If there was ever a single use item, it’s gift wrap. We buy a lot of it. It’s an industry worth billions the U.S. (I have seen figures ranging from $2 to $13 billion.) In any case, it’s a fair amount — and most of it gets thrown out after one use.

Gift wrap isn’t even recyclable in many cases. If it has glitter or shine, that means it can’t be recycled. Even if it’s not shiny, it still might be coated in plastic. So, I don’t buy gift wrap anymore. I make my own out of materials I already have lying around.

How to Make DIY Eco-Friendly Gift Wrap

Materials

A paper bag, grocery bag, or packing paper
Rubber stamps
Stamp pad
Washi tape
Scissors
Pen or marker

4 Easy Steps to Making DIY Wrapping Paper

1. Cut paper to size. I’m using some packing paper that came in an online order. So it’s a bit wrinkly. But whatever. (Also, can we take a moment to appreciate these handsome Japanese-made scissors?)

2. Decorate the paper with rubber stamps. How cute are these Totoro stamps? If you don’t have rubber stamps, you can decorate with pencils or markers. If you have a child, you can put them on this task. Who is going to be mad at gift wrap decorated by a child? (Or don’t decorate at all. It’s optional.)

3. Secure with washi tape. Regular tape is made out of plastic. So I use washi tape, which is made out of paper and will at least biodegrade. But if you’re good at folding, you don’t need any kind of tape at all. You can just fold and tuck. I’ll refer you to Martha Stewart for how to wrap without any tape.

4. Address your gift. I happen to have this handy To/From stamp shaped like a gift tag. But of course, a pen or marker works just fine too.

All done! I added a little washi tape to the front for visual interest. Not that I think that the 4-year-old recipient of this present will notice. Here’s a Reel of the whole DIY gift wrap-making process.

5 Other Sustainable Gift Wrapping Ideas

1. All sorts of paper. Maps, newspaper, pretty magazine pages, calendars, sheet music. Even that bubble wrap alternative made out of paper. There’s all sorts of paper that can have a second life as gift wrap.

2. Tins, boxes, & jars. When I come across a nice-looking container, I save it for reuse. This can be tins from tea or cookies, a particularly nice-looking or sturdy box from a product, or even glass jars.

3. Dust bags & tote bags. I don’t know about you, but I have so many extra dust bags from shoe purchases and even buying bedsheets. Similarly, despite my best efforts, I end up with extra tote bags. Put them to use!

4. Gift bags. At least these are reusable. (And hopefully the recipient will save it for reuse and not throw it out.) But I do try to re-use something I already have first. If I’ve acquired a particularly nice shopping bag, I’ll cover up the brand logo with a design and use it as a gift bag.

5. Furoshiki or other fabric. Furoshiki is a Japanese cloth for wrapping or transporting stuff. (Marie Kondo shows us how it’s done.) Even if you don’t have a furoshiki per se, you can similarly use other fabric. I wrapped the gift below using a dish cloth. I gathered the cloth to the top, then secured it with a piece of string that previously held an Everlane price tag to a T-shirt. (After the recipient opens their gift, I’m reclaiming my dish cloth. But you can also use fabric scraps if the gift won’t be opened in your presence.)

I don’t even participate in gifting for the holidays (except for kiddos). But when I give a present, I use one of the ideas above. Hope this helped spark some ideas. If you have other creative solutions for sustainable gift wrapping, please share in the comments.

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