A Melbourne lawyer has created her own eco-friendly alternative to cling wrap using beeswax in a bid to reduce the amount of plastic waste entering oceans and landfill.
Laura-Ann Rullo, 32, says she ‘wasn’t aware’ how badly the ‘plastic problem’ had become until she bought her first home last February and started buying everyday kitchen items.
After months of researching, she launched Boston & Bee in November 2020 selling biodegradable beeswax cling wrap, which acts as a ‘second layer of skin’ to preserve food for three times longer.
‘I was horrified at the statistics on plastic wastage and wanted to do something about it,’ Ms Rullo told FEMAIL.
‘If you knew something never broke down, like plastic, why would you only use it once?’ she said.
While the business is a ‘side hustle’ alongside her full-time role, it has turned over close to $10,000 this month.
Laura-Ann Rullo, 32, says she ‘wasn’t aware’ how badly the ‘plastic problem’ had become until she bought her first home last February and started buying everyday kitchen items
After months of researching, she launched Boston & Bee in November 2020 selling biodegradable beeswax cling wrap, which act as a ‘second layer of skin’ to preserve food for three times longer
Since beeswax is ‘antibacterial in nature’, the wraps can be folded to keep food fresh
‘When I started buying products for my new home, I came across these beeswax wraps online and bought a three-pack – but when I ran out and wanted to buy more, they didn’t stock any pretty colours that I wanted,’ she said
‘So I decided to learn how to make them myself and give it a crack.’
Ms Rullo initially invested $5,000 to get the brand up and running and bought appliances to melt the wax, including a hot plate and rice cooker.
This month has been the best on record as the business has turned over $9,031 in the lead-up to Christmas.
‘The point of difference is the prettiness of the wraps; it’s great opening the fridge and seeing all this fresh produce wrapped in beautiful patterns,’ she said.
Unlike plastic, each beeswax wrap has an average lifespan of 12 months if used two to three times a week, but may last between three to six months of used daily.
Since beeswax is ‘antibacterial in nature’, the wraps can be folded to make fresh food last triple the standard amount of time.
In a series of now-viral videos, Ms Rullo puts Boston & Bee’s food wraps to the test against plastic cling wrap
Over time the brand has gained a loyal following on TikTok of more than 45,000 people who are intrigued by the product.
In a series of now-viral videos, Ms Rullo puts Boston & Bee’s food wraps to the test against cling wrap.
Ms Rullo covered one cup of water with cling wrap and the other with beeswax wrap, turned both upside down and shook them aggressively.
After a few shakes water seeped through the plastic wrap while the natural beeswax alternative kept the water sealed.
The natural food wraps are so durable they won’t rip and can be scrunched up and reformed easily.
This month has been the best on record as the business has turned over $9,031 in the lead-up to Christmas
‘If you knew something never broke down, like plastic, why would you only use it once?,’ Ms Rullo said
The Boston & Bee food wraps can be washed using cold water and a natural soap rather than harsh chemical-filled soaps, as this will breakdown the beeswax.
‘Wax melts so anything hot will ruin it,’ Ms Rullo said.
After 12 months the biodegradable wraps can be thrown out with piece of mind knowing it won’t be harming the environment or planted in the garden to nourish the soil.
According to the non-profit organisation Plastic Oceans International, 10million tons of plastic is dumped into oceans or landfill annually and 50 per cent of all plastic produced (380million tons per year) is for single-use purposes.
Around one million marine animals are killed by plastic pollution every year and only 9 per cent of all plastic gets recycled.
‘The statistics are horrifying and so confronting,’ Ms Rullo said, adding: ‘But it only takes one person to start a chain reaction to make a change’.
Each wrap has an average lifespan of 12 months if used two to three times a week, but may last between three to six months of used daily
The food wraps are made using cotton, beeswax, jojoba oil and gum rosin (tree sap).
Ms Rullo couldn’t provide an exact length of time it takes to make a wrap but said it ‘varies’.
Customers can shop online for the latest wraps with prices starting at $11.99 for a pack of three different sizes.
Majority of the patterns on the wraps are floral, minimal or have animal prints and are purchased from Spotlight.
Organic tote bags are also available and Ms Rullo also stocked Christmas hampers, which are now sold out.
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