6 Eco-friendly Wrapping Paper Ideas (for a Very Merry Christmas)

How much wrapping paper do you use each Christmas? I have no idea either, however according to the Independent we’ll throw away 108 million rolls of wrapping paper this festive period. That’s a lot. So finding eco-friendly wrapping paper alternatives, seems the only logical solution.

So I’ve been having a little think and creative play with some options, and here are my 6 eco-friendly wrapping paper alternatives:

Use Newspaper

Follow in the footsteps of Tom & Barbara of The Good Life and wrap all your presents in December’s news. Add a little sprig of holly for some colour. Just check the headlines before you start wrapping, your mother-in-law might not thank you for top tips on how to survive Christmas at your in-laws’.

 Reusable Wrapping Fabric

I think using reusable wrapping fabric is one of my favourite ideas, as you’ll be able to use the same fabric year after year which will just add to the nostalgia of Christmas. I’ve made mine from this beautiful nutcracker ballet design by Andrea Lauren from Spoonflower . For those of you that aren’t familiar with Spoonflower, they are the largest independent design market place. With over 650,000 designs that can be printed on eco-conscious fabrics and papers. And if that isn’t enough choice, they’ll also print your own design. I love that I was able to choose the exact design for my fabric which we’ll be using for years to come.

I literally just sewed a 70cm by 70cm square together, attached two pieces of 1m long ribbon to the corners like this:

To find out how I wrapped it, please watch this:

Now, if sewing isn’t your thing you could just cut a square of fabric with pinking shears to stop it fraying & it doesn’t have to be lined. And if you’d rather buy a re-made one then have a look at Happy Wrap, who do scandi style eco wrapping fabric.

Recycled Wrapping Paper

If you can’t bear for things to look a little homemade, then that’s ok. My advice to you is to buy recycled wrapping paper. Have a look at re-wrapped, Blank Inside Design on Etsy UK, or just buy some recycled brown wrapping paper which you can get in most stationery shops like WHSmith. For years I’ve bought recycled brown paper & then used stamps to decorate it. I bought the stamps from The English Stamp Company and it’s a great activity for children pre-Christmas.

Old Maps

My Dad will shudder as I suggest this, but if you have any old maps hanging around they can look really cool used as wrapping paper. But always check that they aren’t needed first or you may have a unimpressed person to deal with over Christmas.

Reusing Old Paper

As much as I’m a fan of recycling, let’s be honest it still takes energy to recycle. So the best policy is to reuse. We always use old paper to wrap stocking gifts, as they get torn open within a second of Christmas morning. At the end of each festive season we collect all the decent wrapping paper and store it in a cupboard until next year. Admittedly, anything the children open generally has to be recycled. A simple iron and some well placed ribbon or decoration helps to cover up any grotty bits.

Use FSC Paper

If I haven’t managed to convince you with these eco-friendly wrapping paper ideas, and you do decide to buy new wrapping paper, then please make sure it is FSC certified. FSC stands for the Forestry Stewardship Council and they promote responsible forestry that meets the highest environmental and social standards. All Spoonflower’s wrapping paper is FSC certified and has the added bonus that you can choose a design from a huge library or even have your own design printed. If I’d thought about before writing this post, I’d have asked Daisy to do a Christmas design. Another time! The designs I’ve chosen below are: Christmas Ornaments by Andrea Lauren and  4″ Best Friend & Christmas Truck by Shopcabin

A final note, if you’re after eco-friendly tape, then have a look at The Green Stationery Company. They do one that is made from brown 100% recycled paper, with latex adhesive and which is biodegradable. It costs £2.95 for 50m.

Oh, and just to say I’d love to know if you have any eco-friendly wrapping paper ideas that I haven’t thought of. Please comment below or send me a message.

This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Spoonflower, but all opinions are as always my own

This post has affiliate links, which means if you buy something I may make a small commission. Just think of it as a cup of (pink) tea from you to me 🙂