Handmade Sustainable Gift Pack

Using eco friendly, reusable items and living a more sustainable, less packaged existence, has not only had an impact on our immediate family, but also extended family and friends. 

Reusable bread bags 

I've had a lot of people asking me how to make something, or where to get an item from, or how they can make it themselves.

Beeswax Wraps
Plastic Wrap Alternative

So I decided to come up with a Handmade Sustainable gift pack. A pack full of goodies that I have made to gift to people for housewarmings, birthdays, or whenever! 

All the items are easy to make, and are not only a great gift, they are also a great talking point. When you gift these items, it gives you the opportunity to not only explain how they work, but also make people more aware of the disposable way in which we currently live, and introduce a way of reducing their waste and living more sustainably (without freaking them out or lecturing them!).

I have made all of these items, and blogged about them previously, follow the links to find out more on how to make each one.


My pack includes; A cotton bread bag (made from a 100% cotton tea towel). Three felted dryer balls, and two reusable beeswax wraps.

A Handmade Sustainable Gift Pack
Your friends and the environment will thank you!

These are the items I included in a gift pack, however you include any number of things. Items that you might prefer to make, or already make. Items such as shampoo bars, a pot of flowers, or even herbs, in a handmade pouch (as pictured). Even a few good old handmade handkerchiefs! There are a myriad of possibilities.

What items would you include in a handmade sustainable gift pack?

Mind your own beeswax; Sustainable food wrap

In my pursuit to reduce our waste. I came across an adorable eco-friendly glad wrap alternative; Bees Wax Wraps! 

I originally purchased a lovely Honeybee Wrap from the gorgeous store String and Salt in Warragul. Honeybee wraps have much more to them than the ones I attempted below. If you're not wanting to go to all the trouble, I highly recommend them, they come in various sizes and in a range of beautiful fabrics.

Honeybee Wrap - Pic courtesy of Honeybee Wraps

I have an abundance of beautiful cotton that I purchased many moons ago for my small business which tried (and mostly failed) at selling iron on letters. This was the perfect use for these. Before I started, I washed the fabric first and gave it a little iron too.

Cotton and Beeswax

The only problem was, where to find beeswax? I tried a couple of health food stores half heartedly, knowing I wouldn't have any luck. Then, we attended a local farmers market and I asked the honey man from Pure Peninsula Honey (honey man isn't his official title by the way) I bought a small soap like bar of it and was even more excited to get making.

Not cheese, grated beeswax!

I followed the tutorial by Karen B at The Art of Doing Stuff. 

I love her take on the whole sustainable bit... It's not going to be possible for 99.9% of people to go 100% green, however if we recognise that we can help reduce waste, it's going to help make a big difference. (she says it much more eloquently than that)

I put my oven on 70 Degrees Celsius (for those not in fahrenheit) and it took about 5 - 10 minutes for the wax to melt and soak in. I also popped into my local op shop and purchased some old trays and an old grater just for this purpose, this cost me a whole $2. Mainly as I think if I'm trying to reduce waste, throwing foil in the garbage might be a little counter productive.

They've turned out beautifully, although I did end up repeating the process as I wasn't liberal enough with the wax the first time. Next time around I may concoct a mixture from beeswax and coconut oil. Thus far, I've been using them to wrap cheese and cover bowls... I am also keen to make some for gifts.

My Wraps

Have you attempted to make beeswax wraps? Do you have a special recipe or formula?