Every year about this time, the hunt is on for ways to wrap gifts that don’t create a lot of waste. Here are seventeen zero waste gift wrapping ideas that come to my rescue every year!
NOTE: We have included Amazon links to some of the products we suggest both to illustrate the idea and because so many people are shopping online. We may earn a teeny tiny commission on some purchases, which helps us stay in business. That said, we always encourage the Big Green Purse community to buy less and buy local as much as possible. Thanks!
17 Best Zero Waste Gift Wrapping Ideas
♥ Start with what you already have. It might be wrapping paper you’ve saved and reused from previous years. It might be fabrics you love and want to pass on. I keep one box year-to-year where I store last year’s wrapping to reuse the next year. Before I think about buying anything new, I check what I already have.
♥Choose options that can be reused, hopefully several times over. Most paper wrapping will be thrown away. Gift bags, boxes and baskets can be used many times before they wear out. Fabrics can be used no matter what the season.
♥Buy wrapping made from recycled paper. Most paper can be recycled. That’s not good enough! The most eco-friendly wrapping paper is actually made from recycled paper–and the best is made from 100% recycled paper. If you do buy wrapping paper, look for the words KRAFT or KRAFT PAPER or MADE FROM RECYCLED PAPER in the product description or on the label.
♥ Don’t wrap big gifts. Rather than use up and throw away a ton of wrapping paper, put a gift card under the tree with a picture of the gift, which you can pull out of hiding unwrapped after the recipient opens their card. The gift will still be a surprise, just with a lot less waste.
♥ Give experiences and services rather than things. Why wrap at all? Give the gift of your time or a special experience or service to those you love. In our house, we always come up with an activity that we describe in colorful ways in a card or on a sheet of paper we design and print out. Those are always my favorite gifts.
♥ Use non-toxic glue instead of tape. A glue stick probably takes the place of three plastic dispensers of throwaway tape. That said, DON’T get “Gorilla” glue or some other heavy-duty glue. All you need is something that will adhere paper to paper for a short period of time. Check your local hardware store or drug store before you buy online (NOTE: the product shown here is not Zero Waste, as it comes in a plastic package and in a plastic tube. If you shop locally, you might be able to find one that is sold in the tube only.)
♥ Use jute or cotton twine instead of ribbon. Twine made from cotton or jute is superior to plastic, and can be reused over and over again. If you buy these large spools, you’ll probably have them for years to come. You may be able to find them at local arts and crafts stores as well as online; make sure you choose a non-plastic option.
♥ Make gift tags out of last year’s holiday cards. If you held onto the cards you received over the year, now is the time to cut them into gift tags you can personalize. Punch a hole in the corner and attach with some of the wrapping twine you got!
♥Use wrapping made from recycled paper and printed with non-toxic inks. The option pictured above offers nine different and fun holiday designs. It comes packaged in a reusable paper bag and with accompanying paper gift tags. You could reuse it; you could definitely recycle it.
♥ Skip wrapping and bag it! As often as possible, and to save tons of time, I skip wrapping altogether and put gifts in bags. Here’s another pretty cute zero waste gift wrapping option, with bags in a variety of sizes:
♥ Some of my favorite zero waste gift wrapping bags are the reusable ones that fold into a pouch. I keep a pouch bag in my purse that I use several times a week, plus one in my car, and another in my fanny pack. The pouch bags below are large and perfect for kids.
♥ Try Reusable Beeswax Food Wraps – Reusable food wraps are perfect for wrapping small food gifts, like jams, mustards and other condiments, jars of spices, bottles of specialty oils and vinegars, cheeses, herbs, candy, and more. You can buy beeswax food wraps in different sizes, or a reusable zero waste gift wrapping roll like the one below that you can cut to shape your gift.
♥ Wrap gifts in reusable fabrics and cloths. Get fancy and choose this 100% cotton square that can work for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, or a birthday. Or try a holiday-themed tea towel or flour sack towel. A tea towel is large enough to wrap books and boxes, and because it’s thinner than a terry cloth bath towel, is usually easier to work with. You can also use bolts of fabric for someone who likes to sew; large cotton bandanas; silky scarves…you get the idea!
♥ Box It! Zero waste gift wrapping boxes are just as popular as bags in our house when it comes to zero waste gift wrapping. They’re so reusable, especially when they fold up and stack inside each other for easy storage. But before we buy new, we use boxes items come in and just put a new gift tag on them when we can. (It’s a perfect way to use up shipping boxes.)
♥ Repurpose calendars and maps. I personally am not a fan of using newspapers because I don’t like the ink. But beautiful out-of-date calendars and old maps are perfect for wrapping.
♥ Baskets. For holidays and birthdays, my kids get me a basket filled with goodies: teas, chocolate, wine, bath salts, gourmet condiments, and more. I turn around and use the same basket to make a gift to someone else. I really love putting presents in baskets! You can easily find at thrift stores, yard sales, and local dollar stores.
♥Buy local! I’ve provided Amazon links here to illustrate my suggestions and also because so many of you are shopping online to stay safe during COVID. But if you do go out (wearing a mask, of course), take your own shopping bag and choose products with minimal to no packaging.
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