10 Ways to Gift Wrap Sustainably

Reusable Gift Bags

Brown Kraft Paper

Simple, compostable, and endlessly customizable, kraft paper is an affordable and sustainable alternative to glossy gift wrap. Decorate it with stamps, hand-drawn designs, or upcycled ribbons to make it festive and personal. Pair it with natural twine for a rustic holiday look.

Turn this into a fun family experience as well and decorate the kraft paper together, then reuse for wrapping paper. Once used, you can cut & frame a portion of it, save it for next year, or recycle!

Fabric Wrapping (Furoshiki)

Upcycled Newspaper or Maps

Give newspapers, old maps, or magazine pages a second chance by using them as wrapping paper. These materials add a unique, vintage aesthetic to your gifts and are entirely recyclable. Ask your local library, gas station, or even thrift shops to save old newspapers for you to reuse, or ask if they have any old maps or map books that will be discarded. 

Selling platforms like Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, as well as Buy Nothing groups are a great place to look for newspapers and maps.

Reused Shopping Bags or Gift Boxes

Turn store shopping bags into creative wrapping by decorating over the logos or cutting and reusing them as sheets of paper. Similarly, keep sturdy gift boxes to reuse for multiple holiday seasons.

There’s no shame in reusing the store gift bag to give your gift! 

Reusable Containers

Wrap small gifts in reusable containers like mason jars. Layer ingredients inside for a personal touch on a family cookie recipe, or make your own lip scrub. Mason jars are versatile and eliminate the need for additional wrapping and become part of the gift itself.

Natural Elements for a Special Touch

Replace plastic ribbons and bows with natural decorations like pinecones, sprigs of evergreen, cinnamon sticks, or dried orange slices. These are compostable and add a charming seasonal touch to your packaging without adding waste.

Compostable Kraft Tape

Swap traditional sticky tape for compostable kraft tape. It pairs perfectly with kraft paper and ensures your wrapping remains fully recyclable! 

Plastic tape is not recyclable, and usually needs to be entirely removed from boxes or packaging in order to be recyclable, otherwise it can contaminate the recycling stream. Kraft tape is a great replacement! 

We carry a Kraft Tape that is perfect for wrapping gifts, shutting boxes, and more. We use this to pack our orders! 

Gift Tags from Upcycled Cards

Transform old greeting cards into unique gift tags by cutting out decorative shapes or designs! Most greeting cards are not recyclable as they have embellishments like glitter, foil, and more that cannot be recycled. Save them year after year, and grab a paper punch to make your own gift-tags! Pair them with twine or ribbon for a personal touch. Visit Lathe and Quill for a tutorial on how to make these.

Here’s a fun idea: got a deck of cards with missing cards? Punch a hole in these, and use them as gift tags! 

Get Creative with Brown Paper Bags

As simple as brown paper bags seem, they can be a great option for wrapping gifts. Whether using them as is or decorating them yourself, they are a sustainable option that is completely compostable. You can decorate brown paper bags with a marker and add an upcycled ribbon for a more festive look. Visit Emma Courtney Home for details on how to make these.