12 Green Alternatives to Gift Wrap and Wrapping Paper

As you’ve probably noticed, trashcans overflow after winter holiday festivities. Wrapping paper, bows, ribbons and boxes fill up a big portion of that too-stuffed trash bin. Ease the load going to the landfill by wrapping your gifts in repurposed items and reusable containers. Here are 12 great ideas to get your imagination rolling for preparing your presents and ensuring they’re something the recipient will never forget.

Reused Gift Bags
Most of us have a stash of gift bags saved from presents we’ve received. Put them to good use and commit to using only gift bags instead of wrapping. Also, if you feel a gift bag isn’t finished without a filler like tissue paper, use a greener option–the shreds from your paper shredder!
Paper Grocery Bags
You can create beautiful gift bags from materials found around the house. Decorate paper grocery bags with markers and crayons, or decoupage them with magazine cut-outs. Use it as wrapping paper or a gift sack. Put on the finishing touch with scrap ribbon from previous projects.
Reusable Cloth Bags
Do you have scrap fabric lying around? Or maybe some old shirts you never wear but that have lovely patterns. Try your hand at some easy-sew cloth bags. Since you’re making them by hand, you can sew them to suit your needs. You can also design them to be practical for the recipient as a shopping bag. Your imagination is the limit.
Clay Pots
Clay pots can make a present look extra interesting, and are a reusable item for the recipient. Place your gift in the pot, and use the drainage dish as the lid to hide the present from view. Tie it together with a reused ribbon, or strips of scrap fabric. You can also decorate the pot to personalize it using ceramic markers available at craft stores.
A Gift in a Gift
One great way to make a gift extra special is to wrap it in another gift. A hand-knit scarf, a beautiful table cloth or runner, and hand-made purse or similar items are all great things to use for wrapping a gift within a gift.
Furoshiki
This idea might be well combined with the “gift in a gift” suggestion. Furoshiki is a method of folding cloth into beautiful packages. Using a piece of beautifully printed cloth and a few knots in interesting places will create an eye-catching package.

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By Jaymi Heimbuch, Planet Green

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Jennifer B.

10:46AM PDT on Jun 16, 2013

I have to agree with the cloth or gift within a gift idea. Sounds good. I think next Christmas I will give that a try.

June 16
send a green star

RicHa R.

4:00AM PDT on May 18, 2013

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http://gift-packing.vocational-courses.co.in/

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May 18
send a green star

Kathy P.

8:07AM PST on Feb 28, 2013

thanks

February 28
send a green star

Lois M.

9:44PM PST on Jan 28, 2013

I love the idea of wrapping a gift with another gift...a tea towel or hand towel is an inexpensive good one! Recycling incoming wrap by shredding is a good idea as well. Thanks for the tips!