Green Guide to Gift Wrapping Eco Friendly Alternatives to Wrapping Paper
Cloth and ribbon are your best eco-friendly alternatives to gift wrapping. If you are into crafts or sewing you probably have a lot of pieces of material and brightly colored ribbon that you have never used. These pieces of material and ribbon can be used to wrap presents.
Also, if the person receiving your gift is also into crafts and sewing, you can give them more than one present by wrapping your gift in cloth. They will surely appreciate any pretty piece of material that you haven't used.
Solid colored satin or tafetta are ideal, but anything with a colorful print will do well also. Check through your sewing basket, closet, or whereever you keep materials and find something that uniquely matches the gift.
Perhaps a brightly colored children's pattern for children's gifts.
You can also make little or even big bags out of cloth and fill the bags with gifts. Tie the bag together at the top with a brightly colored ribbon.
You might try making a backpack and filling that with gifts. How about making holiday stockings filled with presents?
One way to be more eco-friendly with gift wrapping is to use up your old wrapping paper from previous years. Never throw good wrapping paper away unless you recycle it with your recycled paper products. You can also use old wrapping paper as filler when sending holiday packages.
You might also try buying your wrapping paper after the holidays are over for use in the future. This can save you a lot of money in the long run and will give you wrapping paper for a holiday in the future. It might also save transportation or storage costs for the store selling them.
If you are into woodwork you can make little boxes or containers for your gifts. Just wrap it up with a pretty ribbon.
Bright and colorful pages from magazines can be nice wrappers for small items such as jewelry in a small box.
For larger items and for people who like the comics use the comic pages for wrapping presents.
You might have over the years collected decorative boxes or baskets. use these for making unique gift baskets. Wrap them in cellophane and tie with a bow. Fill your boxes and baskets with anything you feel your gift recipient would like such as movies and media items or jewelry and personal care items. It could be just like a fruit basket, but pick a special theme.
A large pretty bowl or plate that you no longer use could also be used as a gift basket. Fill it with whatever you desire. Wrap in clear cellophane and tie with a pretty cloth bow.
Try to be as creative as possible when gift wrapping. The recipients of your gifts will marvel at your genius and inventiveness; and people into green living will love you for your caring attitude toward the environment.
