There’s nothing quite like the feeling of handing someone you love a beautifully wrapped Christmas present. And though the gift itself represents your generosity and love, the presentation is the ultimate finishing touch, letting the receiver know just how much time and thought you put into making their gift extra special. But if you’re not careful, your lovely wrapping job can come at a price—and we don’t just mean the price of the supplies.
Unfortunately, a lot of wrapping paper that’s being sold in stores cannot be recycled, and ultimately ends up in the landfill. So, while it might look lovely in the days (or maybe minutes) before it’s torn apart, it makes a big impact on the environment in the long run.
The adverse effects of wrapping paper waste have led people away from single-use paper, and toward reusable and sustainable (plus stylish) options. In fact, the piles of landfill-bound wrapping paper that litter living rooms on Christmas Day inspired Jane Park to found Tokki, a reusable gift wrap company.
Park says that one easy and eco-friendly way to refresh your giving style this year is wrapping gifts in cloth—a material that can be used over and over again, and repurposed after the fact. While it does take a little more planning, and a slightly different mindset than you may be used to, the payoff will be worth it—for your presents and for the planet.
MARTY BALDWIN
Why Fabric Wraps Have Become So Popular
A few years back, Park took a look at her post-Christmas morning living room, and tried to pick out the wrapping materials she’d be able to recycle. But she soon discovered that almost every piece of wrapping paper had to be thrown in the trash—whether it was covered in sparkles, had textured elements, or was coated in plastics, most of her wrapping paper was non-recyclable. Instead of getting upset at the waste, Park was inspired to make a change in how she was wrapping.
“There were twelve of us and six bags of trash—too much to even put into the bin at one time,” says Park. “That’s when I remembered that my grandmother used to wrap our most precious gifts in squares of silk. My grandmother was born in 1905—isn’t it amazing that she was the one who introduced me to reuse and reducing waste? I loved reviving this Korean tradition and introducing it to my American kids.”
And Park isn’t the only one looking to reduce her negative impact on the environment. Reusable wrapping paper is one part of a larger movement, with people across the world becoming more aware of how individual choices stack up—and learning how to live more sustainably. Park says that the cloth wrapping trend has taken off for this reason.
“Even when we don’t have the perfect solution, taking a step towards doing a little better for the environment has become so important,” says Park. “A critical first step is breaking up with as many ‘single use’ products as we can—i.e. tissue paper and wrapping paper. It’s so exciting to see how many people are refilling their own water bottles at airports these days, and I think we can do the same with gift wrap!”
DOMINIQUE VORILLON
How to Try Cloth Gift Wraps This Year
Getting started with fabric wrapping may seem a bit daunting if you’ve never strayed from the colorful store-bought paper that’s become the norm. But luckily, it’s incredibly easy to jump on this trend—and it takes a bit of the presentation pressure off your shoulders! You don’t need to recreate the store-bought wrapping or bows to package a gift with style, says Park.
“The most important thing about wrapping with fabric is to give up on the idea of perfection,” she says. “You’re not trying to recreate the perfect corner that you can with single use paper. The beauty is in the organic flow.”
Just about any kind of fabric can be reused as wrapping paper, but you don’t have to stick with strictly cloth, says Park. Mix in other materials—including recyclable paper and ribbons, if you like—to create a cohesive, festive look that doesn’t detract from gift giving.
“It’s absolutely okay to mix in twine or reused ribbon,” says Park. “A lot of times people feel like they have to use just the cloth alone. Wrapping a bottle of wine in fabric gift wrap and then tying the neck with kitchen string is one of my favorite ways to gift wine.”
One of the best parts of using fabric gift wrap is that it gives you the ability to get creative and customize your wrapping—you don’t have to stick to what you can find in the store. Plus, you can take the wrapping to the next level by packaging gifts with something your loved one will be able to use as well. It’s two presents in one! Opt for a baby blanket as the gift wrap for a little one’s gift, or a college t-shirt to wrap a graduation gift, for example.
“I love making the gift wrap part of the gift,” says Park. “So using a colorful kitchen towel or cloth napkin as wrapping paper is a fun way to use cloth, with the added bonus of having the person think of you each time they are in their kitchen. I’ve also been known to use a large red sheet to ‘wrap’ large items like a bicycle or a mattress topper. The key is to get creative with reusable options!”
Even if the wrapping doesn’t go home with the gift’s recipient, keeping reuse in mind is absolutely important when it comes to cloth and fabric—Park notes that, depending on the material, single-use fabric can actually have a higher carbon footprint than single-use paper.
Though wrapping with fabric won’t always look as picture-perfect as the elaborate papers, ribbons, and bows you’re probably used to, it’s a wrapping technique that you and your loved ones can feel good about, long after the holiday season has passed. Its unique appeal and eco-friendly edge add yet another level of thoughtfulness, right in line with the holiday spirit.