I have to admit this isn’t my area of expertise, but it’s an area I’d like to learn about and improve in hence the blog post. I’m ready to at least make some small changes this holiday season. If you are in the same boat, stick around while we check out some simple, eco-friendly gift-wrapping ideas that don’t require any special talents.
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As I was researching for this post, I saw some really cool potato (yes, potato!) art and dried orange slice art options for DIY holiday paper, but, yeah, this isn’t that post so don’t worry. Did I mention the dried oranges cooked for two hours?
If that is for you, more power to you, but as a busy mom, that doesn’t seem like an attainable strategy for me at this point in time. However, I must say that it sounds like a really fun project to do with your kiddos—once ;).
How Much Gift Wrapping Waste Do We Create?
Americans spend more than 8 billion dollars on gift wrap each year. Wow, that’s a lot of money to spend on something that almost instantly turns into trash. It is estimated that the U.S. sends over 2 million pounds of gift wrap waste to landfills each year.
Essentially half of all gift wrap ends up in the landfill (I actually think this number may be higher). I saw a quote today that said, “gift wrap is future trash.” Well, when you put it like that?!
Is Gift Wrapping Recyclable?
This may surprise some people but often the answer is no. You can totally put it in the recycling bin, but it may not make the cut and actually be recycled. Lots of gift wrap paper contains plastic, glitter, foil or other additives. Wrapping paper that is pure paper is recyclable.
The same goes for bows and ribbon. Anything metallic/foil as well as the plastic ribbons are not recyclable. Gift bags follow the same rules as wrapping paper. Only the pure paper bags are recyclable. I don’t know about you, but I have definitely put some of the non-recyclable stuff in the recycling bin before.
How to Wrap Fewer Gifts
One question that came to mind for me, is can I wrap less? Maybe some of those hard to wrap gifts just get presented instead. Maybe I don’t always need to wrap gifts for my adult friends?
Could I conceal a few gifts for my kids under a blanket or inside of another gift (e.g. bracelet inside of purse). I think just reducing how often we wrap gifts, could be one of the most effective strategies.
You may have heard that once you get ready to recycle it, the damage is already done. Recycling can help a little, but not buying it in the first place is a much more powerful way to reduce waste.
Beyond wrapping less, let’s look at three other options for eco-friendly gift wrapping.
1. Reusable Shopping Bags for Eco-Friendly Gift Wrapping
This has been my favorite strategy in the past. O.k. so it’s been my only strategy, ha! This will work with cloth shopping bags or totes, and the bags will likely last for years! These cotton produce bags would work like a charm for small to medium gifts.
Stores like T.J. Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods always have festive reusable shopping bags near the register. Yes, they contain plastic, but I’ve had some last me for two years before, so I consider that a substantial step up from single use plastic.
The past few years, I have been found these bags in various sizes (not just the giant size) and have given them to family members. The response has been fantastic!
You can also snag some of the cute holiday bags that can be used over and over again. They often look like sacks with drawstrings. If you are handy, you can even whip up your own with fabric and maybe ribbon to create the drawstring.
2. Kraft Paper and Kraft Bags for Eco-Friendly Gift Wrapping
Kraft paper is simply pure paper. It is usually brown or at least it’s brown in its natural state. It also comes in black or white. Kraft paper is recyclable, so it’s at least better than typical gift wrapping paper.
Be sure to look for a sustainably sourced brand, which just means the companies are taking care of the forests. The product label will generally tell you this. The one linked above is sustainably sourced here in the USA.
Kraft bags are exactly the same material just in the form of a bag. With the bags, I feel like knock offs are much more common. Be sure to read the details and ensure that you are getting just paper, from a good source without any plastic/waxy coating.
There are endless decorating ideas for kraft paper. Personally, I’m far too lazy for potato art, but you can Google how to make DIY wrapping paper with a potato if you are up for a challenge. Hemp twine and fabric ribbon are great for dressing up these plain kraft paper packages.
Other ideas might be to make handmade wooden or clay ornaments to attach to the package. The Chalking Up Sucess blog has a fantastic clay ornament tutorial. The end result is super cute and something I would love to receive atop a Christmas gift.
You can also use fresh or artificial greenery, little bells, candy canes and much more. You can save the artificial greenery, bells and fabric ribbon while the ornament is part of the gift. If you’re not up for decorating, check out this super cute upscale kraft paper made by Hallmark.
While researching for this post, I found some other cool paper ideas that I had not thought of like using old maps and newspapers. To wrap these gifts, you may want to try an eco-friendly tape called washi tape. It uses natural fibers, is biodegradable and less toxic than traditional tape. The one linked above is authentic and imported from Japan. Many reviews say it works great on materials like kraft paper.
3. Furoshiki: The Japanese Art of Gift Wrapping
So, this method is so neat, and I could see it working really well for lots of things. Furoshiki began many years ago in Japan as a way to transport and wrap gifts. In recent years, the practice has caught on in cultures around the world as an environmentally friendly way to carry wine bottles, food and, of course, wrap gifts.
One popular material to use is a scarf, but it’s possible to use all sorts of fabrics. Check out this awesome Marie Kondo video tutorial on YouTube. The fun thing is that if you do use a scarf, shawl, blanket, etc., it can be part of the gift.
There is also the option to purchase Furoshiki cloths on Etsy and other online sites. There are patterns for all occasions and gifts of all sizes. I can’t wait to give this method a try, but I have a feeling my gifts won’t look quite as perfect as Marie Kondo’s gifts do ;).
Print Your Own Gift Bag Tags
Gift bag tags are typically mass produced in China. The paper contains plastic among other additives and has adhesive on the back, so they are not recyclable. You can make a much cleaner gift bag tag that is recyclable by printing your own on copy paper or cardstock. There are lots of free printable gift tag templates available.
I think these gift tags by She Wears Many Hats are particularly cute! You can find them for any occasion or holiday by doing a quick Google search.
Considerations For Eco-Friendly Gift Wrapping
One thing to consider when trying out some of these eco-friendly gift-wrapping options is who you are giving it to. Not everyone will reuse the fabric or ribbon unfortunately so prepare yourself for the possibility that it may not work out perfectly.
We have a family member who doesn’t save packaging but gives it back to me to reuse (that’s awesome!). After all, not everyone has storage space or does a lot of gift giving. Maybe you can drop a hint around your family members who may not be as into eco-friendly gift wrapping as you are.
I hope you enjoyed this post and will try a few of these ideas this holiday season. If you are an experienced eco-friendly gift wrapper, feel free to share any pro tips here in the comments.
Great ideas!