Waffle organic cotton hand towel $29.99 | Felted reindeer ornament $14.99 (currently on sale for additional 30% off)
With the holidays around the corner, many of us are beginning to tackle gift wrapping. This year, why not consider more eco-friendly ways to wrap your presents? I’ve written about this before, but this is such an important topic, I think it’s worth mentioning again.
According to a study by environmental group Zero Waste Canada, 540 000 tons of wrapping paper ends up in landfills following the holidays. To give you more of a visual - that’s the equivalent of 100 000 elephants. While the tradition of wrapping gifts is not something I plan to give up, and I’m sure many of you aren’t - there are so many adorable options for wrapping gifts in ways that keep our earth happy.
The first and easiest change we can make is by being conscious of the wrapping paper we use. Often times wrapping paper has a glossy finish or sparkly texture – beware, these ‘papers’ are not papers at all and cannot be recycled. I have to admit, I’m not quite prepared to completely abandon the use of wrapping paper, especially when it comes to gifts for the kids. But using recyclable wrapping paper is one baby step in the right direction. Mixing gifts wrapped in recyclable Christmas paper, as well as newspaper, sheet music, or kraft paper looks even more stunning under the tree! Plus, it costs far less than purchasing rolls and rolls of paper.
That being said, recyclable paper means nothing if it is added to a garbage bag with the rest of the waste on Christmas morning. Helping the planet takes effort on both the giving and the receiving end. If we all paid closer attention to sorting recycling from garbage during the holidays, this alone would cut the waste in our landfills more than you know.
- Top the present with a little ornament.
Felted stocking ornament $14.99 | Joy ribbon (10 yards) $14.99
- Make little toppers out of greenery and herbs. If you’re feeling particularity crafty, these tiny wreaths made from rosemary sprigs are the cutest and super easy to make!
4" potted herbs $2.99 | Linen Ribbon $7.99 (10 yards)
- Make a beautiful ribbon bow that can be reused for years to come.
Joy ribbon ( 10 yards) $14.99 | Custom bows - prices vary
Another wonderful way to wrap gifts sustainably is with fabric. The art of ‘furoshiki’ is a lovely way to do this. Furoshiki is a Japanese technique for wrapping in fabric, without the use of tape or adhesives. I love this concept!
Waffle organic cotton hand towel $29.99 | Winter greens cotton tea towel $14.99 (currently on sale for additional 30% off) | Red herringbone tea towel $19.99 (currently on sale for additional 30% off) | Felted reindeer ornament $14.99 (currently on sale for additional 30% off)
This can be a great way to give second life to old shirts, scarves, or scraps of fabric. You can also make the wrapping part of the gift by using festive tea towels!
Winter greens cotton tea towel $14.99 (currently on sale for additional 30% off)
Winter greens cotton tea towel $14.99 (currently on sale for additional 30% off)
If you’d like further instructions on how to wrap objects furoshiki style, there is at great instructional video at this link: https://youtu.be/2f1wQAb6QMM?si=Lm_PzM4m9pYCLfdJ
So this year and in the years to come, lets wrap our presents with love and care, both for the recipient and for the planet. By making small changes in how we wrap our gifts, we can have a significant impact on the future of our planet for the generations to come.
Here's to a 'green' Christmas!
Comments
Gift wrapping is an artful and thoughtful way to present a gift to someone special. It is not merely a practical task of concealing the contents, but an opportunity to express creativity, thoughtfulness, and anticipation. The act of wrapping a gift goes beyond the tangible item inside; it adds an extra layer of excitement and delight to the overall gifting experience.