Sustainable Gift Wrapping

If you read my blog post a few weeks ago when I wrote about gift-giving, I said that gifts are my love language. Of course, with all of those presents typically comes lots of wrapping paper, which can be so wasteful! I remember as a child when we went to my grandmother’s house on Christmas morning, she asked everyone to unwrap carefully, fold the paper, and save it for next year! As a child, you can imagine the frustration—we just wanted to tear into the gift! As an environmentally-conscious, and cost-conscious, adult, I get it. Although I don’t save the wrapping paper, I do have some tips for sustainable gift wrapping.

• Reuse gift bags. This is a super easy choice because they don’t tear easily so you can save, fold up to store, and reuse for another gift. 

• Gift boxes. Same thing! Save and reuse.

• Use tissue paper. Typically, gift bags are filled with tissue paper. Use this to wrap in lieu of wrapping paper. You will near layers because it tears easily. 

• Use brown paper bags (or really any bag from any store) and decorate them. My favorite decoration is to cut up Christmas cards, but also use ribbons, stickers, artificial (or even real) flowers/leaves, or draw something if you are talented in that way. I am not—that’s why I write, not draw, but I digress. 

• Use fabric. 

• Use other containers, such as tins, baskets, or storage bins. A coworker of mine actually had the idea to use storage bins for his gifts this year. I’m not sure if he’s going to be “dressing them up” or just giving them as is.

Tips:

• Write on tape if you don’t have tags to keep on reusing gift wrap/bags

• Use packing tape to stick cards onto gift bags

• Use yarn or twine to tie off fabric (it makes it look like a candy!)

Happy gifting!

Thanks for reading!

💜

Laura