1. Tea towels Furoshiki-style wrapping is a breeze, and flour sack tea towels make a great wrap. They're lightweight, durable, and reusable. And, they make a nice little gift addition!
2. Paper grocery bags Whether you turn them inside out, or use the cuter ones with their prints showing (many stores offer holiday-themed paper bags beginning around Thanksgiving), paper bags make for great gift wrap. Take the whole look rustic by adding a twine bow.
3. Cardboard food and drink boxes Cereal boxes, cracker boxes, and the like can make for interesting gift-giving vehicles; last year, though, I found inspiration in the beer aisle. Christmas ales offer creative yuletide packaging, and cut up the boxes to make fun little gift tags.
4. Foil or parchment paper Aluminum foil is bright and shiny, and if you're gifting homemade treats, eco-friendy parchment paper can be gussied up with just a little bow.
5. Glass containers Put homemade or local treats in reusable glass containers, or Mason jars, instead of holiday-themed party ware; the recipient can use it year-round!
Related posts:
• 9 Ways to Green Your Giftwrap
• How to Wrap Items with a Furoshiki Cloth
• 15 Green Gift Wrap Options
(Images: Furoshiki - Chewing the Cud; brown paper bag - scrapbit; Flickr.com; cardboard box labels - Amber Byfield for Re-Nest; foil - Clevergrrl; Flickr.com; Mason jars - Amber Byfield for Re-Nest.)
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Absolutely. Gift wrap is incredibly wasteful as well as overpriced. We sometimes wrap stuff in winter scarves as well. Looks great! The tea towels are always perfect too.
I use cloth napkins to wrap little gifts.
How on earth is using parchment paper or foil less wasteful than using gift wrap? You're not going to re-use it on food later.
Good point, Shiyiya. I also wonder about newspaper or paper bags that people decorate. Now instead of being recycled, it will have to be thrown in the trash. Not to mention the wood pulp that was used to make them in the first place.
i am the designer for a re-usable bag company and i love to use our bags as gift wrap! so it's a present in a present and on top of that the next time your gift receiver is shopping, they won't need to use a paper or plastic bag at the grocery store! http://www.envbags.com/
@buttercupsmydog Those are very pretty and nylon is a great material. I do not like those "reuseable" cheap dollar bags at the grocery store because they are impossible to wash and fall apart quickly. Nylon is ultra washable. Kudos!
@emmi hey thanks! you just made my day with your sweet comment!