10 Simple Ways to Reuse That Gift Wrap this Holiday!
I don’t know about you but I find much of the traditional gift wrap sold in stores to be – how to say this – tacky. But what’s even tackier is all of the waste that’s created from people opening up a gift, crumbling the paper into a ball and then tossing it in the trash.
You’re better than that.
Since you’ll likely be given gifts wrapped in a number of ways, many of which won’t be green, keep these very practical and easy ideas in mind for re-purposing the gift wrap you’re given this season.
1.) Store the wrapping paper and re-use it. You can iron out any kinks on low heat.
2.) If it’s crumbled beyond repair, keep it anyway! You can just shred it and use it as the filler in gift bags.
3.) You can also used crumbled paper to protect your decorations before storing them for next year.
4.) Re-use wrapping paper to decorate a shoe box then store all of the bows, ribbons and various other accents in it for next year.
5.) Cut out pretty and/or meaningful images and sayings from greeting cards, like those black cards, to create a beautiful holiday collage for next year. Re-use an old frame and wow your guests with a beautiful piece you created. (It will be such a cool talking point when guests enter your home or apartment!)
6.) Paper isn’t the only waste culprit! Save the boxes you’re given. Trust me, the next time you move or need to store something, you’ll be glad you kept them.
7.) Re-use the cardboard rolls from the wrapping paper. You can cut them in half and use them to save your hair ties. If you’re into composting, you can compost the cardboard rolls! Simply cut tubes into small sections and throw in your compost pile. The cardboard will decompose easily!
8.) Recycle! Check that your local authority accepts wrapping paper. Then put it in the bags or boxes provided for collection, or deposit it in the appropriate recycling bank at your nearest center. It’s worth noting that many of the conventional wrapping paper out there contains materials that aren’t accepted for recycling, such as metallic or glitter wrap, dyed and laminated paper or wrap that contains non-paper additives such as gold and silver coloring and plastics.
9.) Re-gift tissue paper and bags.
10.) Plan ahead. Bring a reusable bag along with you so you can keep any gift wrap in it. (Bring a few extra for your family and friends so they can do the same.)
If you’re anything like me, you haven’t started wrapping yet, so it’s not too late to wrap better with our eco-conscious gift wrap ideas.
Here’s to a very happy, less-wasteful holiday season!
Lindsay E. Brown
Lindsay has spent her career at the intersection of media and social change. In her role at Eco-Chick, Lindsay has established partnerships and campaigns with some of the world’s most-recognized companies committed to sustainability and CSR. She co-created the popular interview series “Heroines for the Planet” that features groundbreaking women who share courage and a deep passion for protecting people and the Earth. Lindsay is the Marketing and Sustainability Manager at Health-Ade Kombucha and previously served as Director of Communications at the social enterprise CBS EcoMedia. There she directed corporate advertising dollars to the nation’s most effective non-profits tackling urgent social issues in local communities and was awarded CBS Corporation’s prestigious Share-the-Vision award. She has written for Whole Living Magazine, Edible, Cottages & Gardens, From The Grapevine, EarthHour.org, Eco-Age.com, and for environmentalists Laura Turner Seydel and Susan Rockefeller. Lindsay holds a BS in Global Business Studies and Marketing from Manhattan College, and received the 2012 Honors Award at Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
