Waxed paper

Paper impregnated or coated with purified beeswax was widely used throughout the 19th century to retain or exclude moisture, or to wrap odorous products.

[2] Waxed paper is commonly used in cooking for its non-stick properties, and wrapping food for storage, such as cookies, as it keeps water out or in.

This makes waxed paper more functional than plastic wrap which will melt at higher temperatures, or aluminium foil, which is not safe for use in most microwave ovens.

One presses an iron over the waxed paper briefly and attaches it to the cloth, making it easier to trace while cutting.

Waxed paper's particularly high dielectric strength makes it a practical electrical insulator, although modern materials have surpassed and mostly replaced it.