Gorgeous Eco-Friendly Holiday Gift Wrap for the Style Conscious

Holiday gift wrap can be a bit of a waste. Don’t get me wrong, I think the presentation aspect is important – nothing’s more enticing than a beautifully wrapped gift. But, all too often, that gift wrap is made of bleached brand-new paper printed with inks that are far from green, and it just ends up in the trash afterward.  Luckily, there are lots of options out there for the environmentally conscious.

If the kraft paper and raffia look isn’t your thing, check out these three amazing collections of eco-friendly holiday gift wrap: Amy Butler, Erin Ruth and my personal fave, Whimsy. It’s chic, it’s modern, it’s bound to make a huge impression – and it’s just begging for reuse. Save the scraps for handmade cards, decoupage projects, scrapbooking and other creative undertakings.

Here are a few other quick tips for holiday gift wrap that’s kind to the earth:

• Avoid wrapping paper with foil accents. Metallic and foil papers usually can’t be recycled, and in some recycling facilities, if they end up in the mix with other paper, they can ruin a whole batch, making it totally unusable.
• Put gifts in reusable bags, baskets or boxes. It’s classy, and it’s a whole other gift in itself. No worries about this sort of packaging ending up in the trash!
• Instead of bows, use ornaments, hair barrettes, brooches, key chains or other small decorative items that’ll get reused.
• Turn to nature for inspiration. Pinecones, branches, acorns and feathers can provide an unexpected decorative touch.
• While some people might think it’s an etiquette faux pas, I think asking friends and family for the unwanted used gift wrap after a gift-opening extravaganza is perfectly acceptable, unless of course they’re planning on reusing it themselves!