Anytime Alternatives to Wrapping Paper

Trash, Recycling, and Clean Up

Dec 8, 2022

Solid Waste Services always see an increase in waste after the holidays from recyclables, like boxes and wrapping paper, to things that should never go in the blue bin, like Christmas lights and ribbon.

The Environmental Protection Agency states that the US produces 25 percent more waste during the holidays than the rest of the year– equivalent to an extra one million tons headed to the landfill each week. However, in the coming weeks, we will share a few steps anyone can take to recycle correctly and decrease waste during the holidays.

When wrapping presents consider what can be recycled or reused. Most wrapping paper can be recycled if it is free of non-paper additives such as glitter, plastic, or metal, but you can go a step further and use more eco-friendly alternatives such as old newspapers or brown paper bags. The Sunday comics section is a colorful and fun substitute for traditional wrapping paper that you can recycle or throw in your compost bin. If you’re creative and want to personalize the gift further, you can make your own wrapping paper by drawing on a cut-up brown paper bag.

What's even better than wrapping your presents in something recyclable? Utilizing something reusable! Take inspiration from Furoshiki, the traditional Japanese method of using fabric to wrap objects. Cloths such as bandanas or scarves can be elegantly folded around gifts and reused by your gift recipient for years to come.

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