Eco-friendly gift wrapping, or waste-free holidays

Every December, around 180 thousand tons of waste are generated in Poland, from 15 to 20 percent of which is plastic packaging. As consumers (and Santa’s helpers), we can make sure there is less of it. Eco-friendly gift wrapping is not only a way to reduce waste, but also an opportunity to show creativity.

Single-use but eco-friendly packaging

Gift wrapping paper turns out to be an unnecessary expense if you notice other options. Small gifts for loved ones can be wrapped in recycled materials, such as old newspapers, sheet music pages, or plain brown packing paper. Packaging fillers from online stores can also be a good source of inspiration. Gifts wrapped in corrugated cardboard or so-called honeycomb paper look particularly impressive.

While sheet music pages are beautiful on their own, less decorative packaging is worth enhancing with additional decorations. On packing paper, these can be made for example with potato stamps. It is simple: cut a festive shape (such as a star or a Christmas tree) into a potato cut in half, dip it in paint, and press it onto the paper.

Gifts shaped like cubes or rectangular boxes, wrapped in cardboard or paper, can be decorated with playful additions: animal ears and paws, reindeer antlers, a Santa hat. This idea works especially well for presents for the youngest recipients.

To wrap small items, toilet paper rolls work perfectly. Just fold in both ends so the gifts do not fall out, then decorate them, for example with decorative napkins, string, or handmade drawings.

If gift wrapping is meant to be eco-friendly, it is better to avoid adhesive tape. Permanently attached to paper, it makes recycling impossible. What can replace it? Jute twine, thick yarn, or lace from an old curtain can be used instead.

Ideas for reusable gift packaging

Not only paper gift bags can be reused. Practical reusable gift packaging can also include cotton or linendrawstring bags. It is best to make them yourself from unwanted clothes, ideally in a single solid color without patterns.

Another way to wrap gifts in an eco-friendly manner is the Japanese furoshiki method. It is a technique of folding and tying fabrics cut into a square. It is quite complex, but it can be learned using, for example, instructional videos available on YouTube. With the furoshiki method, you can also wrap a gift in a gift. Just use a silk scarf or shawl.

What instead of ribbons and bows? Upcycled and natural gift decorations

All of the methods mentioned are universal and can be used for wrapping gifts all year round, not only in December. However, it is worth giving boxes and parcels under the Christmas tree a festive character. If it is to be eco-friendly, ready-made ribbons or bows made of synthetic materials are not the best solution.

It is better to use natural decorations: pine cones, sprigs of rosemary, juniper or mistletoe, slices of lemon and orange, cinnamon sticks, star anise. You can also choose upcycling, giving old items a new life. An eye-catching decoration can be unworn jewelry, pom-poms made from old yarn, or string shaped into a star or a Christmas tree.

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main photo: Studio_Iris/Pixabay