Try the art of furoshiki
A Japanese tradition that dates back several centuries, furoshiki consists of wrapping the gift in a fabric by practicing folding and knotting techniques. In Japan, it is customary for the person giving the gift to keep the furoshiki for later reuse. To preserve the ecological aspect of this method, however, it is better not to buy new fabrics.
Choose scarves or clothes that you no longer wear, or go to the thrift store near you. To add a finishing touch to your gift, decorate it, for example, with a fir branch or a pine cone that you have found on the ground. Tie a ribbon of fabric to retain the decoration and voila!
Here is a simple method of wrapping a gift with the furoshiki technique:
Reuse what you have on hand
Pick up newspaper, old road maps, or magazine pages that collect dust.
One method is to wrap a box and its lid individually. This way, there is no need to tear the packaging, and it allows you to reuse the box many times. You can for example use a shoebox.
Go for kraft paper
Most gift wrap cannot be recycled. Glossy laminated paper, and anything that is shiny, glittery, and metallic in appearance will contaminate the entire batch if thrown away with recyclable paper. This is where kraft paper comes in: it is biodegradable and recyclable.
Let your creativity run wild when decorating a gift wrapped in kraft paper. To complete the rustic look of the paper, decorate the gifts with natural materials like pine cones, dried plants or dried orange slices.
Customize tote bags
Finding eco-friendly gift bags is easier than you might think. First, you can use a tote bag as a gift bag. Or better yet, create a personalized tote bag, and the recipient will use it for years.
If you love sewing, there are ways to make reusable, eco-friendly fabric gift bags yourself. Look in your closet for pillowcases, scarves, sweaters that you no longer wear, and anything that can be reused, and that is still in good condition.
Create gift boxes
Now is the time for you to go through all of your reusable boxes. If you don't have one in good enough condition, there is also a way to make an eco-friendly gift box yourself. All you need is a roll of toilet paper.
The advantage of this wrapping idea is that you can let the children wrap the small gifts as well. It's quick, easy, and you won't even need scissors or tape. Just fold both ends of the roll and you're good to go.
Use glass jars
Glass jars can be used as original gift wrapping. If you don't have one at home, be sure to save the jar the next time you buy a food item stored in a glass jar. You can also ask around: your family and friends will certainly have unused glass jars in their home.Add a personal touch by decorating the jar with cinnamon sticks, candy canes, eucalyptus leaves or carved wood. If you have any fabric scraps from the furoshiki wrapper, use them to cover the top of the jar and tie it with string.
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