Eco friendly ways to pack your presents this Christmas

Pairing eco conscious, with the perfect festive aesthetics can be tricky. Throughout the holiday season, the equivalent of 108 rolls of wrapping paper is discarded by the British public each year.

Here are some ways to help to decrease this figure and still see the smile on your loved ones’ faces as you give them a gift.

Recycle!

There is no shame in saving paper bags, cardboard boxes, newspapers . its a great way to avoid buying an extensive amount of single- use wrapping paper. They can even be decorated for the extra personal touch with stamps, lettering, holly branches, ribbons. Maybe switch out that tissue paper of shredded scrap paper. If you're packaging food, why don't you ditch the clingfilm for a greaseproof bag to keep things just as fresh.

Stockings

A Christmas classic that can be reused every year. They come in a variety of sizes and are super easy to hand make if you want to go the extra step. 

The string method.   

Accessibility is important. The string method is an easy and efficient way to help those loved ones who struggle to unwrap gifts. 

Want to have a go?
You will need:

• String or ribbon
• Tape
• Gift wrap of your choice
• Fun labels, beads

Method

•  First take your string and measure it around the gift. You want it to be able to   wrap around once, with extra to be left out at the end. This will be pulled on to tear the paper on Christmas.

• Tape the string to the gift lightly and wrap the string around it.

• Next wrap your gift as usual, making sure the string stays wrapped around it (use tape to keep in place as needed) and that there is a length of string left outside of the wrapped present.

• And you're done! You can add beads or a paper label to the remaining string outside of the box to keep things pretty and easy to grab onto.

Jars and Furoshiki

Both eco friendly ways in wrapping your presents this year. Collecting jars throughout the year to store little gifts is cute and somewhat vintage-looking if you like that sort of thing. Again these can be super personalised and reused by the receiver of this gift.

Furoshiki is a Japanese method in wrapping objects. Get some colourful fabric and wrap your gifts like this helps to avoid the never ending bags of wrapping paper being thrown in the bin.

Avoid plastic tape!

Washi tape or paper tape serves a a great eco friendly alternative to plastic tape. It         comes in many fun patterns and colours and in many cases can replace ribbons.  Consider wrapping your presents to resemble a cracker too... no tape involved and still keeps in with the festive spirit.