Last Updated on July 29, 2024

Let’s talk about eco friendly gift wrapping ideas! You can wrap presents beautifully without creating a lot of trash. Everything photographed in this post was pulled from a recycling bin, from work, or around my house, and each person who received a gift from me commented on how beautiful and unique the wrapping was!

Gift giving can be incredibly wasteful, but sustainable gift wrapping is beautiful, shows you care, and doesn’t produce a ton of waste! These sustainable gift wrapping ideas use items around your home — or can incorporate the gift itself! Look no further for eco friendly, unique wrapping that will impress as well as benefit the environment. I’ll even show you an easy way to wrap a gift without tape!

sustainable gift wrapping ideas

Bookmark this post to learn how to wrap a gift sustainably! According to Earth911, nearly 4.6 million pounds of wrapping paper is produced in the US each year, half of which ends up in landfills. A need for sustainable options that won’t ultimately produce CO2 emissions goes without saying.

Plus, when wrapping with items such as butcher paper or newspaper, you can still use the best way to wrap presents (or your favorite way!), taking the stress out of finding a sustainable material and a new way to wrap. You really don’t have to do anything fancy in order to be more eco conscious.

In keeping with the zero waste theme, none of the items shown in this post were purchased, proving that sustainable gifting is possible, even down to the wrapping.

I’ve wrapped several beautiful gifts as examples using things I pulled from recycling, found around my home, or made from stuff I already had. Sustainable gift wrapping is beautiful and thoughtful!

These sustainable gift wrapping ideas showcase alternative materials such as butcher paper and newsprint, as well as ways to wrap gifts that may be new to you (can you say cloth napkins?). Speaking of cloth napkins, I’ll explain my favorite trick: how to wrap a present without tape.

sustainable gift wrapping:

These gift wrap ideas include traditional wrapping methods as well as fun ways to adorn your gifts. For wrapping, these are my favorite go-to options.

shop bags

I always find shop bags in the recycling. You can see the one with the brocade pattern below. One of the viewers from my holiday webinar had a great tip — take an old greeting card and place it over the logo on the bag if there is one. If you’re looking for a way to wrap a gift without tape, simply reusing an old gift back or decorating an old shop bag is a beginner-friendly way to start.

butcher paper

With the amount of online shopping people do in my office, there’s never a short supply of butcher paper — white or brown — in stock. You can always doodle festive drawings on the paper or keep it plain and add some pizzazz in other ways. 

It’s one of the cleanest, most minimalist wrapping options around, and it’s super affordable to boot!

Butcher paper has no plastic coating on it, making it recyclable and compostable when you’re done with it, so it’s some of the most sustainable wrapping paper out there. Just be sure to remove any adhesives!

newsprint 

I think newsprint is such a cute wrapping idea. There’s always newsprint of some kind in a recycling bin. Sometimes free circulars might wind up in your mailbox despite your anti-junk mail campaigns. They make the perfect last minute wrapping paper.

No one has ever thought twice about it when I’ve used newsprint in the past. They’ve always thought it was unique, and one even asked if it was vintage! For a lighthearted gift, you can use the comics, or find an article relevant to the person’s interests to make the gift extra special.

silk scarves 

Of course, they don’t have to be real silk, but there’s always a plethora of these scarves at the thrift store. They make such a beautiful addition to any present and are a present in themselves. Tying scarves on bags is so popular right now, why not make the scarf the full gift wrap instead?

cloth napkins

Cloth napkins are also a dime a dozen at the thrift store. They come in all different colors, perfect for any design scheme to go with your additional decorations. You have to put smaller gifts in these, but they’re the perfect size for smallish, square boxes or round, awkwardly shaped items.

how to wrap a present without tape

I’ve never mastered the viral ways of folding and tucking paper to wrap a gift without tape. My easy fix? Cloth squares!

Cloth napkins are a little more rigid than silk scarves, but I tie them both the same way. The knot on top makes a cute bow.

How to wrap a present without tape using cloth? Lay your fabric on a flat surface and place your gift in the middle of it. Ensure the flat sides of your box are lined up with the corners of the scarf/napkin.

Pull one corner over the object with the tail wrapping around the opposite side of the box. Take the opposite corner and overlap it in the opposite direction. 

Tie the two remaining corners in a knot in the middle of the package and lay the tails flat. Such a cute, eco friendly gift wrapping idea!

decorative gift wrap ideas 

This is where you get to get really creative! I love getting to design the packages with odds and ends to create something beautiful. A lot of these sustainable gift wrapping ideas really hinge on the details and allow you to flex those creative muscles.

