Why You Need to Ditch Plastic Food Wraps

When it comes to reducing your single use plastics, the kitchen is a great place to start. Gone are the days of wrapping everything in plastic cling wrap or sandwich bags. Laura Eddington from Sustainable Home Hub listed business Little Bumble, says that as well as being an environmental disaster, plastics can release chemicals into the food we store in them, especially when we heat them up in the microwave. “More and more studies suggest that plastics can affect your health, even if it’s BPA free. Potential effects can be significant. You can’t presume any plastic is free from toxic compounds, and given the potential health and environmental consequences, avoiding the use of single use plastic in the kitchen would be wise” she says.

Plastic can take up to 500 years before it begins to break down, sometimes longer! To think that the plastic we use now will still be around for our great, great, great grandchildren (and many more generations!)  to deal with, is an unsettling thought! Laura says that while it hangs around in our environment, it can have many significant impacts, especially when it makes it’s way to the ocean. “Plastic is deadly in our oceans! Our marine life is often killed as a result. To think that what we throw in the bin can end the life of a creature is devastating and we must take actions to prevent our beautiful creatures suffering the consequences of our actions” stresses Laura.

Luckily there are now many options for alternatives to single use plastics. These include refusing plastic straws, coffee cups and plastic bags. Taking your own produce and shopping bags. Using paper bags. Making your own food wraps, reusing containers and glass jars, using crockery to cover leftovers in the fridge, vintage containers and reusable food wraps. Based in Drouin, Victoria, in the heart of Gippsland among the green rolling hills, Laura from Little Bumble, provides a sustainably minded food storage solution – Little Bumble beeswax food wraps.

What are the wraps made from?

Materials: 100% cotton fabric, Australian organic beeswax, Natural Pine Resin, Australian Jojoba oil and Organic Coconut Oil.

Little Bumble beeswax food wraps are reusable, biodegradable and all natural. They reduce the need for plastic food storage which is not only bad for our environment, but is also bad for your food. All food sweats in plastic and this can cause the food to degrade more quickly. By switching to this sustainable food storage solution, you are also helping to reduce food wastage.

Beeswax is a by-product of honey which is naturally antibacterial. Utilising the wax for food wraps is an ideal way of providing an eco-friendly food storage solution. “Our beeswax is sourced only within Australia and we are blessed to have great relationships with wonderful beekeepers, including local Victorian beekeepers, who provide a premium quality wax sustainably and ethically farmed. Our beekeepers take such good care of their bees and work hard to make sure they have happy and healthy hives. They love their bees and so do we!” says Laura.

Laura says they also use 100% brand new cotton fabric to ensure the best quality for hygienically wrapping your food items and the longevity of the wraps themselves. “This fabric is natural, durable and 100% plant based” explains Laura. The DIY kits allow you to reuse your own 100% cotton fabric you might already have at home, so you can upcycle this fabric.

Natural Pine Resin is used to help the beeswax bind to the fabric wraps, and also allows for perfect pliability. This ingredient is 100% natural and is actually tree sap! Pine resin is even used in chewing gum. Laura says the pine resin is extracted in a similar process to maple syrup and prevents trees from being logged for timber, and has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties which makes this a wonderful sustainable ingredient.

The final ingredients – jojoba and coconut oils – are 100% natural ingredients which are plant based. Laura says that it is the delicate balance between the two oils, that helps them achieve perfect pliability for their food wraps. “No deforestation occurs in the production of these oils which make them a fantastic sustainable ingredient” she adds.

All of these natural ingredients are carefully blended in their Little Bumble Studio in Gippsland. The studio is powered by solar panels to reduce their impact on the environment in the making of their wraps. Little Bumble wraps are all lovingly hand cut and hand dipped. Not a single process is outsourced and the dedicated Little Bumble team, who passionate about sustainability, help produce these wraps.

Laura the creator and maker behind Little Bumble, says she is a proud Gippslandian, wife and mum of two. “I was raised in Gippsland Victoria on land and while I went to university in Melbourne to study biological science and education, I returned to Gippsland to raise my family. Behind the scenes my wonderful husband, Aven, has been my main supporter. Now I also have an amazing and dedicated team of locals who I employ to help me with production as well as markets. It’s very much a team effort here at Little Bumble and I’m so proud that we can work together to make a difference!” she says.

