5 Environmentally-friendly Alternatives To Wrapping Paper

Looking to make your holidays extra green this year or just forget to buy wrapping paper in the chaos that is the holiday season?

You’ve probably noticed trashcans overflow after holiday festivities like Christmas. Wrapping paper, bows, ribbons and boxes fill up a big portion of that too-stuffed trash bin. Ease the burden on your trashcan, and on LAWMA if you are in Lagos, by wrapping your gifts in repurposed items and reusable containers.

Here are 5 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.

Make use of these five ideas, you would have contributed your part for a greener and healthier society while still enjoying exchange of gifts during the yuletide. [Care2]