Some of my favorite decorations are listed below. 

twine

When I tie a present in brown paper or newsprint, much like in the Sound of Music, I tie my packages up with string. I’ve had a spool of cotton string in the house for years. It can be used to make homemade candles, used for cooking, or tie up packages.

brooches

I love brooches. I used to have a whole bunch back home. There are so many beautiful ones in thrift stores or maybe in your grandmother’s jewelry box. When you tie your packages up with scarves or napkins, pin them on the bow to add a little bit of festivity. 

Be sure it’s a brooch you don’t mind parting with, as you may not get it back!

This is another great way when working out how to wrap a present without tape! If you’re having a hard time securing things, especially when working with alternative materials, literally pinning it in place with a brooch or enamel pin is a life saver.

bracelets

Bracelets also make a great addition to cloth napkins. Tie the bracelet around the knot to add a little bit of extra sparkle. 

As with the brooches, be sure it’s a bracelet you don’t mind giving away — it’s awkward to ask for it back! Even better if it’s part of the gift.

dried oranges

Dried oranges are some of my favorite holiday decorations. They smell amazing and are SO easy to make. I thinly slice the oranges and sandwich them between a cloth tea towel. 

Then, set them on a metal drying rack to dry for 24 hours. Finally, bake them on the drying rack for 2-3 hours at 200 degrees Fahrenheit. 

String and wrap around your gift for a country chic, eco friendly gift wrapping idea.

Leftover dried oranges can be boiled with cinnamon sticks to make a stove top potpourri for a gift (wrap) that keeps on giving.

cinnamon sticks

Another beautiful and compostable decoration to add to your list of sustainable gift wrapping ideas! Tie them with some string and add a splash of greenery for a beautiful present. 

fresh herbs 

I’m biased toward rosemary because it’s the only type of herb I have managed to not kill. It’s also fairly hearty and pretty festive, so it will stay green on your packages instead of turning brown. 

bolo ties

Now, I did spend a good portion of my childhood in San Antonio. I have several bolo ties, and I think they make some very festive decorations for presents. As with brooches and bracelets, you have to be prepared for this decoration to never make it back home with you.

It’s super fun if the bolo tie is on-theme for the gift, or if it fits the style of the person receiving the gift.

old christmas cards

For years, I have collected old Christmas cards. I cut the signature portion off and leave the front with the pretty pictures to add to packages and use in the future. 

It can take an otherwise plain or boring wrapping and give it some character. And it’s way more sustainable than throwing the whole card away once you’ve read it!

pine needles

Of course, the fresh scent of pine is lovely and oh-so festive! Nothing says happy holidays more than a couple of festive pine needles. You can typically go pick up some fallen branches for free from the local Christmas tree lot. 

Since I don’t have a tree, I plan on grabbing some branches to put in a vase as my mini-tree for our tiny house. 

faqs about eco friendly gift wrapping

how else can i wrap gifts more sustainably?

There are loads of ways to gift wrap more sustainably! Reuse cardboard boxes from previous purchases, use biodegradable paper tape, or turn old clothes into wrapping and bows. Where there’s a will, there’s a way!

Any time you can avoid buying something new in order to wrap a gift, you’ve taken a step toward a zero waste lifestyle and more sustainable future.

how do I wrap a gift without tape if I don’t have any scarves or napkins?

Listen, tape may be unavoidable if, like me, you’re unable to master the mysterious art of folding the paper into place. However, because most types of tape can’t be recycled, I don’t blame you for wanting a way to wrap without using it.

Gift bags (bonus points if they’re made out of recycled materials), reusable totes like canvas shopping bags, or placing a smaller gift inside of a larger purse that’s also part of the gift are great ways to give a gift without using tape!

is it tacky to give a gift unwrapped?

My immediate response is yes. However, I think individual circumstances really dictate the etiquette here. Before giving a gift without any type of wrapping, evaluate the occasion and your relationship with the person you’re presenting with a gift. For holidays and anniversaries, it probably won’t feel very special to have a gift tossed at you without any kind of lead-up.

But a quick, “I saw this at the checkout line and thought of you” kind of gift probably doesn’t require special wrapping.

Giving an unwrapped gift is highly efficient and also eco friendly, but there’s a psychology around receiving a presentable gift. If you’re tempted to give a gift plain, make sure it’s beautiful on its own so the wow-factor is still there and it still feels special to the person who receives it!

are there other eco friendly gift wrapping ideas?

Tons. A lot of what makes these eco friendly ideas unique is the method used rather than the materials used, though! The internet is full of tutorials for fabric wrapping in intricate or ornate ways, or even how to use everyday items to create eye-catching bows. Be sure to choose a tutorial that allows for you to use sustainable items — the sky is the limit.

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How do you pull off eco friendly gift wrapping?