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Christmas gift wrapping ideas, ethical and natural

November 13, 2018

Christmas gift wrapping ideas for Christmas – ethical and natural

This year, my Christmas shopping is going to be a ethical and eco-friendly as possible. So it makes sense to put some proper thought into the wrapping too. If, like me, you thought that you could recycle all your used wrapping paper after Christmas, think again. It’s a bit of a minefield to be honest, so I thought I’d pull together some simple tips for wrapping gifts beautifully and ethically.

Why glitter has to go

Glittery wrap and cards can’t be recycled so it’s best just to avoid them. Recycle Now has some useful information – including the ‘scrunch test’. If your wrapping paper scrunches it can probably be recycled (as long as it isn’t glittery) and if it doesn’t, that probably means it contains plastic and therefore will end up in landfill.

Wrapping papers that are very thin and flimsy contain few good quality fibres and so they can’t be recycled either.

It’s useful to know that all sticky tape, decorations, ribbons and bows have to be removed.

I like the idea of block printing my own paper using compostable, unbleached, lining paper. I’ll add in some images when I’ve had a go.

Kraft brown paper is another good option as it’s 100% recyclable and biodegradable and often made from recycled paper itself. I also love how it looks combined with natural decorations, simple ribbons and foliage.

Newspaper, too, can look great re-used when decorated with pine cones and fresh green foliage.

Make mini wreaths as natural gift wrap decorations

christmas gift wrapping ideas ethical and natural like this mini dried flower wreath as gift wrap decoration by bex partridge of botanical tales who shares other ideas and step by steps. You can also buy these mini wreaths from Bex herself

I absolutely love these mini dried flower foraged wreaths made by Bex of Botanical Tales. Get step by steps on making your own foraged dried flower wreath decorations here: How to make a dried flower wreath. Bex also sells these lovely mini wreaths ready made in her online shop. Buy now >>

Christmas gift wrapping ideas ethical and natural

Love these ideas from The Real Flower Company (listed in the FBWL directory here)

love this kraft christmas gift wrap idea with liberty fabric ribbon and berries. Click through for more ethical eco-friendly and plastic free christmas gift wrapping ideas you'll love to trylove this idea for making liberty fabric ribbon for christmas gift wrap with kraft brown paper and fresh berries and foliage. Click through for more ethical eco-friendly and plastic free christmas gift wrapping ideas you'll love to try

How pretty is this idea of making your own Liberty fabric ribbon by cutting/tearing strips of fabric and winding onto an old bobbin ready for use? I’m going to look for old Liberty style lawn blouses or clothing at car boot sales or charity shops to try making something similar. Love how it looks tied around simple brown paper parcels with fresh berries.

love this idea of making a mini wreath with fresh rosemary to use as gift wrap decoration with simple natural paper and string. Click through for more ethical eco-friendly and plastic free christmas gift wrapping ideas you'll love to trylove this idea of adding a simple sprig or making a mini wreath with fresh rosemary to use as gift wrap decoration with simple natural paper and string. Click through for more ethical eco-friendly and plastic free christmas gift wrapping ideas you'll love to try

This is such a simple and ingenious idea for decorating simple natural paper parcels. Fresh rosemary is bent round to create mini ‘wreaths’ tied with string and embellished with seasonal fresh berries. love this idea of using newspaper christmas gift wrap with pine cones and natural string. Click through for more ethical eco-friendly and plastic free christmas gift wrapping ideas you'll love to trylove this idea of using recycled newspaper christmas gift wrap with pine cones and natural string. Click through for more ethical eco-friendly and plastic free christmas gift wrapping ideas you'll love to try

Love the idea of re-using newspapers as gift wrap – the type looks so beautiful contrasted with fresh foliage, simple brown string and pine cones.

love this idea of combining brown kraft paper with pretty fresh pink roses and hand claligraphy luggage label gift tags. Click through for more ethical eco-friendly and plastic free christmas gift wrapping ideas you'll love to try love this idea of combining brown kraft paper with pretty fresh pink roses and hand claligraphy luggage label gift tags. Click through for more ethical eco-friendly and plastic free christmas gift wrapping ideas you'll love to try

It’s a lovely idea to add pretty fresh roses to brown paper packages tied up with string – with a gift tag made from a luggage label. If you fancy trying your hand at some calligraphy, check out my blog post about learning the basics

love this idea of using white paper christmas gift wrap with string and red berries. love this idea of using white paper christmas gift wrap with string and red berries.

