You know the saying, the more the merrier? It absolutely applies to gifts, but what about allllll that wrapping paper! For so many of us, the effort you make to create a beautifully wrapped gift can be almost as fun as buying the gift in the first place! But, if you’re not careful, the materials you use to create that decoratively wrapped masterpiece can add to the ever-increasing landfill issues we face as well as the harm they can inflict on the environment. How big an issue is this? You might be surprised:
- One study found that Americans create 43% more waste during the holidays (an extra 29 pounds per week!), waste like wrapping paper, tissue paper, plastic, boxes, and gift bags.
- When it comes to wrapping paper, another study found that 2.3 million pounds of wrapping paper, alone, are added to landfills every year.
- What difference can being a sustainable gift wrapper make for our environment? A Stanford University study found that if every American household wrapped just three presents the sustainable way, enough wrapping paper would be saved to cover 45,000 football fields. What?!
These stats, alone, can put a huge damper on your gift wrapping during the holidays, but here’s another thing to keep in mind:
Gift wrap that has any type of plastic in it (glitter, shine, sparkle, and so on) cannot be recycled, which means that any type of ribbon or other items we use to decorate our gifts that contain any type of plastic are also not environmentally-friendly.
So, how can you create beautifully wrapped gifts and give a gift of sustainability to the environment at the same time? It might not be as difficult as you think!
Sustainable Gift Wrapping Made Simple
It can actually be quite simple to wrap beautiful gifts without harming the environment, and you can actually save money as well!
One research group found that Americans spend around $12.7 billion (Yes, that’s billion with a B) on gift wrap (paper, tissue paper, and gift bags) every year. Wouldn’t it be nice to put some of your hard-earned money towards things besides gift wrapping, and help Mother Earth while we’re at it? Yes, and we agree.
Use a reusable pouch
Gift bags are so popular because they look pretty and they make gift wrapping super simple, especially when it comes to oddly-shaped gifts. Using a reusable pouch can be just as simple, beautiful, and effective, and reusable pouches are so much more environmentally friendly, even over recyclable gift bags and tissue paper because both will still need to be disposed of.
Click here to shop our line of gifts →
Our Zents Sample Sets and Candles come in a beautiful green velvet pouch, so gift yourself some incredible fragrances and gift the beautiful pouch as part of your holiday gift wrapping this year!
Use light or medium-weight fabrics
that are strong enough to tie knots and carry items like linen, cotton, rayon, polyester, silk, or similar. This is also a great way to reuse fabric that you didn’t think you previously had any use for. Not sure how to put this tip into action? One of our favorite methods for using fabric for gift wrapping is the Furoshiki method, and you can get the how-to here.
Our Zents Candles and Concreta come in beautiful containers, perfect for gift giving.
Click here to shop our line of gifts →
Use beautiful vessels you already have
like glass jars, baskets, scarves, buckets, watering cans, and so on. You can even use your favorite candle holder once the candle is gone. We created a tablescape repurposing candleholders for flowers. It’s a great way to share holiday joy without waste. When you reuse a vessel, not only will your gift look amazing, but you’ll also be gifting something someone can potentially use to beautify their own home.
Click to read more about how to repurpose Concreta’s artisan crafted soapstone containers →
Simplify, simplify, simplify
Often, simpler is actually more beautiful when it comes to wrapped gifts. So, when you can cut down on the “extras” you might usually add to a gift-wrapped creation, you’ll still be creating a beautifully wrapped gift and also be decreasing the amount of environmental waste. And that’s a win all around! Here are some other additional ways to up your gift-wrapping game, but make it sustainable.
- Ditch the tape! Tape is a sustainability nightmare, plain and simple, so learn how to wrap gifts sans tape here. Bonus: You’ll never have to worry about running out of tape ever again!
- Choose wrapping paper wisely. If you must use wrapping paper, opt for paper that can be recycled and/or is biodegradable. Learn more about options like Kraft paper and some others here.
- Forget the tinsel, bows, and ribbon altogether. Garnish your gifts with sprigs of fresh or dried herbs and flowers, bringing the beauty of nature into your gift wrapping. Bonus points if you make a tea out of the leftover garnishes!
When it comes to wrapping any gifts you’ll be giving this holiday season or beyond, make it a goal to use these sustainable wrapping tips we’ve shared. When you do this, you’ll be giving three gifts at the same time: To the receiver, to the environment, and to everyone who enjoys a happy and healthy environment (all of us!), which is a gift that will keep giving for decades to come. Have ideas for sustainable gift wrapping? Please share on Instagram at @zentsofficial.
