More Eco-Friendly Holiday Tips – Creative Wrapping Ideas

09. Dec, 2009 1 Comment

newspaper-wrapping We all want to have the element of surprise in our gift giving and receiving experience. Typically, this means a gift that is covered in wrapping, ribbons, gift bags, etc. Unfortunately, this practice is quite harmful for the environment. According to the Eco Wise column on CNN.com

Wrapping paper, from an ecological point of view, is a pretty worthless use of trees. Each year in the United States, 4 million tons go from logs to landfills to make wrapping paper and holiday shopping bags, according to the Clean Air Council, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit organization.

And about burning it in the fireplace: Don’t! Decorative wrapping paper, much of which is made in countries such as China that have looser environmental regulations, can contain lead, synthetic inks, plastic film, chlorine or metal-based foils, which release toxic and carcinogenic compounds into the air when burned. Metallic paper may or may not have a greater environmental footprint than other types, but it’s certainly not meant to be inhaled.

So, let’s consider alternative ideas for wrapping gifts. There are many fun and easy choices.

Newspapers and magazines
The typical American family has plenty of paper around the house in the form of newspaper and magazines. You can get really creative selecting photos and colors to create festive wrapping. Comics sections and beauty ads are great choices. Here is a great step-by-step article on this idea at Ehow.com.

Try Furoshiki
Originating from Japanese culture where it promotes caring for the environment and reducing waste; Furoshiki is an eco-friendly wrapping cloth. Using techniques similar to origami, it can be used for gift wrapping, grocery shopping or simply as decor. Choose from a wide variety of sizes and designs to complement your lifestyle. Great info and choices at Furoshiki.com

Old clothes
This tends to be the time of year when folks donate or trash old clothes. If clothing articles are “trash-worthy” cut useable strips of cloth to create a ribbon or patchwork to wrap a gift.

Paper bags
The inside of paper grocery bags are typically blank. Use these to wrap gifts. You or your children can decorate the paper with paints, markers or colored pencils. What a lovely way to share a gift wrapped in a personal piece of art.

Reusable shopping bags
Many stores now sell lovely reusable shopping bags that make for excellent gift bags. Then your gift recipient can pass the bag along with another gift or use it for their own shopping bag in the future. Select a color or pattern that can fit more than one occasion.

What other ideas do you have? We’d love to hear them. More eco-friendly tips to come.