Zero Waste Gift Wrapping Ideas

This holiday season, try your hand at some fabric folding or recycled paper star making. Below are some ideas and directions to decorate your beautiful and waste-reducing gifts.

1. No tape options. Learn the art of folding paper without the use of tape!
2. Furoshiki, the japanese art of fabric folding. Beautiful and simple.
3. Decorate mason jars. See some lovely ideas here.
4. Use those gift or paper bags you receive throughout the year over and over.
5. Newspaper is a simple and compostable option. Use the Comic section for kids, or adults who still behave like one.
6. Craft paper. I bought a roll like this about four years ago, and it is still going strong.
7. Twine, leather, fabric scraps, wire, clothespins, etc, to bind or secure your gifts. Trash is for Tossers has beautiful examples.
8. Dried oranges, balsam fir branches, winterberry, cinnamon sticks for decoration. These look lovely and smell great, too.
9. Scarves, tea towels, tablecloths, blankets, button down shirts, etc. My husband asked for a pair of pajama pants for Chrismas, and I found a set at Goodwill. I’ll use the button down shirt to wrap the pants! Here you can find a YouTube video on how to fold a shirt as wrapping paper.
10. Produce bag as a gift bag. This idea is a two for one: the produce bag can be used again and again. See here for how to make your own produce bag.
11. Use all those unwanted catalogs and make elegant Swedish paper stars.
12. Finally, don’t wrap it! Give the gift of an experience or time together, and there is no need to wrap a thing, except your loved ones in a great big hug.