beekeepers that we get our wax from, so we understand their standards of care for the hive, for instance. Look at how far companies

Are these products handmade?

Yes – The Beeswax Wrap Co. makes all of its ingredients by hand, melting everything down and soaking the fabric in the wax mixture for more than an hour so that e ery re is saturated in the wa . This helps to prevent the wax coating fro cru lin or fla in after only a couple of uses, which can happen with cheaper alternatives.

Can other products be sold alongside the wraps?

Re-wax bars, handmade solid dish soaps and natural dish scrubbers – which are made from the inside of courgettes by The Beeswax Wrap Co. – are great for stocking alongside the wraps. The re-wax bars enable the wraps to last up to six years, says Fran, and the company is working on extending this further. “For us, it’s all about prolonging the life of the wraps and not just getting people to buy every year. We want people to invest in them and buy a re-wax bar to iron on more of our wax mixture. So much goes into making

the cotton; we don’t want people to just throw it away for it to biodegrade, we want people to keep using it for as long as they possibly can.”

Rather than being bad news for retailers looking for repeat purchases, there are opportunities in these additional products to upsell. The Beeswax Wrap Co.’s Clean

For us, it’s all about prolonging the life of the wraps and not just getting people to buy every year

& Care Kit comes with a solid dish soap, a natural scrubber, a rewaxing blend, a rewaxing tea towel with instructions on, and two sheets of baking paper.

“We calculated that if a family of four replaces their daily clin l for their sandwiches with four beeswax wraps – which a one-metre roll would provide, and more, for £20 – then you could replace of clin l used per year. fter si years, you’ve saved quite a lot of money to what you would have spent on sandwich a s and foil and clin l . lus nothin has one to land ll.

How have they grown in popularity?

It started in 2017 for The Beeswax Wrap Co. Fran’s background is in advertising, but she retrained as an acupuncturist which led to her learning more about the pollutants and toxins to your body, such as the chemicals released when a single-use plastic water bottle heats up. She began making beeswax wraps and selling them at local markets. Then Blue Planet II aired, and awareness of the damage single-use plastics were causing to the environment soared, leaving customers scrambling for suitable alternatives. From a small workshop on the side of her house, Fran’s business moved to a 1200 sq ft solar-powered workshop at the end of 2019. Fran herself had been running her acupuncture clinic until the end of the previous year, but after working exhausting hours – sometimes from 7am to 3am the following morning – she decided to dedicate herself entirely to The Beeswax Wrap Co. The products have proven so popular that for the rst two Christmases, the company had to cease all advertising to ensure that it could continue to deliver its high level of customer service. Fortunately, a bigger workshop now means that these tough decisions are a thing of the past.

So, what’s next for The Beeswax Wrap Co.?

New patterns will be launching this year, with new collaborations to be revealed – three partnerships are launching in the next six months.

“We’re looking at how we can give our customers an even better sustainable option as a beeswax wrap and are collaborating with other businesses to offer really lovely sustainable alternatives for everyday items. So, it’s going to be a busy year.” ◗

Products

Emma Bridegwater Toast Print 1m roll

The one-metre roll is designed to be cut to size, so you can use a small square to cover a little ramekin or cut the perfect size for your loaf, and everything in between. The Beeswax Wrap Co. X Emma Bridgewater’s iconic Toast & Marmalade print is now available in a metre roll of beeswax wrap. Choose from either Black Toast or White Toast designs. his product is the co pany s rst one metre roll with Emma Bridgewater.

RRP £22

Emma Bridegwater Polka Dot and Bee Print reusable cotton bags

Crafted from organic cotton and printed using low-impact dyes, this useful and versatile set of two medium sized reusable bags are perfect for collecting and storing rice, pasta, or any number of dried goods from re lla le stores or for bagging loose fruit and veg. These drawstring bags are a helping hand with zero-waste shopping trips, storage in the kitchen and home, or for P.E. kits, pencil cases and toiletries.

RRP £14

Hedgerow Print Beeswax Wraps

The new Hedgerow Designs from The Beeswax Wrap Co. are bright and refreshing. The designs have been drawn up and carefully selected by founder Fran Beer and created with the company’s special process in the Cotswolds Workshop. They have taken inspiration from their incredible surroundings in Gloucestershire. Each combo pack includes two designs; a old reen fl ower lled garden print with bees, irds and utterfl ies and a yellow ochre print, dotted with cow parsley and buzzing bees. Wrap over, under and around almost anything (just like clin l to eep food fresh for longer.

RRP £12 to £30

beeswaxwraps.co.uk