Are beeswax wraps worth it? The yearly cost versus cling film

July 14, 2026

Stablede bivokspapir-ark ved siden av tom papirrull og mynter — gjenbruk mot engangsplast

A set of beeswax wraps costs more than a roll of cling film, and the question is entirely fair: does it actually pay off? Here is the calculation with every assumption laid out, so you can judge for yourself.

Short answer: If you use cling film regularly, it soon costs about as much per year as a set of beeswax wraps, and the sheets last roughly 12 months. So the switch breaks even in the first year and comes out ahead in the years after. If you almost never use film, you save little money, but you avoid single-use plastic and microplastics in contact with your food.

What does cling film cost per year?

The price of a roll varies with the shop and the length, but an ordinary roll usually costs a couple of tenners in Norwegian grocery shops. What decides the yearly cost, though, is not the price of the roll but how quickly the rolls disappear from the drawer.

A kitchen that covers bowls, wraps cheese and makes packed lunches with film soon gets through a roll a month. Reckoned at a roll price of 20 to 40 kroner, the year looks roughly like this:

Usage	Rolls per year	Approximate yearly cost
Low: film now and then	3 to 4	60 to 160 kroner
Medium: a few times a week	6 to 8	120 to 320 kroner
High: daily use	12 or more	240 to 480 kroner

The figures are deliberately rounded, and you should use your own: it helps to count the rolls you bought last year. The point is not the exact krone but the order of magnitude. Cling film is a running cost that never stops, year after year, kitchen after kitchen.

What do beeswax wraps cost?

A set of three sheets in different sizes (S, M and L) costs 299 kroner as a one-off purchase. If you choose a subscription, the price is 254.15 kroner per set, always with free delivery, and new sheets arrive roughly when the old ones are ready for the compost.

With the right care the sheets last about 12 months: a cold wash with mild soap, air drying and never any heat. The whole routine is in the guide on caring for beeswax wraps, and it takes under a minute per wash.

The calculation side by side

	Cling film, medium use	Beeswax wraps, one set
Cost in the first year	120 to 320 kroner	299 kroner, or 254.15 on subscription
The years after	The same sum again, every year	A new set when the sheets are worn out
Waste	Roll after roll of single-use plastic	The sheets are composted in the end
Plastic in contact with food	Yes	No

Honestly summed up: if you sit at the low end of the usage table, beeswax wraps are no money-saver. Then the switch is about plastic, not kroner. If you are on medium or high usage, the sums roughly break even in the first year, and after that you save a little each year, while the single-use plastic is out of the drawer for good.

What the price does not capture

Cling film is in practice impossible to recycle: it is thin, dirty and sticky, so it all ends up in general waste. On top of that come microplastics. Plastic in direct contact with food can shed tiny particles whose long-term effects we still do not fully know.

Beeswax wraps are cotton sheets with beeswax that are used again and again, week after week. How the sheets work in practice, from wrapping cheese to packing lunches, is set out in the guide to using beeswax wraps. And the switch is one of the easiest steps towards a kitchen with less plastic: you change what is in the drawer, not the way you cook.

How to get the most out of the sheets

1
Use the right size
A sheet that barely covers the bowl wears out faster at the edges. Choose the sheet that gives you a few centimetres to fold over, and the wax will last longer.
2
Wash cold and air dry
Cold water and mild soap after use, then hang to dry. Heat melts the wax and is the most common reason sheets fail before their time.
3
Let cling film keep the last few jobs
Raw meat, raw fish and long-term storage in the freezer are better handled with film or airtight containers. Everything else the sheets take care of.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a set of beeswax wraps last?

About 12 months with regular use and the right care: a cold wash, mild soap and air drying. When the sheets are worn out, they can be composted.

Are beeswax wraps cheaper than cling film?

It depends on how much you use. If you reach for film several times a week, it soon costs about as much per year as a set of beeswax wraps. If you rarely use film, the gain is above all less single-use plastic, not saved kroner.

Can beeswax wraps be used for everything cling film is used for?

Almost. The exceptions are raw meat, raw fish and hot food: the sheets cannot take a hot wash, and the wax softens with heat. There, airtight containers or film are still the right choice.

What happens to the sheets when they are worn out?

They are cut up and composted. The sheets are made of cotton, beeswax and tree resin, so they turn into soil, not general waste.

Is the subscription worth it?

The subscription gives a lower price per set and always free delivery, and the deliveries are timed so that new sheets arrive roughly when the old ones start to wear. If you use the sheets daily, it is the easiest way to never be without.