how to wrap gifts
sustainably
• Fabric gift bags - Just drop the gift inside,
pull the drawstring, and tie a bow. For a
great DIY project, you can even make your
own fabric gift bags.
• Furoshiki - Furoshiki is an age-old tradition
in Japan. It’s the art of wrapping a gift in a
beautiful fabric, scarf, or bandana, which
can be used again & again.
• Kitchen style – Wrap your gift in a colorful
kitchen towel and tie a bow around it. Oven
mitts make a nice pocket to slip a gift inside.
Aprons are fun, and they already have the
strings to tie up the present! And kitchen
canisters can hold small gifts.
• Mason jars - Not only perfect for edible
gifts, mason jars make fun presentation for
soaps, art supplies, or other small gifts. Add
a bit of fabric or recycled tissue paper, or
don’t – and let the gift speak for itself.
• Bucket list – Place gifts inside a small galva-
nized gardening bucket. Don’t worry about
tissue paper or plastic. Just tie a festive ribbon on the handle and let the gift speak for
itself.
• Paper revisited – Wrapping gifts in news-
paper is very practical, but not always appropriate for a nice occasion. Try some-
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thing simple, elegant and uniform like in
the photo at the top of this post. Old travel
maps or sheet music make a creative presentation. If you’ve moved, save the packing
paper to wrap a collection of gifts and add
simple ribbons for a utilitarian look.
• Don’t toss the box – December 26th isn’t
known as Boxing Day for nothing. Put
those leftover boxes to use all year long by
wrapping in gift boxes, hat boxes, lunch
boxes, tool boxes… you get the idea.
• Season-themed containers – Make your
gifts stand out by placing them in an unexpected seasonal item: lanterns, ice skates,
soup tureens, watering cans, or vintage
bread boxes.
• Bring the outdoors in – Adding a touch of
nature makes your gift extra green. Bamboo
or banana leaves cover a small gift. Or try
a holly leaf, birch bark, or a bird feather to
add a natural embellishment.
• Tags & accessories – Save beautiful images
from cards to use as a gift tag for the next
gift you give. Punch a hole and tie a ribbon
to dress up any present. Or try plantable
gift tags. Made from paper embedded with
seeds, your recipient can just plant the tag
and watch it grow. Don’t forget the recycled
trinket or ornament to add a splash of color
to your gift.
Photography by Treefrog Photography
You’ve selected the perfect eco-friendly gift,
now it’s time to wrap it without creating a
bunch of waste.