Zero Waste Gift Wrapping Tutorial
One thing that inevitably comes up during the winter season is how to wrap gifts sustainably. It is a bit of an oxymoron to me how many people talk/write about zero waste gift wrapping so bear with me as I showcase a few nuances.
Use what you have first.
First off, for the love of all that is green, stop buying new things to do things sustainably. USE WHAT YOU HAVE FIRST, got that hoard of paper, bows, bags, and etc, use it up! Next year, or maybe 5 years from now, you can reproach this issue.
Think about end of life.
Second, please think about end of life and who you are gifting. My family does not have compost, so it needs to be either reusable, recyclable, or burnable. If you wrap a gift in something compostable but maybe not recyclable it goes in the trash. Full stop.
Is it actually sustainable?
Third, is it sustainable?
Is that beautiful paper that can be composted, but is made 6637km away really the most sustainable choice you could make? I know it’s not fun or sexy to ask yourself this question when you want the pretty paper, but ask it anyway and throw the shade my way.
A Tutorial
Lastly, this is a tutorial on how I wrap nearly all of my gifts. No tape needed. I use ugly Kraft paper that I got inside a box from something else, a box I found in my basement, and ribbon I have had since I was married 9 years ago.
If you have more questions about zero waste gift wrapping, feel free to come in during our regular hours and ask away!
This post is short because we are not going to break down systems of oppression that fuel the climate crisis by wrapping our gifts sustainably. I do however understand that sometimes it is important to showcase easy DIYs so that you don’t have to google into the black hole that is the internet.
Marisa