There’s just a couple of sleeps left until Christmas day, and if you’re like me, you still have lots of present wrapping to do.
This year I’m trying hard to find eco-friendly alternatives for wrapping Christmas presents. Maybe you are too?
Did you know that many wrapping papers aren’t recyclable? The added glitters, along with laminated, dyed, or non-paper fibres, make them tricky for recycling centres to process. Even wrapping paper that’s labelled as recyclable won’t be recycled unless you remove the sticky tape.
If you’re also trying to minimise your waste this Christmas, then use these six eco-friendly tips for wrapping Christmas presents.
Also Read: 10 sustainable secret Santa gifts that will surprise and delight
Upcycle Old Newspapers
Newspaper isn’t just useful for stuffing wet shoes; it’s also a recyclable (and compostable) alternative to wrapping paper. It’s softer than regular wrapping paper which makes it great for wrapping awkwardly shaped objects like bottles and baubles. You can even personalise your gift wrapping by choosing relevant pages for whoever you’re giving the gift to. Perhaps use the sports pages for your dad or the style pages for your fashion-loving son or daughter.
If you still buy newspapers, then you’ll probably have plenty laying around the house. If not, you can pick some up from your local newsagents. They’re cheap, and any daily newspapers that don’t sell during the day will be put in the recycling bin anyway.
Use Festive Shopping Totes
For anyone who tends to use festive gift bags instead of wrapping Christmas corporate gifts presents, reusable totes are an eco-friendly alternative. They’re not expensive and help to keep plastic bags out of the ocean throughout the year. Wrap your Christmas gifts in a festive tote or choose a planer design so your recipient can use their new bag all year round.
Also Read: Consider Branded Water Bottles as Corporate Christmas Gifts This Year
Reuse Glass Jars
Glass jars are fantastic for packaging DIY gift sets or homemade food gifts. Depending on the size, you can fill them with anything from handmade soaps and bath bombs to sweets and chocolates or art supplies. You probably have some empty glass jars stacked up in your kitchen already. Just clean them with hot water and dish soap, remove the label, and decorate the lid with a holly leaf, bell, or a simple ribbon. Your friends and family can enjoy your gift and reuse the jar in the new year.
Avoid Sticky Tape
As I mentioned earlier in this post, sticky tape can cause issues at recycling centres. You could spend your Christmas evening picking it off of every single present, but it’s better not to use it at all. Instead, get creative with natural string, paper clips, or reusable ribbons. It might be fiddly at first, but you’ll soon get the hang of tying wrapping paper.
Give New Life to Old Wrapping Paper
My grandad used to tell us to open our presents carefully. He would then fold the paper and store it until the next Christmas. Did your parents or grandparents do the same? Reusing old paper to wrap Christmas presents is both a fun and practical way to minimise waste. Plus, if you have kids, you can use the old paper for stocking fillers. That way Santa’s wrapping paper will be different from mum and dads wrapping paper.
Also Read: Give Personalized Insulated Coffee Mugs for Christmas
Buy Gifts in Eco-friendly Packaging
Of course, another practical alternative to wrapping Christmas presents is purchasing gifts that come in an eco-friendly festive packaging.
Here at FLASKE, we use 100% recyclable packaging that’s printed with environmentally-friendly ink. Our products are posted in stylish cylindrical boxes that are attractive enough to put under any Christmas tree. There’s no need to wrap the gift at all!
What If I Already Bought My Christmas Wrapping Paper?
If you’re already bought your Christmas wrapping paper, then there are a couple of things you can still do to minimise your Christmas waste. First of all, check if it’s recyclable. If it doesn’t say on the label, then you can do a simple scrunch test.
Take a small piece of your wrapping paper and scrunch it into a ball. If it stays scrunched, it’s recyclable; if it doesn’t, then it’s not. This is important to know because putting a non-recyclable paper into the recycling waste can result in the whole lot going to a landfill site.
Also Read: 6 everyday items that pollute the planet and their eco-friendly alternatives
If your paper is recyclable, go ahead and start wrapping but avoid using sticky tape if you can. If it’s not recyclable, perhaps you can find other uses for this paper? Maybe give it to the kids to make paper baubles for the Christmas tree, photo frames for your festive holiday snaps, or Christmas table decorations.
It’s not too late to make your Christmas more sustainable with FLASKE Collection. Impress your friends, family, and colleagues by using these eco-friendly tips for wrapping Christmas presents this year.
Merry Christmas from FLASKE!