6 Cheats to Sustainable Gift Wrapping
FOOD & HOME
6 Cheats to Sustainable Gift Wrapping
By: Yuki Klotz-Burwell
Image by Laura Stolfi via Stocksy
The holiday season brings cheer to many, but it also brings an exorbitant amount of waste. In fact, Americans use about 4.6 million pounds of wrapping paper a year, and half of that goes to landfills. Practicing sustainability may not always seem easy, but at Abbot’s Butcher we know that taking baby steps toward your goal can create a powerful impact.
Instead of purchasing wrapping paper to pack your gifts this year, check out these 6 eco-friendly wrapping paper alternatives that still look elegant.
Holiday tips for elegant, low-waste gift wrap
1. DIY Boxes & Bags
Now is the time to repurpose those extra reusable bags and boxes you have lying around. Grab your hoard of Amazon boxes or your paper shopping bags and get creative. Try decorating with items you already have, like ribbon, flowers, or magazine cutouts.
To make the wrapping extra chic, stick to one color scheme. For example, adorn a leftover white box with white flowers or pencil drawings.
2. Newspaper & Pages
Although most wrapping paper isn’t recyclable, other types of paper are, and you probably have them at home. A significant part of being sustainable is using what you already have, rather than purchasing a new item. Before you recycle your daily newspaper, save it for the holidays. If your gift is bulky or hard to wrap, try finding a box that you can put it in for easy wrapping. If the box isn’t easy to decorate, wrapping it in newspaper will give it a modern and thoughtful touch.
Maps and atlases also work for gift-wrapping—after all, when was the last time you used a paper map? Instead of tossing old maps or reference guides, tear out the pages to use as wrapping paper. If you’ve got a world traveler in your life, this makes for the perfect personalized gifting experience.
And if you have a much smaller present, pages from old books are another great wrapping alternative.
3. Other Gifts
Get innovative this season by using one gift to conceal another. The newest earbuds you’re gifting could go inside a comfortable pair of fuzzy socks, or a trendy new kitchen utensil could be wrapped in a cute apron. It’s a two-for-one deal that gives your recipient an extra gift and a thoughtful way to practice sustainability.
4. Crafty Containers
Instead of using a paper-based tool for wrapping, reuse an existing container. Shoeboxes and makeup bags can obscure gifts well and can easily be decorated with twine or ribbon for a nice touch that looks great under any tree.
Mason jars and flower pots are also effective and modern, and even the giftee can reuse the containers. To hide the contents, try stuffing a tea towel or parchment paper into the pot or jar.
5. Reusable gift bags
Gift bags are a staple during the holidays, and they should be utilized more than general wrapping paper. They’re completely reusable, and unlike wrapping paper, it isn’t hard to open the gift without tearing anything. But just like traditional wrapping paper, there’s still the satisfying surprise element of pulling out the present without knowing what it is.
6. Eco-friendly wrapping paper
If you’re set on using wrapping paper, opt for products that focus on environmentally friendly papers, like Wrappily, which uses recycled paper printed on old newspaper presses.
Other low-waste gift wrapping services include Green Field Paper Company and Triumph Plant.
For more ideas on implementing sustainability into your everyday life, check out our blog here.