Many of us will offer gifts for Christmas or the new year. Here are some ideas for more sustainable alternatives to wrapping gifts with the traditional paper… MyZeroWaste offers five creative solutions.
Here are some extracts of the original article :
Furoshiki
Furoshiki is a great way to flex your creative muscle and it’s the gift that keeps on giving!
Put simply, furoshiki is the art of wrapping gifts in fabric and you can make some amazing designs.
From rabbits to handbags to strawberries you’re only limited by your imagination.
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Reuse
My Grandma used to carefully unwrap gifts then IRON the paper.
And now I’m a bit ashamed to admit that I used to take the you-know-what out of her.
As I get older I realise I have the Grandma gene in me as well. So why not reuse paper and save a few trees?
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Maps, newspapers and magazines
If you have the time to carefully select the right paper you can make a stunning, personalised gift wrap.
Imagine a gift wrapped in an old map of an area that is special to the recipient. Or a newspaper wrapped gift that has someone’s favourite football star on?
Have a rummage through the recycling bin and see what you can salvage.
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Gifts by post
If you’re posting gifts you need them to arrive safely to avoid breakages or damage, otherwise you might have even MORE waste on your conscience!
I can’t remember the last time I bought new padded envelopes; I carefully open the ones I receive and put them away for reuse. Likewise bubble wrap (if I can resist popping all the bubbles).
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Art work
How many parents can’t bear to throw out their kid’s art work, but have every available surface covered in it?
Using it as gift wrap is a way to reduce your own clutter without feeling guilty for throwing away a masterpiece.
While work colleagues might not appreciate a stick man wrapping their pressie, it’s sure to be a winner with Grandparents or doting Aunties.