Niki Beeswax Wraps is a small business which makes an eco-friendly alternative to cling film

Niki, aged 40, set up the business in July 2018 after she was given a beeswax wrap for her birthday as a gift.

This sparked an interest in the product, she began making them just for family and friends but demand was high and she now makes around 100 a week.

She said: “I make eco-friendly beeswax wraps which you can use instead of cling film as an alternative, they’re also great for sandwich bags and can be used to cover bowls and plates to keep food fresh.”

Niki is passionate about the environment and encourages people to reduce the waste they create in their day to day lives.

“You’re saving on single use plastic, I source my beeswax and my fabric from local suppliers and local beekeepers.

“At the end of their use they can be composted, so they’re not leaving anything behind that we don’t want,” Niki continued.

The beeswax papers come in an array of different designs, Niki gets her fabric from So Cute Fabric in Edlington.

She changes the fabric patterns and designs constantly which sets her apart from bigger companies making beeswax wraps as they tend to stick to a limited number of sizes and prints.

Niki has the freedom to make custom orders for her customers and will often make wraps dependent on the season or special occasions.

The wraps are reusable and will last for around one year if stored and cared for properly.

Niki said: “You have to rejuvenate them by ironing them in between two sheets of greaseproof paper every couple of months.

“This re-distributes the wax and re-pasteurises them.”

The wraps are made with beeswax, tree resin, coconut oil and jojoba oil, which is melted down in Niki’s double boilers and then poured over fabric to create the re-usable product.

They are stocked at many Doncaster businesses including The Jam Horse, Dream Bakes and the Little Farm Shop.

Niki also sells her beeswax wraps at the Artisan Eco stall located in the new Wool Market, she is co-owner along side Jill Brooksbank.

The stall sells an array of eco-friendly products from upcycled crafts to reusable cloths.

She said: “The shop is an amalgamation of local crafts people that make upcycled, recycled and eco-friendly crafts.

“We also sell eco-friendly products such as bamboo travel cups, natural lip glosses and lots of other bits and pieces with the goal of being as eco-friendly as possible.”

The furniture inside the stall is made of reclaimed and upcycled wood, everything from the stall sign and the cashier till are second hand or home made.

The stall was started as Niki and her business partner felt a need to set up a space for eco-friendly products as there was not anywhere prior in Doncaster.

Niki has always been passionate about the environment.

She said: “I’ve always recycled. It started with my mum and dad they brought me up to not waste.

“Waste not want that was the phrase I heard most often.

“I never set out to be eco, I hate the thought of waste.”

The shop is unit seven in the new Wool Market, which is located towards the back of the building.

See https://www.facebook.com/Nikkisbeeswaxwraps for details.