Eco-Friendly Gift Wrap Ideas That Still Look Beautiful

Gift wrapping has a very short career. You buy it, cut it, fold it, tape it, add a bow, and tuck it under the tree. Then somebody tears through it in approximately nine seconds, and it's all headed for a trash bag.

It adds up. Americans throw away about 25% more trash between Thanksgiving and New Year's than at any other time of year, according to an often-cited Stanford University estimate, and wrapping paper is a big part of that.

The good news: eco-friendly gift wrap doesn't mean plain or homely. Fabric, kraft paper, kids' artwork and a sprig of rosemary look gorgeous. Here's how to wrap beautifully and waste less.

The Greenest Wrap Is the Wrap You Already Own

Can Wrapping Paper Be Recycled? Do the Scrunch Test

Some of it can. A lot of it can't. Wrapping paper with foil, glitter, a metallic finish or a shiny plastic coating usually can't go in the recycling bin. And glitter is remarkably committed to remaining in your home.

The scrunch test: crumple a piece of the paper into a ball in your hand.

•      It stays scrunched? It's paper, and it can most likely be recycled.

•      It springs back open? It probably has a plastic coating or metallic layer, and it goes in the trash.

Before paper goes in the recycling bin, pull off the tape, ribbons, bows and tags. Every city's recycling rules are different, so check your local program's website for what it takes.

Paper That's Easy on the Planet

Kraft Paper

Plain kraft paper is cheap, recyclable, works for every occasion and looks great with everything: twine, reused ribbon, greenery, stamps, kids' drawings or a homemade tag. Buy one big roll of recycled kraft paper and you're set for birthdays, holidays and showers for years.

Paper You Already Have

• The Sunday comics, perfect for kids' gifts
• Old maps, gorgeous for travel gifts
  
• Paper grocery bags, cut open and turned inside out
  
• Brown packing paper from shipping boxes
  
• Sheet music, old calendars or magazine pages, for small gifts
  

Add twine and a sprig of greenery to brown paper and suddenly it's rustic. Rustic covers a multitude of wrapping imperfections.

Let Kids Make the Wrapping Paper

Roll out kraft paper or cut-open grocery bags and hand the kids crayons, markers, paint and stamps. It keeps them busy, uses supplies you already have, and the grandparents will treasure it. Children aren't evaluating your ribbon technique anyway.

Skip the Paper Altogether

Wrap It in Fabric

Fabric is the most beautiful eco-friendly gift wrap there is, and it can be used again and again. Use a scarf, a tea towel, a cloth napkin, a bandana or a square of fabric from the remnant bin. The Japanese wrapping technique called furoshiki works on any shape with no tape at all. (Here's the simple furoshiki fold.) When the wrap is a tea towel or a scarf, it's part of the gift.

Use Cloth Gift Bags

Buy or sew a set of cloth gift bags in a few sizes, with drawstrings or ribbon ties. Use them every year. Family members hand them back after Christmas morning, and you put them away for next year. After wrapping approximately 14 awkwardly shaped gifts with paper, this begins to feel like advanced technology.

Make the Container Part of the Gift

A basket, a cookie tin, a mason jar, a tote bag, a mixing bowl or a flowerpot. Choose one that goes with the gift, and there's nothing to throw away. Garden gloves in a flowerpot. Cookies in a vintage tin. Spices in a jar.

Ties, Toppers and Tags

• Reuse ribbon. Save the good, long pieces. Toss the tiny scraps.
• Use natural twine. Cotton, jute or hemp twine looks great with kraft paper and can be composted.
  
• Skip plastic bows. Tuck in a sprig of rosemary, cedar or fir, a pinecone, or a dried orange slice instead. Everything except the twine can go in the compost.
  
• Make tags from old Christmas cards. Cut out the front, punch a hole, write on the back. Kraft paper scraps, cardstock and kids' artwork work too.
  
• Use less tape. You usually don't need 27 pieces of tape and three sheets of paper for one box. A few small pieces hold everything, and less tape makes the paper easier to recycle. Paper tape is even better, because it goes in the recycling bin with the paper.
  