While on maternity leave from science teaching, Laura became frustrated at the food wastage and plastic pollution that was occurring in her home. Being raised on land and always striving to be more sustainable, she began to research an alternative to plastic wrap, snap lock bags and plastic containers. She put her science skills to use and developed an all-natural formula that produced premium wraps, which could be customised, refreshed and made into DIY kits. “I’m passionate about educating people about how easy beeswax food wraps are to use, and how they can keep going year after year. If you haven’t tried beeswax wraps yet, or are struggling to find (or make!) ones that really work; give Little Bumble a go! It’s easy, affordable and sustainable” she says.

As well as being a simple way to keep food fresh without the negative and long lasting impacts of the alternatives Laura says the benefits include reduction of food waste. “I know how much hard work our farmers put into growing and providing food for us and the thought of throwing this out never sat well with me. So beeswax food wraps are a win win for reducing food and plastic wastage”.

Why is sustainability important to us all and do you have some tips?

Sustainability is so important in all aspects of everyday life. It’s something that everyone can (and should) work towards. There are always ways in which we can reduce the impact we have on our environment to help preserve it for generations to come. We have one planet and we cannot afford to keep treating it the way we do. When I had my first child I became a passionate advocate for cloth nappies which prevented thousands of nappies going to landfill. We invested in solar panels and a lovely wood heater which help power and warm our house and our Little Bumble Studio. I feel so privileged that my full time job revolves around helping households make a change to a more sustainable alternative that makes a difference and is used every single day.

1. Take it one step at a time! There are so many ways we can be more sustainable but just master one thing at a time or it can be overwhelming. Habits are hard to change so just taking baby steps can make it easier.
2. While it would be great for everyone to have sustainable homes and have zero waste, the reality is that we need to focus on working towards this goal one area at a time.
3. Write down a list of what sustainable changes you’d like to implement in your home and work on one at a time for a few months. Before you know it, you’ll be amazing how you’ve achieved your goals and how much of a difference lots of little changes have made.
4. For the kitchen, beeswax food wraps are a must have because they significantly reduce the amount of plastic used.
5. Other sustainable items that you could consider using in the kitchen include reusable baking mats or metal straws.
6. Or focusing on the laundry, try out soap nut or metal pegs which are so helpful in creating a more environmentally friendly laundry!
7. You can even switch to bamboo tooth brushes or hair brushes for a sustainable bathroom. I’ve started stocking all of these items to encourage people to branch out to include sustainable changes into all areas of the home and everyday life

The biggest challenge for Laura has been time. “When I started the business I thought that it was something I could do while my children were napping. However, it quickly took off and I was overwhelmed and sleep deprived because I was staying up most of the night working. Since recruiting a team, it’s helped immensely and now have a much healthier work life balance” she says. When they come across the wraps, some people are amazed because they have never seen anything like it before. Laura says she wishes she could take credit for it, but it’s something our great great grandparents probably saw and used regularly! They have lots of questions of how to use and care for them and are often shocked how easy it all is to make the change from plastic wraps to beeswax wraps.

“Often people are really fascinated by the DIY kits and how easy it is to make their own food wraps with a professional finish. I started DIY masterclasses which have been very popular in schools as well as the Little Bumble Studio” explains Laura. “My kids are the apple of my eye and I love spending time with them and watching them play. It’s not always the most relaxing thing but they often make me smile and bring me so much joy. When I get some kids free time I love to go out and enjoy a good chat with family and friends over a good meal and even do some shopping. Although it’s rare, I really enjoy relaxing on the couch to watch a good movie with a hot chocolate and wearing my pajamas! Especially in front of the fire in winter!”.

Laura loves making all of her wraps and says she is a massive fabric addict. Her favourite work is choosing all the gorgeous patterns and prints. But she also really loves making custom orders. She recently did some big corporate orders for Aussie Home Loans and sustainable building companies, and says it brings her so much happiness to see companies supporting a sustainable change, and helping foster a change within their own community. “It’s all about spreading the word and sharing the love. Empowering and educating people to make a change in their everyday lives is such a satisfying job to have” she continues.

DIY workshops

Laura is now running DIY Beeswax food wrap Masterclasses at the Little Bumble Studion in Drouin Victoria. They are an ideal way to perfect the art of making your own beeswax food wraps with a professional finish. Laura has done all the hard work in combining the perfect ingredients in correct formula – which are in the DIY kits available for purchase via her site – so all you need to do is essentially grate and iron! Having a guided hands on tutorial can help make you confident and proficient in making your own wraps. More details can be found on the Little Bumble website which you can follow through to via the Hub here.

Helen

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