It’s a Wrap! 5 Easy Ideas for Sustainable Gift Wrapping

WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED ON GIFTS WITH OUR SUSTAINABLE GIFT GUIDE. BUT NOW YOU’RE PROBABLY THINKING ABOUT HOW SHOULD YOU WRAP THESE GIFTS IN A WAYS THAT’S KIND TO THE PLANET! ONE OF THE BEST FEELINGS AT CHRISTMAS IS SEEING ALL OF YOUR WRAPPED PRESENTS UNDER THE TREE READY FOR YOUR LOVED ONES TO OPEN. WE’VE GOT SOME GREAT GIFT WRAPPING IDEAS THAT ARE BOTH FESTIVE AND FABULOUS!

words by HOLLY KELSEY
creative direction by SARAH MARIE DAY
photographs by ANDREW DAY

WHAT IS SUSTAINABLE GIFT WRAPPING

Sustainable gift wrap includes anything that is either biodegradable or not plastic or can be used again each year. Biodegradable materials can be made into so many things including gift paper, ribbons, tape, gift bags, bows or tags. It’s something that will disappear naturally over time without leaving behind any nasty plastics or chemicals. Plus they look amazing!

WHY DOES IT MATTER

Let's stay clear of plastic wrapping this season - all that glitter, glue, sticky tape, overly laminated wrapping paper or toxic inks are not kind to the planet. UK shoppers alone purchase around 227,000 miles of wrapping paper each year, a lot of which will contain glitter and probably won’t end up being recycled. Anything with glitter should definitely be avoided as when you throw it away it eventually breaks down and releases micro plastics. Luckily there are so many more options out there! We love anything that’s biodegradable, reused, recycled or made from fabric.

5 sustainable gift wrapping Ideas

When you take a more considered approach to wrapping gifts it seems so much more personable and it really shows how much effort and thought you put into a gift. Here are our top 5 ways to wrap Christmas presents that create a showstopper gift.

01 — FUROSHIKI

This is a traditional Japanese technique for wrapping using cloth or fabric. It’s an alternative to using tape and wrapping paper, where you knot and fold the fabric to create a stylishly tied gift. You take a square of fabric and fold the gift into it, with a knot to finish it up. We did a tutorial for you on our Instagram, linkes here. In Japan it was originally used to transport goods with cotton fabric or for formal gifts with silk fabrics. The US based brand Christy Dawn even sells deadstock fabrics specifically for Furoshiki.

02 — INCORPORATING NATURE

Including natural elements is such a wonderful way to add a finishing touch to the present. You can include components such as sprig of holly, little branches of pine, dried oranges, cinnamon sticks, mistletoe, pinecones, rose-hip or baby’s breath, it will really elevate your gift wrapping. Whether you forage these from your own garden or you get them from a local florist, it addss a beautiful personalised touch to each gift.

03 — MAKE YOUR OWN RIBBON

This one is super easy, you can just use the spare fabric you have at home, it works best with any kind of cotton, we used muslin. Cut a notch a few centimetres from the edge in the direction of the weave. Then simply tear the fabric. Repeat this to create as many ribbons as you need! We especially love the raw edges the fabric will have! See a tutorial on this technique on our Instagram, linked here.

04 — NATURAL PAPER

You would think that all wrapping paper is sustainable because it’s made from paper, but most are coated in laminates or contain chemical inks. The best options to choose are papers that are biodegradable. Look for FSC certified paper, mulberry paper or any paper that is made with natural inks. We found some beautiful mulberry paper in a local gift store last year. For online shoppers, Etsy showcases a lot of small businesses that produce natural wrapping paper. We also have a list of eco friendly gift wrapping brands from around the world at the end of this article.

05 — PLASTIC-FREE ACCESSORIES

A plastic free Christmas is the dream! And it’s so easy to do - instead of buying plastic ribbons, curly bows, confetti, plastic gift tags or streamer bows, there are some amazing natural material or biodegradable ones instead. You could make your own gift tags whether its from recycled paper, Kraft paper or Lokta paper - then just attach the gift tag with some natural twine and its ready! We love these bows from Wrappily, they’re so adorable and they’re made from cotton instead of plastic!

Companies that make sustainable gift wrap worldwide

There are some great companies who focus on sustainable gift wrapping materials! We’re introducing you to a few here.

UK: Cadeaux Paperworks or Paper High

US: TheFabWrap or Wrappily

Europe: Dille Kamille or Papier Fleur

We hope this article has inspired you to try out some amazing new ways of wrapping gifts. It’s the smallest changes, like swapping out classic gift wrap for sustainable ones, that make all the difference. Plus it’s so easy to do! We wish you a Merry Christmas with lots of joy, kindness and optimism this season!

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