Eco-Friendly Gift Wrap for Kids

Kids care about one thing, and it isn't the wrapping. Use their own artwork, decorated kraft paper, the Sunday comics, a cloth bag with their name on it, or a reused gift bag. For big toys, a reusable fabric sack (or a pillowcase) beats trying to wrap a ride-on fire truck in paper. Write their name big so they can find it, then let them go wild.

When You Do Need New Gift Wrap

When the stash runs out, buy smarter. Look for:

• Recycled content and recyclable paper, with no foil, glitter or plastic coating. Do the scrunch test in the store.
• FSC-certified paper, from responsibly managed forests
  
• Plain, multi-occasion paper like kraft or a simple solid color, so one roll covers birthdays, holidays and showers
  
• Cloth gift bags and fabric wraps you'll use for years
  
• Paper tape and natural twine instead of plastic tape and curling ribbon
  

Buying nothing new is the simplest green choice. Buying one roll of plain kraft paper is a close second.

Don't Let Reuse Turn Into Clutter

Saving gift wrap is great. Until you open a closet and discover 63 gift bags, 41 boxes and every shopping bag you've received since 2014. Your home is not a municipal materials-recovery facility.

• Keep it all in one place: one bin, one drawer or one wrapping station. When it's full, it's full.
• Keep only what you'll actually use: good ribbon, sturdy boxes in a few sizes, nice gift bags and fabric wraps.
  
• Toss the rest: torn paper, crushed bows, tiny scraps, damaged boxes and tissue that's seen better days.
  

Sort It Right After the Holiday

When the last gift is opened, set out three bags:

1.     Reuse: gift bags, boxes, good ribbon, fabric wraps and tissue in good shape

2.     Recycle: plain paper that passes the scrunch test, cardboard, and paper tags, following your local rules

3.     Trash: foil and glitter paper, plastic ribbon, and anything too torn to use

Put the reuse bag away the same day. Christmas is over. Release the living room.

The Five Rules of Eco-Friendly Gift Wrap

1.     Use what you have before buying anything new.

2.     Reuse what's genuinely reusable, and toss the rest.

3.     Keep it simple: plain paper, no glitter, no foil.

4.     Make the wrapping useful: fabric, a tea towel, a tin, a basket.

5.     Don't save garbage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is wrapping paper recyclable?

Plain paper usually is. Paper with foil, glitter, a metallic finish or a plastic coating usually isn't. Do the scrunch test: if it stays crumpled, it can most likely be recycled. If it springs back, it goes in the trash. Remove tape, ribbon and bows first, and check your local recycling rules.

What can I use instead of wrapping paper?

Fabric, scarves, tea towels, cloth napkins, cloth gift bags, kraft or brown packing paper, newspaper comics, old maps, paper grocery bags, kids' artwork, or a container like a basket, tin or jar.

What is the most eco-friendly gift wrap?

Whatever you already own. After that, fabric and cloth bags you'll use for years, then plain recycled kraft paper with natural twine.

Is tissue paper recyclable?

Most recycling programs don't take tissue paper, because the fibers are too short. Reuse it if it's in good shape, or put plain tissue in the compost.

How do you wrap a gift without tape?

Wrap it in fabric using the furoshiki method, tie it in a cloth bag, or fold the paper tightly and tie it with twine.

Keep Going

The gifts are wrapped and the planet thanks you. Keep the rest of the season green and simple with these related guides:

•      Creative Gift Wrapping Ideas: Toppers, photo tags, furoshiki and how to make simple paper look expensive.

•      Eco-Friendly Gifts: Thoughtful presents that don't cost the earth.

•      Green Holiday Entertaining Tips: Eco-friendly hosting, from the centerpiece to the leftovers.

•      After-Holiday Green Cleaning: The wrapping's sorted. Now get the house back to normal without harsh chemicals.

•      Easy Christmas Organizing Ideas: A wrapping station, a gift hiding spot, and decorations under control.

•      Easy Christmas Holiday Tips: Do less, enjoy more, and stop treating December like a competition.

•      How to Keep Holiday Greenery Fresh: Wreaths, centerpieces and the evergreen sprigs on your packages.

•      Green Cleaning Guide: Clean your home safely and save money all year.

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