Cute and Creative Wrapping Paper Alternatives
It’s the season of giving, and everyone is rushing from store to store to find gifts for each friend and family member. As is tradition, most of these gifts will be wrapped hours before being given, only for that wrapping paper to be torn up and thrown out.
Americans spend millions of dollars every year on wrapping paper alone. Even greater than the yearly monetary cost, though, is the environmental cost. Wrapping paper is almost always used only once before being thrown in the trash. While some of you may be thinking you are doing good by recycling it, most wrapping paper actually can’t be recycled. The dyes, glitter, plastic, and other non-paper materials are extremely difficult to separate. Plus, any attached tape or ribbons can’t be recycled either. This means that wrapping paper creates an enormous amount of waste every holiday season.
Luckily, there are plenty of alternatives to wrapping paper that can limit waste, save money, and look just as nice! Here are 9 (or so) ways you can keep up the gift wrapping tradition this holiday without being wasteful:
Fabric Bags:
Fabric is a great alternative to gift wrap and a great way to make use of scrap fabric! Whatever you might have at home could work, or a trip to your local thrift shop or fabric store can do the trick. Friends and family may even have scrap fabric to offer. Old sheets and unwanted clothing are great options, too.
Use this fabric to sew a gift bag. These can be simple to make and it is easy to find instructions online. Just be sure to line them so they last longer and can be reused again in the future!
If you don’t want to sew, don’t worry – there are plenty of great no sew fabric bag options out there, too!
Furoshiki:
An increasingly popular option for gift wrapping is Furoshiki, the Japanese art of folding fabric. It looks lovely, and can be made simple for beginners or intricate and complex for the more experienced and creative wrapper. You can buy specific materials for Furoshiki, or you can make use of what you have and wrap the present with a simple wrap and knot.
Brown Paper or Burlap (and decorations!):
Brown paper or burlap can give presents a clean, classy look. You can even use brown paper bags from the store. If you think the wrapping is too plain, tie it up with string (shout out to Mary Poppins), decorate it with a bit of greenery, or add some color with markers. I’ve even seen some people use magazine clippings to add some festivity to the wrapping. Get creative and have fun with it!
Jars and Cans:
A cute glass jar can be an adorable way to give a gift, and a nice bonus for the recipient! Glass can be endlessly recycled, so it is a great alternative to any other type of wrapping/container. Other jars or cans work great, too, and can be reused by the recipient.
Baskets:
I personally love giving gifts in baskets. It looks adorable, especially if you’re giving several smaller gifts. Rather than hiding your gift, display it proudly in a cute basket! As with some of the other alternatives, recipients can make use of the basket, maybe even by using it for their own gift giving!
Presents Wrapping Presents:
If you want the gift wrap to be useful to the participant, why not get them something they’ll love as gift wrap, too? A scarf or apron can be wrapped around another gift, saving the waste of paper and making for a pretty presentation! A pillowcase could potentially work for this as well.
With some gifts, you can be creative and use a container related to the gift. A pot for kitchen supplies or a watering can for plants or gardening gifts can be cute and useful!
Paper – You already have it!
Do you have newspapers you no longer want to read? Or a calendar that is about to become irrelevant as the end of the year nears? Use them as wrapping paper!
Is it a gift for mom, dad, or an older relative? Have the kids draw/paint something to wrap the gift with. This can be a heartwarming touch for loved ones.
Other fun wrapping paper ideas can include maps, comic strips, or even a printed word search that includes words like the recipient’s name or the holiday.
What Else Do You Already Have?
Have some recycling you haven’t thrown out yet? Maybe a few cereal boxes, or paper and tissue from deliveries you’ve received? These are perfect for gift giving! Better yet, when you get something that might be useful to put a gift in, be sure to hold on to it for an upcoming birthday or holiday. Upcycling is even better than recycling!
This goes for gift bags from the past as well – keep any gift bags you receive and reuse them in the future.
Recycled Paper Gift Wrap:
If you’re really attached to the idea of wrapping paper, or you just can’t seem to find a good alternative for a certain type of gift, consider buying recycled wrapping paper. It takes less energy to make, saves trees, and is typically made without dangerous toxins and chemicals. Brands like Green Field Paper Company, Fishlips and Wrappily offer recycled wrapping paper, and as it becomes more common, it is easier to find in stores as well.
While the holidays are a joyful time, they are also a time when we create a tremendous amount of waste. Be conscious of your choices this holiday, and reconsider how you give your gifts. Ease to Green is founded on the idea that every small change is important, and making simple changes like ditching wrapping paper can be a great step toward a greener, cleaner holiday season.
Happy Holidays!
Let me know in the comments below how you plan to wrap your gifts, or how you plan to be environmentally conscious this holiday season.