How to be more sustainable – and save money – with your Christmas wrapping

Looking for a greener alternative to unrecyclable wrapping paper? By Imy Brighty-Potts.

Sustainable ways to wrap Christmas gifts (Alamy/PA)

Waste is a big concern for many households – be it financial waste, or just throwing things away when we could be finding ways to be more sustainable. Yet still, year on year, many of us are still covering gifts in disposable wrapping paper (which is often not even recyclable).

Why do we do it? Well, because it looks nice, plus wrapping up gifts is a tradition and it would feel weird not to.

“Each Christmas, we get through an estimated 227,000 miles of wrapping paper in the UK – that’s enough to wrap around the earth eight times,” says Thomas Panton, CEO and founder of Greenr (greenr.co.uk).

“Like all paper, wrapping paper is made from trees and requires an enormous amount of water to produce,” he adds.

You may be thinking, well at least you can recycle it. But a lot of the time, you actually can’t. “If your roll has added plastics, glitter, and other non-paper materials, it’s best not to put it in your recycling bin,” says Panton.

Recyclable wrapping paper will usually be labelled clearly as such. But to check if yours is, Panton suggests trying the ‘scrunch test’. Scrunch your wrapping paper into a ball and if it doesn’t immediately spring back, it should be recyclable. “Make sure you remove sticky tape and plastic decorations like bows and ribbons first, though,” he adds.

And if you’re looking for a more sustainable – and possibly cheaper – alternative to traditional non-recyclable wrapping paper, here are some ideas…

Use wrapping paper made from recycled materials

“Getting wrapping paper made from recycled materials is a great start to reducing the impact of your gift wrap, using less water and energy than wrapping paper made from virgin materials,” says Panton. “Choosing sheets over rolls of paper can lead to less waste and removes the need for a cardboard tube. Re-wrapped make a range of affordable sheets with festive designs which come with swing-tags, all made from 100% post-consumer waste.”

Go old-fashioned with brown paper

“Brown packing paper can be a tasteful, vintage-looking option and you can even write and draw on the paper itself, making each gift unique and removing the need to buy separate gift tags,” says Panton. “Packing paper is also useful to have in the cupboard all year round, reducing potential waste and saving you money.”

Reuse packaging you’ve already got

“Reusing and repurposing old packages, boxes and even newspapers is a great way to create some free wrapping with a unique twist, and even theme the box depending on the gift. If you don’t have any laying around the house, just ask at a shop or supermarket,” Panton suggests.

Avoid plastic wrapping accessories

Labels, ribbons and glitter can all be an environmental nightmare. So, get creative with the extras you use.

“There are loads of great DIY alternatives to single-use plastic ribbons and bows – try adding spare pine cones and leaves from the garden, or even take some small clippings from the back of the Christmas tree! A spare cinnamon stick can be found in many food cupboards and works great for food and drink gifts. Tie your decorations on with string or twine made from a natural fibre for fully biodegradable wrapping,” says Panton.

Use a fabric wrap

Why not try wrapping gifts in reusable materials like cotton, silk or even wax wraps? Kirsty Brandon, head of sustainable living at SaveMoneyCutCarbon (savemoneycutcarbon.com), says: “You can use beeswax wraps – you can buy large sheets and rolls you can cut to size. You can use a cotton material tote bag, which doubles up as an extra gift, or even a vintage silk scarf.”

Not only will your gifts look gorgeous, the lucky recipients will get a bonus pressie with the packaging too.