Sustainable gift wrapping ideas

For most people, wrapping presents at Christmas time can be fun and a chance to get creative but with the conversation around sustainable and recyclable products growing, it’s more important than ever to use sustainable wrapping. Here, we’ve gathered our top tips on the best alternatives and how you can make sustainable wrapping look just as magical!
 

Parcel paper

Brown parcel paper is fast becoming the wrapping paper of choice for Christmas presents with its simple style. It’s incredibly easy to decorate with ribbon, baubles and gift tags and looks brilliant under the tree. This sustainable alternative is perfect for gift wrapping this year!
 

Forage for decorations

Present trimmings gathered from nature not only look great but they’re easy to source too. If you’ve invested in a real Christmas tree then the easiest option is to take a few small cuttings from a section at the back of the tree. Spruced, pine and fir cuttings look the best paired with simple brown paper and natural twine. 
If you don’t have a real tree, foliage from your garden or artificial foliage can do exactly the same job.
 

Look no further than the kitchen cupboards

That’s right, your kitchen may hold all the decorative trimmings you need! Try looking out for sprigs of rosemary, these not only smell amazing but they look great too. You can also dry some orange slices and pair these with cinnamon sticks, again it makes your presents look and smell brilliant.

If you really want to mix it up a bit and try something different, you could swap out your gift tags for gingerbread biscuits. Before putting in the oven to bake, use a drinking straw to cut a hole which will allow the tags to be strung onto gifts. Once they’re baked and cool, decorate them with icing, personalising them if you wish. 
 

Reuse and recycle

There’s no shame in collecting old wrapping supplies and reusing them later on, especially if they come complete with ribbon or other accessories. If you’re feeling especially resourceful you could use pages from newspapers or magazines as wrapping paper too.
 

Eco-friendly supplies

From old clothing to Christmas tablecloths, fabric is a great alternative to wasteful wrapping paper and can be used over and over again. If you’re not keen on wrapping the entire present in fabric, why not use the fabric to create a ribbon around the gift.