(Video link here.) Last year we bought a waxed-cotton knapsack from Dargelos that we LOVE because it carries a huge amount of stuff without looking like it. Gradually the wax finish wore off and we began to look into rewaxing it. Dargelos recommends a  solvent-free paste wax you can rub onto your fabric bag to refurbish it (They have a free how-to pdf here). Another way to go is Otter Wax, a solid brick of beeswax and plant-based waxes and oils (no petroleum or silicone).

We discovered that you can it to wax just about any cotton item to make them waterproof, and give them a weathered sheen that can be akin to leather…

Otter Fabric Wax

You can even wax your jackets, hats, sneakers and jeans.(Video link here.)

How do you wash waxed cotton, we wondered. We read: you don’t if you can help it; otherwise, gentle cycle, cold water, hang to dry.

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6 replies on “how to wax cotton…jackets, jeans, anything!

  1. Amazing! I wonder how this would fare on baby items…I love that cloth everything is back in style, but hate that PUL is the go-to “green” fabric option for diapers, wet-bags, snack bags, etc. My imagination is going wild 😀

  2. I love that your imagination is going wild! That’s our mission. I’m not sure about for a baby. It might depend on what is in the wax you use…and looking into its impact on a baby’s skin, or whatever your uses are, and how often you need to wash it. IN terms of snack bags, you should also look into beeswax food wrap which you can diy or buy.

  3. I am wondering if this kind of wax would hold up ( without washing), like on textile art?
    Does it eventually dissipate ?

  4. Follow the links to get to Otter Wax. It’s also sold on Amazon.

  5. In my experience, it holds up fine if the textiles aren’t being used. With use, it eventually wears.

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