Is etee Sustainable? The Plastic-Free Food Wrap Brand Reviewed

etee started with reusable beeswax food wraps and has grown into a full plastic-free range. Among “eco” food-storage brands, it’s one of the few that’s plastic-free all the way down to the shipping tape. Here’s how it holds up.

The Zero Waste List
Verdict
★★★★½
4.5/5
✔ Pros
  • Wraps made from organic cotton, organic beeswax, soy wax, tree resins, and essential oils, fully compostable
  • Plastic-free down to commercially compostable packing tape
  • Replaces plastic wrap, zip bags, and some containers
  • Wraps last up to a year, then biodegrade in home compost
  • Expanding plastic-free range: dish soap, shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant
✘ Cons
  • Beeswax wraps aren’t vegan (contain beeswax)
  • Need handwashing in cool water and re-waxing/replacement over time
  • Not suitable for raw meat or very wet foods
  • Higher upfront cost than a roll of plastic wrap
etee dish soap powder concentrate box
Image: etee

Related: see our zero waste kitchen guide for more plastic-free food storage swaps.

What Is etee?

etee (made in Toronto) is a plastic-free brand best known for reusable beeswax food wraps, now expanded into dish soap, shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant, and more. Its mission is to make plastic-free living accessible across the home.

Materials and Compostability

etee’s wraps are made from organic cotton muslin coated with a blend of organic beeswax, non-GMO soy wax, coniferous tree resins, and clove, cinnamon, and jojoba oils, with non-toxic dyes. Everything is naturally derived and fully compostable, and even the packing tape is commercially compostable. That end-to-end plastic-free approach is rare and impressive.

Living With It

Like all beeswax wraps, etee’s require a little care: wash in cool water by hand, avoid heat, and they’ll keep food fresh for up to a year before you compost and replace them. They’re not for raw meat or very wet foods, and the beeswax means they’re not vegan. For most kitchens, though, they replace a steady stream of single-use plastic.

Making your wraps last

Beeswax wraps die early from two things: heat and harsh washing. Rinse them in cool water with a drop of mild soap, let them air dry, and keep them away from the dishwasher, the microwave, and the sunny windowsill. Treated that way, a wrap handles regular kitchen duty for around a year.

End of life is the best part. A spent wrap is cotton and wax, so it can be cut into strips and composted, or used as a natural fire starter. No other food storage product we cover disposes of itself that cleanly. For the rest of the category, see our reusable food storage roundup.

Beyond the wraps

etee has quietly grown past its signature product into a small plastic-free pantry: dish soap concentrates in compostable packaging, solid shampoo, and other swaps built around the same no-plastic rule. The dish soap in particular pairs naturally with the wraps if you are doing a kitchen overhaul; our zero waste kitchen guide shows where each piece fits.

It is still a small Canadian company, which means occasional stock gaps and a catalog that shifts more than a CPG giant’s would. The upside of that scale is that the plastic-free standard applies to everything, including the shipping materials.

The Verdict: Is etee Sustainable?

etee is one of the most plastic-free brands out there, its beeswax wraps and expanding range are made from natural, compostable materials right down to the packing tape, with the usual handwashing-and-replacement upkeep of any beeswax wrap.

Related: our best reusable food storage ranks the brands we trust most.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are etee products really plastic-free?

Yes, etee’s wraps are made from natural, compostable materials and the brand ships plastic-free, down to commercially compostable packing tape. It’s one of the more thoroughly plastic-free brands available.

How long do etee beeswax wraps last?

With proper care, handwashing in cool water and keeping them away from heat, etee wraps last up to a year. After that they can be composted at home.

Are etee wraps vegan?

No. etee’s food wraps contain organic beeswax, so they aren’t vegan. If you need a vegan option, look for plant-wax (candelilla or soy) wraps instead.

What can you not use beeswax wraps for?

Avoid using beeswax wraps for raw meat or fish and very wet foods, and keep them away from heat (hot water, microwaves, dishwashers), which melts the wax coating.

Can you use beeswax wraps on raw meat?

No. Wraps can’t be washed in hot water (heat melts the wax), so they can’t be sanitized after touching raw meat or fish. Use a sealed container for those, and keep wraps for produce, cheese, bread, and covering bowls.

Want to try etee?

Shop etee →

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Sources & Further Reading

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