HOW TO REPAIR (AND MAKE) ECO PACKAGING FROM BEESWAX?

Have you had your Peelo or other eco-friendly beeswax wraps at home for several months and they gradually stop being as sticky as when you started using them? They are no longer so adaptable to the touch, their wax layer is thinner or do you feel that they deserve to be disinfected with heat?

Even though the beeswax itself is antibacterial, the wax wrap is not a sterile synthetic wrap and a few minutes in the heat every once in a while won't hurt. However, if you see that it could use a little extra wax mixture, reach for ours to the Peelo Fix wax brick , which is great for its repair. You can use the same procedure to make your own eco packaging from beeswax - you will read about it at the end of the article. But let's go step by step.

WHAT IS A WAX BAR AND HOW TO USE IT?

Our wax block is a unique blend of beeswax, resin, jojoba and coconut oil - the exact same we use to make our Peelo wax wipes. It will help you restore the waxy layer of napkins and return them to their original properties – stickiness, adhesion and formability . Thanks to the wax brick, you don't have to find the individual ingredients separately and first melt them together, which saves you not only time, but also a few stuck pots in the kitchen.

Why does the wax brick not only contain beeswax? Jojoba and coconut oil give the napkins flexibility and resin stickiness. It is in these raw materials that the secret of long-lasting and high-quality wax napkins lies, thanks to which your beeswax will not crumble. If you still decide to buy raw materials separately, we recommend looking for them in organic quality, as they will be in direct contact with your food.

One brick is enough for you to repair 5 and easily more wax napkins (sizes S, M, L) and to make 3 brand new napkins - it always depends on their size.

2 WAYS TO REPAIR NOT ONLY YOUR WAX NAPKIN, BUT ALSO YOUR WAX BAG

A few years have passed since the production of our first eco packaging from beeswax, and during that time we managed to repair several dozen of them. So we already have a pretty good idea of ​​how to use both variants of napkin renewal, and we will advise you which one is more suitable for you. Before you begin the repair, cut or grate your wax block into small shavings - the smaller the shavings, the easier it will be to work with them.

TIP: We liked slicing, as the wax comes off much easier from the knife than from the grater. The resin that is part of the mixture is very sticky and may not wash off easily with an ordinary spring. All you have to do is heat the knife in the oven or over the fire (watch out for the plastic handle, though!) and wipe off stubborn remnants of the mixture with a tissue. The good news, however, is that your dishwasher can easily handle sticky wax.

Time: 15 minutes

1. Ironing the napkin

• Line your work surface with a thick cloth or an old towel.
• Place on the fabric in this order: baking paper, wax napkin, shavings, baking paper.
• The baking paper should always be larger than the napkin itself, in order not to ruin the iron with wax.
• Run an iron over the top layer of baking paper and the wax will quickly melt under the heat. However, be aware that you must use a classic "dry" iron or turn off steaming if you also have a steaming function.
• Carefully separate the napkin from the paper while it is still warm, but be careful not to burn yourself.
• The advantage of this method is that you can squeeze out any excess beeswax that remains on the sides, so that there are no uneven layers of wax on the napkin.

Still not sure how to do it? Watch a video tutorial on how to repair a napkin by ironing on our Instagram.

1.1. Ironing the bag

• When ironing the bag, proceed in the same way as for the napkin with a small difference - put one more baking paper inside the bag.
• Don't forget this seemingly insignificant step, which is actually very important. Thanks to it, you will avoid inconveniences such as a stuck bag that cannot be opened.

2. Repair in the oven

• Heat the oven to 90°C.
• Place a larger piece of baking paper on the baking sheet, a wax napkin on it and then the wax shavings.
• Leave the napkin in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes, watching it carefully and only removing it when the wax is completely melted. But be careful not to forget it, the combination of cotton fabric and wax is flammable!
• After removing from the oven, take the napkin by the corners and quickly wave it in the air, it will dry in a few seconds.
• This is our most popular method, as it is simple, clean and does not require anything special.
• VARIANT B: You can vary this procedure by melting the entire block of wax in a pot and brushing the mixture onto a napkin before putting it in the oven. However, it is a slightly more laborious process, which we rather recommend when making completely new napkins.

Before use, fold and straighten the napkin several times to activate the sticky layer. In this way, you can repair the wax napkin repeatedly, even several times, and thus extend its life by several months to years.

• This method is not suitable for repairing the wax bag, because it could stick to you permanently.

Photos not enough? Watch the detailed video procedure for repairing napkins in the oven , which we filmed for you.

OUR FINAL TIPS

• In the same way, you can not only restore, but also make a wax napkin. If you have a piece of cotton fabric at home, just cut it to the desired size and proceed in exactly the same way as for the repair. You will only need a larger amount of wax mixture.
• Add the shavings gradually , in this case less is more. If you happen to add too much mixture and you see that uneven maps have formed on the napkin, feel free to place another piece on top of it that you plan to restore. The second napkin absorbs the excess layer of wax beautifully.
• You can put the brick in the freezer or refrigerator for a while , it won't stick to your knife/grater because it will be stiffer.
• You can also choose heating in the oven when you just want to seal the wax layer , if you feel that it is cracking - then there is no need to add a new layer of wax.

Do you have any questions? Write to us and we will be happy to advise you on the repair of your beeswax eco packaging. 🙂