Eco-Friendly Alternatives to Store Bought Wrapping Paper

This list of eco-friendly alternatives to store bought wrapping paper, give you a lot of variation in ways you can wrap a gift. Store bought wrapping paper is not always easily recyclable. It has to be manufactured and only has limited purpose. Some of the store bought wrapping papers are made of combinations of materials, which can't be separated easily to recycle. Some of these types of eco- friendly wrapping paper are both precycling and recycling.

*Newspaper

Keep the comic sections from your daily and Sunday papers. They make a fun eco-friendly gift wrap. They can be brightened up with the addition of some ribbon, or a fabric or twine tie. Even the black and white newspaper pages work fine. Then the ribbon can be reused. The newspaper will have gotten a second round of use. Then make sure you put it in the newspaper recycling bin after it has been used as wrapping paper.

*Scraps Of Fabric.

For anybody who does sewing, there are always pieces of left over fabric. Larger pieces can be used by themselves. Smaller pieces could be stitched together like a crazy quilt, then used as an eco-friendly alternative to store bought wrapping paper. Another nice thing about using scraps of fabric is, you don't have to use tape to hold it. Just use recyclable ribbon. Another option is to buy seasonal, or occasion appropriate fabric and use it over and over. Christmas and birthday patterns are examples of this. Look in the scrap sale piles or end of bolt pieces, at fabric stores, to get good prices on it.

*Fabric Ribbons

Buy fabric ribbons, or save any you get. After they are used, put them in a bin to pull from for future gifts. That way when you need ribbons to put around the wrapping paper, you have an eco-friendly alternative to throw away ribbon.

*Children's Drawings

Any family with creative children know how much paper gets used for art projects, at home or at school and day care settings. Don't just throw the ones away that you don't keep and frame or hang. Use them as wrapping paper for smaller gifts. This eco-friendly wrapping paper alternative choice, adds a lot of charm to the presentation. The children's drawings also add a very warm, personal touch. Then recycle them after the gift is opened.

*Used Clothing

Keep a bin of fabric scraps and pieces. Cut up old clothing that is beyond using. It will give the gift a retro look.

*Old Jars

If the gift is something smaller, consider packaging it a different way. Try jars saved and cleaned from food or other products. Then decorate the jar with ribbons or fabric squares secured around the lid with ribbon. If you don't like the advertising on the lids, cover the lid with one of those saved bits of fabric left from sewing or other craft projects. Use reusable fabric ribbon instead of the kind that gets thrown away. Food items are especially interesting and attractive when using jars, but even things like clothing or small toys can be put in larger jars. Jars also make a good substitute for boxes, that get ripped and thrown out.

*Coffee Cans

Big or small coffee cans can be use the same way as old jars. You can cover a coffee can with fabric, or leave it the way it is for a unique look. Then just add some fabric ribbon, to give it a nice touch.

*Baskets

Baskets are a great eco-friendly wrapping paper alternative. They can easily be used over and over. They help make a really nice presentation for a gift, or an assortment of themed items too. Baby items for a baby shower or newborn are a good example of this. Another theme might be a basket full of kitchen utensils for a wedding shower gift. You can often find baskets at garage sales and flea markets.

*Scarves
You can use old scarves, or ones you get at flea markets and garage sales. Another option is to wrap one gift with a scarf, which then becomes a second gift in itself. Nothing would get wasted with this eco-friendly wrapping paper.

These eco-friendly alternatives to store bought wrapping paper, are a definite plus in helping our strained earth and its resources. Once you get used to doing this, it is an easy and creative way to wrap a gift, and still help the environment.