While Christmas wrapping paper may be aesthetically pleasing and a long-held tradition marking the festive season, many of us feel a twinge of guilt at the paper left on the floor after mere seconds of use. That's why we're sharing 4 easy ways you can reduce your impact on the planet – without sacrificing your gift wrap.

Here in Australia, we throw away a whopping 150, 000 kilometres of gift wrap around Christmas time, which would be ideal if you were looking to gift wrap the planet – four times! Thankfully, most of us have less ambitious gifting plans, but that doesn’t explain the 4.6 million pounds of paper produced every year in the United States – it’s clear that we have a bit of a problem around the globe. Luckily, there are a number of simple, cheap and sustainable solutions that happen to be decorative, creative and pleasing to the eye too! Here are our top 4 ways to cut down on pollution while still getting into the festivities of gift wrapping. 

Newspaper

Kill two birds with one stone by reusing old newspapers as gift wrap – it even adds a flair of style and gives your recipient a little pre-gift entertainment! Consider adding some dried flowers, twine or ribbon to make it stand out. You might even want to choose the section to suit the interests of the gift recipient, for instance if they’re into sports or music, go for these sections.

Note: Make sure to double check what part of the paper you’re using; you may want to avoid wrapping your gift in any of the morbid sections! 

Furoshiki

This Japanese gift-wrapping method is aesthetically pleasing, fun to make and sustainable. Furoshiki dates back to around 710 BC in Japan, and it involves using cloth as wrap – that's why all you’ll need is some fabric to make your own. This can be old fabric you’re no longer using like old curtains, sheets, pillowcases, tea towels, quilts or even clothes! Then you’ll need to cut out a square shape to fit your gift and follow these steps:

1. Place your gift in the centre of the fabric.
2. Fold each corner over your gift.
3. Tie two of the corners in a knot over the top of the gift to seal it.

No messing around with scissors and glue here – it doesn’t get much simpler than this. Here’s a visual of the process to give you a better idea – but remember, there’s no wrong way to do it, you can get creative with your cloth and wrap your gift however you choose.

Brown paper

Classic brown, blank paper is the perfect canvas for you to get creative with the gift-wrapping process. If you’re someone with a bit of artistic flair, this is your chance to put your skills to use, while also preventing unnecessary plastic waste from your typical reels of wrap. You can add a number of decorative elements to your brown paper, from stamps and calligraphy to simpler touches like tree ornaments, twine, flowers and handmade gift tags.

Reusable items

You don’t just have to settle for wrapping your gift, you can also use bags and containers – and there happens to be an extensive range of reusable, plastic-free options here. From tins to boxes and even tote bags – the latter provides two gifts in one as your recipient can enjoy their actual gift, and a convenient, sustainable tote bag. Need a little help finding a tote bag? Why not try our new market tote bag – it’s sourced from sustainable materials, plastic free and the perfect companion for shopping trips, market strolls and social calls.

Check it out HERE.

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So, if you’re ready to ditch sugar and the host of maladies that come with it, it’s not too late to join. We’d love to help you get started on your health journey. Sign up HERE today!