Sustainable Gift Wrapping Ideas

The holidays are a time of family, and giving but also unfortunately waste. Wrapping paper isn’t recyclable in every county and sometimes is layered with plastics or foil. With the last minute rush gift prep consider therese more sustainable options.

*My examples aren’t waste free, I use plastic scotch tape and plastic stickers but they are more sustainable because I didn’t have to go to a store to buy new supplies or wrapping paper

Wrappings:

butcher paper

newspaper (my mom uses the Sunday comics)

coloring pages

old maps from past car trips

Brown paper that cushioned an online order was perfect for wrapping

Containers:

cookie tins

any type of box

mason jars

cleaned out tin cans

These gifts are in Costco coffee cans and reused Christmas tissue paper from last year

This is a combination of the examples (an old Sephora box covered in a water color, and a cut out of a coloring book)

Decorations:

stickers

twine

old scrapbook supplies

pine clippings (I’ve seen people spruce up a plain gift with a cutting from their Christmas tree)

drawings/paintings (I suggesting drawing on the wrapping paper before you decorate it)

Reuse:

I keep all of my wrapping supplies in a box where I keep bags, tissue paper and bows from other presents I have received.
Giving them one more use is better then tossing them (If you have the space)

Also! Scrunched up paper is a great way to fill out a box that is too big for the gift, and can be made from paper scraps from other projects.