Wrapping presents without plastic
This article was written by Christoph Schulz of Careelite.
And that makes sense! Because wherever lots of presents are wrapped, lots of plastic waste is created too. Gift wrapping creates a lovely moment but is superfluous afterwards. So make sure you free your presents of unnecessary material and let your creativity run free. Christoph from Careelite has come up with 12 ideas to help you wrap your presents without plastic and sustainably.
1. Wrap several presents together
If you are giving several presents anyway, you might as well wrap them together, right? That way you have less to carry and the surprise when unwrapping is all the greater. If it works, you can also place or wrap one present inside another.
2. Do not use plastic tape, because it is hard to recycle
Plastic adhesive tape (Sellotape and the like) and other plastic material used as gift wrapping make recycling massively more difficult. Why not simply wrap your present in old fabric cloths and tie them with natural twine? It makes your present look more distinctive, underlines your lifestyle and creates no plastic waste. Paper tape can also be used beautifully. CAREFUL: there are different kinds. Some paper tapes contain long plastic threads that make recycling even harder than Sellotape and the like.
3. Make sure your present really is right
Of course, you can never be 100% sure. We are all far too individual for that. But you can be “surer” before you wrap your present. Give your gift idea a little thought. That contributes to sustainability and waste avoidance too.
Wrapping presents without plastic – ideas and materials
You have just learned a few basic principles for wrapping presents without plastic. But presents make an even better impression when they are sustainable and look good too! With the following ideas for sustainable presents we go into a little more detail and make your plastic-free gift unique! Off we go!
4. Decorate your present sustainably with natural materials
Twigs, grasses, leaves, cones, poppy heads and the like. Anything you find in the woods or by the roadside is really good for decorating a present. You do not have to overdo it, but it is sustainable in any case. Combine the present with brown paper gift wrapping and tie it with natural twine. That creates a coherent, natural gift design. Being sustainable usually means being creative too.
5. Wrap your present in fabric, without plastic
Cotton, linen… why not simply wrap your present in fabric cloths, without plastic? It looks cool and makes your present sustainable and plastic-free. You do not need glue or Sellotape either, because you can knot the fabric or tie it with natural raffia or twine. Sustainable and plastic-free. Fabric also works very well for wrapping angular presents without the wrapping tearing. And it can be reused beautifully – either for the next plastic-free present or for something else entirely. Anyone good at sewing can turn the fabric into a bag, for example.
Here you can get organic cotton by the metre as the ideal gift fabric
6. A plastic-free present in reusable packaging
Gift wrapping does not have to become waste the moment it is opened. Why not use creative, reusable things as gift packaging? That could be shopping baskets, fabric bags, tins, boxes or even preserving jars. Depending on what you want to give, these things are wonderful plastic-free alternatives for your gift wrapping that create no plastic waste. Beeswax wraps, besides replacing cling film, are also really good for wrapping presents without plastic! What matters is that the gift wrapping can be reused. And there you have it – a sustainably wrapped present.
Here you can get beeswax wraps
7. Use plastic-free gift tags made of card
Do you have a gift idea that could use a gift tag with a personal message? It is always worth making such things yourself. It makes your present even more personal. Old boxes or packaging work well for this and can be attached to your present with plastic-free natural twine or raffia. By now, though, plastic-free gift tags can also be bought online.
Here are plastic-free gift tags for a personal touch
8. Sustainable parcel twine made of hemp/jute
As mentioned a few times already, natural twines made of jute, wool or hemp are ideal for wrapping presents without plastic. Hemp is a fast-growing, environmentally friendly raw material. Raffia is another alternative. The natural twines are suitable not only for presents but also for sending parcels without plastic, for decorating ideas and much more. Anything you would normally glue can also be held together with natural twine.
You can get natural raffia here
This wool ribbon helps make your present even more sustainable
9. Use plastic-free paper tape
You should never use plastic tape for gift wrapping, nor for sending post. There is a wonderful alternative: paper tape. But careful: not all paper tape is the same. Some tapes still contain plastic threads to make them more tear-resistant. These tapes cause problems in recycling plants because they look like pure paper. So get hold of pure paper tape – it is usually very light in colour.
Here is paper tape without plastic threads
10. Plastic-free gift wrapping made from sustainable paper
The wrapping paper is decisive for how your present looks. Here too there are many sustainable alternatives for wrapping your present without plastic! Newspaper is ideal as gift wrapping. It can look really cool, especially if you decorate your present with a little natural material. If you cut letters out of the newspaper, or use natural paint on the wrapping paper, you can also stick a lovely message onto the packaging. Always try to use recycled waste paper for your gift wrapping. Recycled paper is highly sustainable, because no further trees have to be felled for it. With the right wrapping paper your sustainable present will certainly look its best! TIP: plastic-free gift bags make a good impression too!
Plastic-free wrapping paper from Waschbär Umweltversand
Here you can get kraft paper in a natural colour
Plastic-free gift bags are available here as a set
11. Giving without plastic, in a jar
Of course it all depends on which plastic-free gift idea you have. Whether bath salts, sweets or other small presents – many things can be given beautifully in a jar. It makes your present sustainable and unusual, and the jar can be reused wonderfully for storage in the kitchen. Smaller preserving jars that can be reused as drinking glasses are really cool too. And you can even get preserving jars that glow in the dark!
Here are preserving-jar drinking glasses in a plastic-free set
Here you can get the preserving-jar solar lamp as the perfect gift jar
12. Wrap the present in the present
Avoiding plastic waste this way of course only works if several presents are not “too much” and if the shape of the two gifts lends itself to it. If it is a housewarming present, for example, you can wrap the plastic-free kitchen utensils in a new tea towel. But there are no limits to your imagination here. If you are giving clothing, you can use it beautifully to “wrap” other presents. To hold the present together you can again work with natural twine. That way you can wrap your present without plastic and score points for sustainability.
This article first appeared on Careelite.
You can find more on the subject of a plastic-free Christmas here.