This year, a lot of us are choosing to shop small and choose more eco-friendly items, which is amazing! But when going to give these items as a gift, we often end up using non-recyclable materials such as tissue paper and wrapping paper rolls, which are often sold in plastic. So, what are some more sustainable options that we can choose instead? Turns out there are plenty of options!
Reuse What You Have
My family tends to keep gift bags that are still in good condition, which is a great option to not only save a little money, but also materials. A lot of gift bags contain materials that aren't able to be recycled, such as glitter, foil or faux fur. So this is a great option for if you already have some gift bags stuck in the closet, and can work for some boxes as well. Also, if you currently have wrapping at home, go ahead and use it up for now. Wrapping paper is usually not recyclable and neither is tissue paper, so it's best to just reuse it as much as you can, then make a more eco-conscious choice in the future. In addition to gift wrapping products, you can also use craft supplies you have lying around at home to decorate your gifts.
Recycle Packaging Materials
Nearly all of us have been ordering online these days, and with those packages often comes a lot of material such as paper stuffing, tissue paper or ribbons. If in good condition, save these materials and reuse them for gift wrapping. Use your creativity to think of ways you can reuse these materials, such as wrapping an item with the paper stuffing. Even if it doesn't look quite as appealing as wrapping paper, chances are the recipient of your gift isn't going to care, while your wallet and the planet will thank you.
Use Fabric
The idea of using fabric to wrap gifts comes from "Furoshiki", a traditional Japanese wrapping cloth. You can purchase gift-wrapping cloths online, or just reuse something you already have at home, like a bandana, scarf or square cut out of a t-shirt. There are video tutorials all over the internet showing you how to wrap gifts with fabric. Personally I think fabric wrapped gifts look absolutely beautiful!
Hopefully this post has given you some ideas on how to wrap your holiday gifts in a more sustainable way. In addition to this, I encourage you to do your best to shop small this holiday season and as much as you can throughout the year. Remember, any time you buy from a small business, an actual person does a little happy dance! So let's all do our best to create a better and brighter future for our fellow humans as well as the planet.
