Unique gift wrapping ideas for Eco-friendly people! According to Greenpeace Canada, 45,000 hockey rinks worth of wrapping paper can be saved if everyone repurpose items to wrap 3 gifts.
SHOCKING fact! But we can simply help reduce garbage by wrapping 3 gifts with what we already have. And you might already have gift bags & newspaper for wrapping. So the question is: what else can we use?
In this article, you’ll find 5 Unique Gift Wrapping Ideas for the holiday season and beyond!
5 unique gift wrapping materials
#1. Furoshiki (Japanese wrapping fabric)
This is one of the most Eco-friendly wrappings you can use. Furoshiki is such a versatile material that you can also use as a shopping bag e.t.c.
Furoshiki usually comes in 3 sizes, but you don’t have to buy one. A square piece of material works as well, so you can easily create one with materials sitting in a closet. Or use a bandana or a big handkerchief instead.
Since I’m Japanese, Furoshiki is something I highly recommend you try to explore your creativity!
#2. Paper Bags for unique gift wrapping
Many of you probably have some kind of paper bags already. Whether it’s lunch bags, shopping bags, or used envelopes you have, they are great for gift wrapping.
The best part of using paper bags is that it can be recyclable and/or compostable in your outdoor compost. Before you put it in your compost, make sure to remove all the accessories.
Just like Furoshiki, paper bags give you a variety of options to create unique gift wrapping.
#3. Packing Paper
When you online shop, some items come with packing paper. Yes, those brown or creamy ones you might immediately put out for recycle. Believe it or not, they are also excellent materials for creating unique gift wrappers.
All you need to do is to cut into the desired size & decorate.
For instance, you can use a toilet paper roll to make circle patterns, or maybe print some ferns on the packing paper. As you can see (pictures above), just small details make ordinary packing paper into something special for unique gift wrapping.
#4. Package Boxes
Don’t we all wish money came in as easy as package boxes? Let’s use them to save money and also reduce our environmental footprint.
As you know boxes come in different shapes and sizes. So this works well when you actually have a gift to wrap. For example, some students and I have been propagating some succulents for a plant sale to support a local charity. So we used Ritz packages to create ‘one of a kind’ planters with bits & pieces of paper found at school.
The best part of using boxes is that you can become an engineer to create the perfect box for your gift.
#5. School Paper Work
If you have school age children, their closets/drawers may be filled with piles of school paper. And I know how daunting it is to even look at the piles, although your children could care less.
So we’re going to reverse this into a positive outcome. Many worksheets are printed single sided, so let’s use the blank side to make a new creation!
To begin, simply lay down some paper and glue them together. When you do that, make sure to overlap so you hide the punch holes. Once you have your desired size, then add some designs and/or decorations. It may end up either too big or too small for a gift, but you can always adjust at the end.
You’ll probably feel good about reusing them & reducing the pile. What’s special about school paper is that the person who receives it can read and learn something new about your children!
Unique Gift Wrappings in action!
Now, click on the link below to see 3 simple ways to wrap a gift.
I often wonder how much garbage goes into a landfill. At same time, I think about the movie WALL-E. The planet filled with garbage is NOT something I want for future generations.
But eliminating everything isn’t sustainable especially for the upcoming holiday season. But we can all do something small to help reduce garbage.
So I want you to take one of the actions for gift wrapping:
- simply try one of the ideas above
- scavenger hunt for recyclable/natural materials for gift wrapping
- before you buy, ask yourself “Is this Eco-Friendly?”
You’ll feel good about being creative and helping the environment. When you create your own special gift wrapping, please take a photo and share with us!