It’s December 2, which means you’ve probably already started your holiday shopping. Here’s the big question: How are you going to wrap all those gifts? If you said metallic wrapping paper made in China, think again. Those papers are made using lots of toxic chemicals and, later on, cannot be be recycled.
The Eco Women are here to help with all kinds of earth-friendly options.
Look around your house. Is Sunday’s newspaper still lying on your coffee table? Use some of that to wrap your gifts. You don’t even need gift tags — just write the recipient’s name write on the newspaper. Finish things off with a colorful satin or grosgrain ribbon.
Or, do you have some brown paper grocery bags from one of those trips to the grocery store when you forgot your cloth bags? More free wrapping paper. Actually, any large sheets of paper will do — outdated maps, sheet music, and even your children’s art projects.
You probably already have some paper gift bags from last Christmas, so don’t forget to reuse those. Even better, use cloth gift bags Recycla is a fan of Wrapsacks, which are festive cloth bags in a variety of sizes and colors. Adding to the fun, you can enter your Wrapsacks’ code and track its progress around the world.
Another simple idea is to forgo wrapping paper and just use plain boxes. Embellish them with great ribbons and you’re ready to go!
Or, wrap your gift with a gift — use a scarf or pillow cases or a basket. Now would be a good time to learn the Japanese art of Furoshiki — decorative fabrics used to wrap gifts and more. To learn more, including how to tie Furoshiki, read this article.
What about using reusable cloth grocery bags and finishing them off with a festive bow? This year, Recycla will be giving some friends cloth grocery bags filled with local organic gourmet goodies.
If you really want to use pretty wrapping paper, try to use an eco alternative — check out Paporganics, Zola Goods, Sweet Organics & Naturals, and Fish Lips Paper Designs. These companies use vegetable inks, recycled papers, and eco-responsible manufacturing processes.
And of course, you can always carefully unwrap your gifts and save the paper to be used another time.
Gift tags — Instead of buying gift tags, Recycla makes hers. After the holidays every year, she saves the Christmas cards her family receives. With a little cutting, they make excellent tags for gifts the next year.
To finish things off, Recycla suggests that you use cloth bows instead of plastic ones. They’re much prettier and of course can be reused countless times.
After all the gifts are unwrapped, what are you going to do with the mess? Sort out what can be reused (gift bags, ribbons, etc.), what can be recycled, and what will be thrown away. Don’t crumple the trash! Why? Because it takes up more space when balled up, as opposed to neatly folded.
What about you Eco Warriors? What creative ways have you wrapped gifts?
The Eco Women are not employed by any of the companies mentioned in this post, nor were they paid to review these products. Photo credits: Top — Flickr. Middle — Wrapsacks. Bottom — Sweet Organics & Naturals.
I love your outdated maps idea!
I swear by REAL ribbons and I also cut up old cards for unique gift tags.
Great minds think alike–I recently posted on eco-wrapping options, including the reusable cloth bags. I really like the outdated maps, sheet music and kids’ art projects ideas as well. Someone I know asks architects for old drawings and then uses that as her wrapping paper. I’ll bet that looks amazing!
I’m definitely going to revisit this topic on my blog in the near future.
Leah
I usually use regular wrapping paper. This year, though, I’m thinking of doing kraft paper and having the kids stamp and sticker it.
No matter what we use it all ends up in the woodstove.
One year during the after xmas clearance sale at Target, I found some nesting boxes for xmas ~ they are sturdy with cool holiday designs on them and we can reuse them over and over!