SuperBee Wax Wraps are made from a few simple ingredients: 100% GOTS certified cotton (organic and fair trade), locally and sustainably sourced pure beeswax, organic coconut oil, and tree resin. While you're probably familiar with the the first three ingredients, you might be wondering, "what exactly is tree resin?" (and, "why would I want it touching my food?").
Tree resin and sap
If you're thinking about sticky tree sap, you're on the right track. Resin is a fluid produced by plants (most commonly trees); however, sap and tree resins are not the same thing. Sap is generally a watery, sugary substance (for example maple syrup), while resin is thicker and stickier.
Antibacterial and antimicrobial
Like beeswax, resin is known for its antimicrobial and antibacterial properties. Also, resin doesn't dissolve in water; and it hardens when exposed to air and melts when exposed to heat.
Resin - an ancient material
Humans have used resins for thousands of years. The use of resin can be traced back to before 1700 BCE, during the Bronze Age! People used resin as an adhesive and medicine. Because tree resin is waterproof, ship builders often used it to seal boats, ropes and tarps.
Multipurpose tree resin
Today we still use tree resin in many ways. It's used as a sealant, rosin, a solid form of resin is used for the bows of string instruments, and it's even used in soaps. It's a great all-rounder for use in wilderness survival emergency situations, including the treatment of wounds, stopping bleeding and soothing rashes.
And, of course, we use tree resin in our Wax Wraps.
