The Complete Guide to Zero Waste Gift Wrapping

Wrapping gifts is inherently wasteful, but it doesn’t have to be! Let’s all be mindful not only about what gifts we give this time of year but also how we package and wrap them. Let’s go over all of these low waste gift wrapping ideas from upcycling to reusing to buying new and even how to recycle wrapping paper correctly to avoid wishcycling.

Let’s go!

Use what you already have

Newspaper

I’m sure I’m not the only one with newspapers lying around. What do you do with them after you read them? You can use them to wrap gifts! Now, if that isn’t your aesthetic, you can alternately use them as packing paper for larger gifts inside boxes or as tissue paper inside gift bags.

Reused packing paper

Order a lot of packages throughout the year? Save that paper from packing materials! Some of it is fun colors but often times it’s just brown which can fit almost any color theme this holiday season. The best part is, it’s free and it gets to be used longer before recycling.

Reused wrapping paper/gift bags/bows

That’s right, what’s designed to be wasteful and single-use doesn’t have to be! Carefully unwrap gifts and reuse the paper or opt for gift bags. Even the paper ones that are designed to be thrown away can easily be reused over and over again (annual shout out to my mom for teaching me this one).

New but unused wrapping paper

If you have leftover wrapping paper from last year, use it before buying new. Not only does this save waste, but it will also save you money! Wrapping paper can get pricey so pinch some pennies and use what you already have, even if it’s not quite on theme. Alternately, you can probably find rolls of wrapping paper on Facebook Marketplace, Buy Nothing Groups, or even Goodwill if you want traditional-looking wrapping paper but with less waste.

Reuse boxes

If you have hard-to-wrap items like clothing or toys, box them up to make the wrapping easier. But don’t just use any box, use reused ones from shoes, online shopping, and other boxes you may come in contact with. You could also just skip the wrapping and use the box as the “wrapping.”

Stylish Toilet Paper Wrapping

Of course, I have to mention Who Gives a Crap! I love that their toilet paper wrapping is not only recyclable but also designed to be reused as gift wrap or packing paper. It’s just so lovely! Their yearly collections make great gift wraps, but they also release holiday-themed toilet paper (never thought I would say that sentence) that is specifically designed to be reused as wrapping paper. Look how cute!

Reusable Wrapping Paper

Shiki Wrap

Furoshiki is a style of Japanese wrapping with reusable fabrics in elegant designs. You simply tie the fabric around your gift/box and reuse it over and over and over again! Shiki Wrap is a way you can do Furoshiki from new with their cotton fabrics in double-sided designs.

Upcycled Sari Furoshiki-style Wrap

If you’re looking for an upcycled way to furoshiki, try Darn Good Yarns upcycled Sari fabric. This lovely fabric is extra eco since nothing new had to be created and it can be used for years and years on many different occasions.

Reusable Gift Bags

Ever Wrap makes lovely reusable gift boxes and bags that look and act a bit more like traditional wrapping options. They come in neutrals or patterns and can be used for many different festivities throughout the year for many years to come.

Thrift tea towels, scarves, tote bags

Another very eco-furoshiki option is to thrift some fabric and do it yourself! You can thrift tea towels or scarves and then this doubles as a gift or the recipient can reuse it as gift wrap, too. Alternatively, you can thrift tote bags as reusable gift bags which can double as a gift or be reused again.

Make a bag yourself!

This is not for the faint of heart! As a crocheter, I love to make handmade gifts. Last year a few lucky recipients got a handmade bag to hold the rest of their gifts in. This again doubles as a gift which makes it extra eco, and I personally use cotton yarn to make them. You could also knit or sew a bag!

Reuse scrap fabric

Maybe you’re a seamstress, or clothing designer, or just have extra towels or t-shirts lying around. You can use any of this scrap material as a sort of furoshiki wrapping paper for a free option as well as to keep this fabric out of the landfill.

Disposable but Sustainable Wrapping Paper

Wrappily

Wrappily is my FAVORITE disposable option. You can read about why Wrappily is so great in this post, but in short: they are milled and produced in Washington, they are majority recycled materials, they are fully paper making them fully recyclable, they are printed with soy inks, they are packaged in bioplastics, they are double-sided, and they’re just so cute! This is a great option for folks who don’t like DIY or prefer the disposable option. It looks and acts like traditional wrapping paper but it is so much better for the planet.

Brown Kraft Paper

If brown is your theme or it fits your theme, brown kraft paper is the way to go. It is 100% paper so it is eco to create and eco to dispose of making it recyclable or compostable. It durable and definitely the cheapest option to buy new. This link is for plain brown and this link is for brown with white patterns!

Gifting Accessories

Small Victories Cards

Looking for cards? Look no further than Small Victories. Their cards are cute AND eco-friendly. They’re made from recycled materials and contain seeds that can be planted up to 2 years down the road (or just kept as a memento). That means that there is NO waste with this card and it will turn into lovely flowers for your garden/landscaping.

Wrappily Paper Ribbons and more

Wrappily is back with more eco-gift-wrapping options for you! They also have paper ribbons, cotton ribbons, paper gift tags, and natural twine you can use to spruce up your gifts this year (or any time throughout the year). They really do have all your gift-wrapping bases covered but in a more eco-friendly way!

Just Honest Living Cotton Bows

Now if you’re looking for more traditional-looking bows but want to avoid plastic, check out Just Honest Living. Their bows are just what you expect bows to look like but can instead be composted or even reused after the holidays are over.

Recycled Tissue Paper (bulk)

If you have a small business or just have a large family and need a lot of paper holiday tape or recycled holiday tissue paper, Eco-Enclose is for you! I love their thoughtfulness when it comes to the planet and their cute holiday designs. But, unfortunately, they only do bulk orders.

Recycled Tissue Paper (small batch)

If you’re looking for tissue paper for just a small gathering, try Republic of Party. Their fun-colored tissue paper is all recycled and you can order just a few sheets instead of hundreds ;)

BoHos also has eco-friendly tissue paper printed with soy ink plus they carry plastic-free wrapping paper so you can get two birds with one stone!

Recycling Disposable Wrapping Paper

Plastic

Plastic wrapping paper generally cannot be recycled, at least not curbside. If when you bunch up the wrapping paper into a ball it bounces back close to its original form, it’s plastic or contains a lot of plastic in it. Throw this away!

Plastic-paper combo

Mixed materials are very difficult to recycle, so don’t place it in your recycling bin. If it has obvious signs of plastic in the form of glitter, film, beads, etc, it’s not recyclable. Some are not so obvious such as plastic-coated paper. If it’s very shiny and slick to the touch, it’s likely got plastic in it. Better to be safe than sorry, throw this away.

100% paper

If the paper when scrunched into a ball holds that ball shape for the most part, it’s 100% paper! Other signs that is it paper is it is kind of rough to the touch (like packing paper), not shiny, and not slick. You can recycle or compost this (though I personally wouldn’t compost it if you don’t know what is in the inks! Soy or other plant-based inks are best for composting, especially if you’re going to be eating off of that compost).

Sustainable Gifts

Now that you know how to wrap the gifts sustainably, be sure to fill them with sustainable gifts as well! But, what makes a gift low waste?

Made from eco-friendly materials such as cotton, hemp, wood, or reycled materials

Designed to help someone reduce their waste
Can be recycled or composted at the end of it’s life
Second-hand or refurbished
Made to be repaired
Made with green energy
Made locally
Something the person will actually use and love for a long time (even if it’s “wasteful” in other aspects)