Simple, quick and sustainable Christmas gift wraps
We sure like to receive beautifully wrapped Christmas presents, and give them – it makes the gift giving and receiving all the better. And of course, pretty gifts look the part under the tree, right? They even act as home decoration if you leave them out a day or too early, so it does matter what they look like. But we’ve become a throwaway society. All that wrapping paper, bought in stores, then used and tossed straight away. So this year, we thought we’ll gather a few ideas for environmentally conscious gift wrapping tips for you to reduce that waste but keep the pretty decor element.
1. The brown kraft paper
Kraft paper for larger parcels, white drawing paper for smaller boxes, and if you want to spare the plastic, swap the sellotape to washi tape or another paper-based tape. Wrap the final parcel with natural twine, and add a slice of dried orange. Bonus points if you use brown paper from grocery bags that you already have at home!
2. Furoshiki – gift wrapping with fabric
There are a ton of great videos showing you how to execute this technique on Youtube. You can make your own furoshiki cloth gift wraps, which the recipient will get to keep, so they get an extra piece of present. It literally is the gift that keeps on giving. There are also options to buy them if you prefer that instead. Tuck in some foraged sprigs of evergreen/rosemary/eucalyptus and then add a pine cone for a Christmas finish.
3. Reusable bags
Linen straw bags with simple pattern, or no writing at all will make an excellent gift wrap as these can easily be recycled into everyday use, as produce bags. If the person you’re gifting to is conscious about these things and perhaps already a frequent visitor of bulk shops and zero waste stores, they will most certainly appreciate the thought and will cherish both your present and the bag it came in.
4. Reusable boxes or straw bags
Other great alternatives include wooden boxes and straw bags and baskets. These items are normally handmade and can be found on marketplaces like Not on The High Street or Etsy, so you won’t just be choosing a sustainable gift wrap alternative but you will also be supporting small businesses that make handmade products.
5. Newspaper gift wrapping
Black & white newspaper for a classic, timeless look, and Financial Times for a pink touch? Why not! Once you’re finished with your paper and know exactly it will only land in landfill, reuse before you toss it! This is the age-old trick that’s making a comeback when it comes to gift wrapping. As for the receiver of this gift wrap, have you got some windows to clean? Newspaper works well with vinegar when it comes to beautifully clean windows, so between Christmas and New Years, if you’d like to freshen up your glass surfaces – use your lovely wrapping (news)paper.