Sustainable Gift Wrapping
It’s the time of year when we wrap our gifts to the nines. It’s hard to imagine a gift without concealing it in lavish paper and shimmery accents. While ribbons, bows, and festive wrapping paper make for a beautiful gift, the waste they produce is overwhelming.
More than 100 million bags of holiday based garbage go to the landfill each Christmas. Wrapping paper alone totalled over 108 million rolls or 2.3 million lbs. Most wrapping paper is not even recyclable because it is saturated in ink and embedded with micro plastics. Not only does wrapping paper produce tons of waste, it is expensive. Americans spend $2.6 billion on gift wrap each year. Worse yet, we then pay to send it to the landfill where it will stay.
The good news: There are lots of alternatives!
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All materials pictured are compostable
Here are some of our favorite compostable gift wrapping options:
Newspaper / Brown paper bags: Not only do these make a great base for gifts. They don’t add any cost. Use a brown paper bag to carry your food home and boom, you are ready to start wrapping. It is easy to also grab an out of date or free newspaper to add character to a gift. It is quite fun to pick out specific pages that would make the best wrapping. Be aware, the newspaper is quite thin so be gentle on the edges.
Postal Paper: Postal paper is better for the bigger wrapping jobs. It's a bit thicker than brown paper bags, making it more durable but a little harder to tape. It is 100% compostable and costs around $5 for a big roll that will last many holiday seasons.
Jute: Jute is a fascinating plant. The jute plants grow to be over 10 feet high, the fibers are harvested in a single long string, placing jute among the longest natural textile fibers in the world. Jute twine is great to use in place of ribbon.
Burlap: When woven, jute forms burlap; also known as hessian cloth, gunny cloth. This material can add a unique rustic texture that pairs well with brown paper or newspaper. It comes in a variety of styles and widths. Using burlap is a simple way to add visual complexity to a gift while being completely compostable.
Raffia: Raffia is made from the leaves of palm trees. Natural raffia is fully compostable, however, it is wise to watch out for synthetic raffia made from plastics. Natural raffia can be dyed to add a pop of color to a gift. It can be layered with burlap or jute twine. Raffia is strong enough to withstand tight gift wrapping as well as tying and retying. Fraying raffia can also add texture and movement.
Fresh or Dried Flowers/Herbs: Brown burlap on brown paper can be a bit dull, however, it makes a perfect base for flowers. Topping sustainable wraps with organics is a wonderful way to add life to a gift. Dried flowers and herbs are a wonderful long term option. Fresh cut flowers or borrowing a sprig of your christmas tree are also great options for more immediate gifting.
All gifts wrapped with 100% compostable material (remove tape before composting)
Share your sustainable gifts on instagram #missoulacompostgift23 for a chance to win a free month of services. We are excited to see what Missoula can do!
But what about the sparkle…
All that compostable material can lead to a rather subdued gift. What if it just doesn't feel like Christmas without the sparkles?
We understand. Here are some ideas on simply reducing waste while gift wrapping:
Eco-Friendly Wrapping Paper: This is a wonderful option for more classic gift wrapping styles. However, it can be expensive and often is not compostable. Recycling this material is still far better than ending up in the landfill.
Long cut Ribbon: When using ribbon, make sure to cut it into long pieces. This ensures it can easily be reused after unwrapping. Ribbon can also be tied into reusable bows to be saved for future gifts.
Stickers: Stickers are a simple way to add a bit of festivity to a plain paper base. They are easy to remove when it is time to compost or recycle wrapping material. While not eco-friendly, they are a better option to commercial wrapping paper when craving sparkles, shine, and holiday cheer.
Reuse Bows: Bows easily add elegant beauty to a gift. Make sure to purchase bows that are durable and can last for many years. Nothing worse than having to throw a perfectly good bow away because it broke.
Using these strategies in gift wrapping will ensure a beautiful, affordable, and sustainable gift wrapping. It is always important to be a part of the solution, even if it is small scale, find what works for you.
Taking even the smallest steps to reduce elements of waste can build into meaningful change.
We’ve got this!
Your friends at Missoula Compost