Sometimes only red berries and textured white paper will do. This is biodegradable handmade unbleached paper and it looks so beautiful with string tied around holding a sprig of fresh red berries.

love this kraft paper gift wrap with sting, pine cones, berries and dried lime. Click through for more ethical eco-friendly and plastic free christmas gift wrapping ideas you'll love to trylove this kraft paper gift wrap with sting, pine cones, berries and dried lime. Click through for more ethical eco-friendly and plastic free christmas gift wrapping ideas you'll love to try

This idea combines kraft paper with natural string, slices of dried lime, pine cones and sprigs of red berries and fresh foliage.

Christmas gift wrapping ideas ethical and natural by Jane Means

Jane Means (listed in the FBWL directory here) is THE gift-wrap guru and always a great source of ideas and gift wrap essentials. I was lucky enough to attend one of her wonderful gift wrap workshops and learned how to use simple kraft paper and turn it into something special by using a pleat technique and adding fresh foliage. Get step by steps here.

love this idea of pleating brown kraft paper as christmas gift wrap with white ribbon and fresh green foliage by jane means. Click through to find out more and get other ethical and plastic free christmas gift wrap ideas you'll love to trylove this idea of combining two kraft brown papers with white ribbon and simple luggage label from Jane Means. Click through for more ethical eco-friendly and plastic free christmas gift wrapping ideas you'll love to try

This is another great idea – to combine plain brown kraft paper with another printed recycled paper and white ribbon with classic luggage label. Find out more here.

Fantastic ethical online store Wearth London (listed in the FBWL directory here) sells a selection of reusable gift wrap – the ideal zero-waste alternative to wrapping paper. Made in Britain using cotton, the sheets can be used over and over again, passed around family and friends and can even be thrown in the washing machine if needed.

love this reusable gift wrap in fabric with reindeers in red or green. Can be used over and over and even thrown in the washing machine. Click through for more ethical eco-friendly and plastic free christmas gift wrapping ideas you'll love to try

Katie Leamon (listed in the FBWL directory here) is a design studio in the heart of London and a family-run production studio in the English countryside, creating paper products that are responsibly made with care.

I love these two simple black and white papers from her Christmas collection – both recyclable but also good enough to save and re-use to create tags, cards, add to frames to add interest to gallery walls…

love this simple black and white christmas tree print scandi gift wrap with black ribbon fresh foliage and pine cones by katie leamon. Click through for more ethical eco-friendly and plastic free christmas gift wrapping ideas you'll love to trylove this simple black and white christmas tree print scandi gift wrap with black ribbon fresh foliage and pine cones by katie leamon. Click through for more ethical eco-friendly and plastic free christmas gift wrapping ideas you'll love to trylove this simple black and white christmas snowflake print scandi gift wrap with black ribbon fresh foliage and pine cones by katie leamon. Click through for more ethical eco-friendly and plastic free christmas gift wrapping ideas you'll love to trylove this simple black and white christmas snowflake print scandi gift wrap with black ribbon fresh foliage and pine cones by katie leamon. Click through for more ethical eco-friendly and plastic free christmas gift wrapping ideas you'll love to try

I hope you have found some Christmas gift wrapping ideas ethical and natural that you will try yourself this year X

INFORMATION


The Real Flower Company is listed in the From Britain with Love  directory here >>

Jane Means is listed in the From Britain with Love directory here >>

Wearth is listed in the From Britain with Love directory here >>

Katie Leamon is listed in the From Britain with Love directory here >>

 

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love this idea of making a mini wreath with fresh rosemary to use as gift wrap decoration with simple natural paper and string. Click through for more ethical eco-friendly and plastic free christmas gift wrapping ideas you'll love to try

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4 Comments

  • Reply Liz October 28, 2019 at 11:34 am

    Please can you let us know how you get the lovely wrapped ends on your parcels without sticky tape.

    • Reply Laura Dunkley October 29, 2019 at 10:47 pm

      hi – yes the secret is to buy double sided sticky tape (Jane Means sells some in her online shop) – you attach underneath the edge and so you don’t see it

  • Reply Gill October 6, 2021 at 2:44 am

    Hi, where can I find paper like the white textured paper in this article please?

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