Sustainable Gift Wrapping Ideas

Sustainable gift wrapping ideas are a great way to make your presents look beautiful while reducing waste. This year, why not try wrapping that’s kinder to the planet?

From reusable fabrics to natural embellishments, there are plenty of creative ways to give your gifts an eco-friendly makeover. Not only will they stand out under the tree, but they’ll also inspire others to embrace more sustainable choices. Over the years, I have found that folks are very careful when unwrapping these gifts, and often return the wrapping to me to be reused again!

Prefer to listen instead? In this episode of the Sustainable in the Suburbs podcast, I’m sharing simple, low-waste wrapping ideas using things you already have at home, as well as what kids learn from watching us wrap, and how a few small shifts can make your holiday wrapping a little easier and a lot less expensive.

Most Wrapping Paper is NOT Recyclable

Canadians throw away an estimated 540,000 tonnes of wrapping paper and gift bags every year, including up to 6 million rolls of tape! Finding out that wrapping paper is not recyclable was very eye-opening. Most conventional wrapping paper is coated in plastic and cannot be actually be recycled. Now factor in plastic tape, ribbons, bows, tags, gift bags, and glitter (which is microplastic) and what you have is very fancy garbage that contaminates the recycling process.

Typically, only items that are 100% paper are accepted. The recycling symbol on a package is unfortunately not a good indicator, so please check your municipality’s rules and sort your materials carefully. Avoid this problem (and save money!) by trying out sustainable gift wrapping this holiday season.

Use (and Reuse) What You Have First

But wait…doesn’t it end up in the landfill? Yes, but it will anyway so use it up! If you no longer want to use these items, consider actively giving them away. I ended up with boxes upon boxes of gift wrapping stuff when my parents downsized and listed it for free on a local selling app – it was picked up within an hour.

I used to wonder why people unwrapped gifts so carefully to “save the paper” and now I totally get it. Fancy gift bags can last for years and travel through many hands! I also collect the stamped tags I make after all the unwrapping is done for use again the following year. Holiday cards can be turned into tags or decorations on next years gifts. And don’t forget to save and reuse the ribbons and bows!

Wrap Gifts in Paper

For a good while I was using brown kraft paper from a big roll that I bought at the post office. When that ran out, I moved on to reusing paper bags from the liquor store with paper tape. I like to crumple them up multiple times first for a textured look. Newspaper comics or colouring book pages are fun for wrapping children’s gifts. For tissue paper, we use the paper wrapping that our rolls of plastic-free toilet paper come in. Even toilet paper tubes themselves can be used for small gifts or stocking stuffers. All of these options are recyclable or great for your compost bin. These types of parcels are all perfect blank canvases for getting creative with embellishments!

Make Gifts in Jars

Consumable gifts are a great low waste options any time of the year. Who doesn’t like food?! Or a free jar? Over the years I have done baking mixes, soups, coffee, tea blends, infused olive oils, lotions, and bath salts. Most ingredients can be sourced in bulk or even grown in your outdoor space. Gifts in jars are inexpensive, but they do take time. I think that is why I like them so much – they are made with intention and given with love. Attach a tag with baking/cooking instructions. (I typically never put who it’s from on the tag. It might not be the recipient’s jam, so they are free to regift it that way if they like.)

Furoshiki – Wrapping in Cloth

Furoshiki is a traditional Japanese way of wrapping gifts with a square piece of cloth. There are so many wonderful tutorials on how to wrap just about anything, from boxes to wine bottles. Over the years, I have collected silk scarves and fabric remnants from thrift stores for this style of wrapping. You can even make the wrapping part of the gift, using a bandana or play silks for example. This style of wrapping is really fun for kids to help with. It is quick, reusable, and always turns out beautifully.

Gift Tags and Other Embellishments

Most gift tags contain adhesive, plastic, or both. Create your own using paper tags and rubber stamps, handwritten script, or forgo them altogether and write directly on to the package. Tie up your parcels in compostable (and reusable) string such as hemp, jute twine, raffia, or leftover yarn. Liven up brown paper with potato stamps cut into whatever shapes you can dream up and leftover house paint. Add little natural bits and bobs such as cinnamon sticks, pinecones, cedar branches, star anise, salt dough ornaments, and dried orange slices to jazz up your packages!

Of course, no wrapping at all is also an option! Do you what you feel comfortable with, but rest assured that it will be well received. I have noticed a big shift in how folks receive these types of packages. The wrapping is not strewn aside immediately, considered as disposable. Fabric is carefully folded and gift tags are collected and returned back to me. It is not just about the materials we use, but the mindset and how we value these materials. Happy gift giving!

How are you wrapping gifts this holiday season?

Let me know your sustainable gift wrapping favourites in the comments!