Top 10 eco-friendly Christmas gift wrapping ideas

Looking for ways to make Christmas more sustainable this year? Eco gift wrapping ideas are a great place to start and could help cut down on tonnes of seasonal waste.

In the UK, it’s estimated that the equivalent of around 108 million rolls of wrapping paper end up in the bin at Christmas. Then there’s sticky tape, with more than one million rolls used on Christmas Eve alone.

Luckily, we have lots of gift wrapping ideas that will help you have an eco-friendly Christmas.

1. Fabric gift wrap

Fabric wrap saves waste and makes presents look extra special - it's the perfect reusable Christmas wrapping for the nature lover in your life. Square cloth works best, but you can experiment with anything from old scarves to scrap fabric you may have lying around the house.

If you aren’t sure how to wrap Christmas presents in fabric, take a look at our video and step-by-step instructions, below.

Reusable cup wrap

1. Place the cup on its base in the middle of the cloth.
2. Grab the left and right corners, and tie in a double knot on the lid of the cup.
3. Take the remaining corners towards you and cross them over each other.
4. Take these corners back to the back of the cup and tie a double knot.
5. Fluff out the ends of the fabric.

This technique is also perfect for bottles and other tall gifts.

Single knot wrap

1. Lay out the cloth diagonally with your gift in the middle.
2. Fold the bottom corner over the gift, and then turn the gift over onto its opposite side, away from you.
3. Fold the top corner over the gift and flip the gift back over again.
4. Lie the loose top corner flat against the gift.
5. Take the left and right corners of fabric and tie a double knot.
6. Make sure that loose corner is tucked under!

Double knot wrap

1. Lay out the cloth diagonally with your gift in the middle.
2. Pull the left and right corners into the middle of your gift and tie a double knot.
3. Turn your gift around and do the same with the other two corners.
4. Fluff out those ends… and voila!

2. Reusable gift bags

Technically, all gift bags are reusable, but only for gifting. Why not buy your loved one a jute bag or tote bag from our shop that won’t just function as a Christmas gift bag, but will come in handy when out shopping, travelling or heading to work, too? All our bags are made from cotton, jute or recycled plastics.

Buy one of our reusable bags.

3. Plastic-free paper and tape

If you’re looking for low fuss Christmas gift wrapping ideas, you can still use paper and tape – simply choose a greener alternative. Plain brown paper looks natural and rustic, especially when decorated with twine or ribbon. An alternative is plastic-free Christmas wrapping paper, which you can pick up in most supermarkets as well as our online shop during the festive season.

As for sticky tape, you could try brown paper tape, or for something a little more fun, washi tape. It’s biodegradable and comes in countless colours and patterns.

4. Repurposed reading material

Pages from old newspapers and magazines (like our member’s magazine, Broadleaf) make great alternatives to traditional wrapping paper, especially if you can find pages with articles or pictures you know your loved one will enjoy.

5. Pre-loved packaging

Rather than buying new gift boxes for Christmas, save your old delivery boxes or packaging boxes for the festive season. Decorate them yourself with drawings and paintings inspired by nature or go back to basics by potato printing the box. Simply finish off with a ribbon.

6. Recycled ribbon

If you’re clearing out your wardrobe or have old clothes waiting to go to the charity shop, pull out a couple of pieces and give them a new lease of life as ribbon for your Christmas presents. Simply cut out strips of fabric to the length and width you need. If the edges are fraying, carefully seal them using a match or a lighter.

7. Toilet roll tubes

Need ideas for wrapping gifts like jewellery and pin badges? Grab an empty toilet roll tube!

1. Decorate your tube. Paints, pens, pencils, collage – let your imagination run wild.
2. Take one end of the tube. Fold one side of it into the middle of the hole, then the other, to create a seal.
3. Pop your gift inside the tube.
4. Fold the opposite end of the tube in the same way as you did for step two.
5. Add finishing touches like ribbon or string.

8. Foraged finishing touches

Rather than relying on glitter and plastic to give your Christmas gift wrapping a final flourish, take inspiration from nature. Head outside and pick up some treasures to combine with twine or our idea for recycled ribbon (above). Here are some things to look out for:

• holly sprigs
• pine sprigs
• pinecones
• fallen leaves (these can be preserved)
• dead flowerheads, like cow parsley or thistle.

9. Kitchen creativity

Another way to finish off your Christmas gift wrapping is with everyday items you can find in your kitchen. Cinnamon sticks look (and smell!) lovely when tucked underneath ribbon or string on gifts, while orange slices are the perfect size to thread onto it. You’ll need to dry them first:

1. Heat the oven to 140°C (120°C fan) and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
2. Slice an orange (or more, depending on how many slices you need) very thinly.
3. Arrange your slices on the baking tray (or trays) and bake for 45 minutes to an hour, turning halfway through.
4. Once completely dried, remove the slices from the oven and leave to cool.

10. Homemade seed wrapping paper

This is a great way to cut down on the amount of Christmas wrapping paper you have to buy whilst making use of scrap paper you'd otherwise put in the recycling bin. Plus, it’s heaps of fun, and adding wildflower seeds means your loved one can plant the paper in their garden, planters or pots in spring.

You’ll need:

• recyclable paper
• blender
• warm water
• wildflower seeds
• flat-based dish
• medium sponge brush
• mesh bag or similar
• jug.

Method

1. Tear your paper into small pieces and fill a blender with them until half full.
2. Add warm water (equivalent of half the paper) and blend for 30 seconds, until you have a pulp.
3. Sprinkle one teaspoon of wildflower seeds into the pulp and stir (don’t blend!).
4. Lay your mesh bag (or similar) inside a flat-bottomed dish – a casserole dish would be perfect. Pour in the pulp and flatten it down with your hands.
5. Using a sponge, remove as much excess water as possible and drain it into a jug.
6. Lift the mesh bag out of the dish and turn the paper out onto a hard surface. Leave to air dry for a couple of days.
7. Once dry, lift the paper away from the hard surface (use a spatula if you struggle).

Please note all prices shown were correct at the time of publication and are subject to change.