Wrap It Green

Green packaging ideas you must try, it's about time we start normalizing upcycled packaging alternatives and re-gifting.

1. Swap Paper for Fabric Gift Wrap- Furoshiki  By Elizabete Smite

Furoshiki is a Japanese wrapping cloth traditionally used to carry around belongings, but has now become a popular eco-friendly gift wrapping method in other cultures as well. To wrap a gift in furoshiki, all you need is a two-sided square cloth and some basic folding skills. To get the most out of it, use a piece of cloth you already own—look for forgotten gems in your closet or scarf drawer. When wrapping a gift in furoshiki, you’ll see that no decorations are needed. Just find a nice cloth, perhaps with a festive pattern, and you’re good to go.

2. Wrap Gifts with Newspaper  By Alison Soley

While more people are switching from printed newspapers to digital news, there are still over 28 million copies of newspapers being printed daily. Newspapers are printed every morning in the same city and are recyclable, making them more affordable and sustainable than typical wrapping paper. And many of us have our own share of newspapers lying around at home waiting to be reused and recycled. Whether you're a master at wrapping presents or a first-timer, this recycled craft idea is simple and thrifty and definitely saves a lot of paper. The black and white or full colour comic section is a great option to create an exciting or even vintage Christmas look. 

3. Reuse Cardboard Shipping Boxes and Materials  By Melissa Smith 

Using your delivery parcels instead of store-bought gift boxes is one of the easiest eco-friendly gift wrapping swaps you can make. Likely, this year you'll be doing more online shopping than risking crowded stores, which means many items will come in a perfect-sized box that's ready for wrapping. Additionally, boxes aren't the only thing you can reuse from your online purchases. Throughout the year, save the tissue paper sheets and brown or white packing paper companies often use to ship their products. Then, when the holidays come around, you'll have your eco-friendly gift wrap ready to go. The reflective bubble wrap you may receive makes for great festive wrapping, too.

4. Reusable Wrapping Bags or preowned tote bags  by Alden Wicker

Reusable wrapping bags is one of the easiest options for wrapping presents. Just put your item inside, tie it, and voila! A beautiful present. The sustainable part is that it will get used over and over for probably years before it finally falls apart. You can also give a gift wrapped in an eco-friendly tote. Or even better, create a personalized tote bag, and the receiver will use it for years. 

If you’re into crafts, there are ways how you can create reusable and eco-friendly fabric gift bags yourself. Look through your closet for pillow cases, scarves, sweaters you don’t wear anymore, and anything else that can be reused, but doesn’t look old and washed out yet. Save up all the gift bags, gift sachets, and drawstring bags you get and you won’t have to worry about buying new ones and creating more waste. But if you decide to buy a gift bag after all, make sure you purchase something reusable or recyclable.

5. Glass jars  By Elizabete Smite

Using glass jars is another adorable gift wrapping idea where all you need is to look through your shelves to find a glass container waiting to be reused. If you don’t have any jars at home, remember to save up jars from pickled goods the next time you eat them. Or, again, just ask around—your family and friends will definitely have some spare jars you can use. Add a personal touch by decorating the jar with some cinnamon sticks, candy canes, eucalyptus leaves, or carved wooden decors. If you have some leftover pieces of cloth, use them to cover the top of the jar and tie it up with twine.