6 eco-friendly gift wrap alternatives

Wrapping paper is just that: paper that's been decorated to make a festive wrapping. When you think about it, there are lots of large sheets of paper available in our everyday lives. If you get the newspaper delivered to your house, think about saving up a week's worth for your holiday wrapping needs (the Sunday morning comics make for the most colorful wrapping, but even classifieds will suffice!). You can also opt for paper bags at the grocery store, making sure not to crumple them too much on the way into the house. When it comes time to wrap, use scissors to cut up one seam of the bag. This will enable you to lay it flat like a single sheet of wrapping paper. Same thing for the newspaper, which already comes in conveniently trimmed rectangles. Stickers, crayon, paint, and glitter can be employed to jazz up the final product.

'Tis the season for gift giving! During the holidays, <a href="http://inhabitat.com/greenholidaygiftguide/">finding the right gift</a> is only half the battle. Whether it's a <a href="http://inhabitat.com/greenholidaygiftguide/eco-friendly-diy-gifts-you-can-make-yourself/pumpkin-chocolate-chip-muffins/">DIY</a>, upcycled, or <a href="http://inhabitat.com/greenholidaygiftguide/eco-friendly-and-green-gifts-under-50/wine-bottle-rocks-glasses-39-99/">store-bought gift</a>, you've still got to find a way to wrap it up. For decades, we've relied on massive rolls of printed paper wrapping to hide our presents from prying eyes. Yet every year, it only takes a few seconds to unwrap a gift, and all that shredded paper <a href="http://inhabitat.com/the-cost-of-christmas-millions-of-tons-of-non-recyclable-packaging/">heads off to the landfill</a>. In the interest of reducing waste (over the holidays and every day), we decided to collect a variety of creative, more sustainable ways to wrap a holiday gift. Some are <a href="http://inhabitat.com/recycled-materials">recycled</a>, some are reuseable, but all will allow you to enjoy a holiday that's filled with fun, not waste.

Fabric is the perfect reuseable material for wrapping presents because it comes in lots of colors and patterns just like wrapping paper. In Japan, fabric wrapping is so prevalent, <a href="http://inhabitat.com/reusable-silk-gift-wrapping-by-biota-collection/">it's become an art form</a>. Called "furoshiki" this practice uses time-honored techniques to create a package that is both lovely and completely covered. Look around your house for festive pillow cases, sheets, tablecloths, old drapes, or even socks that are the right size for your gift. If you don't have any suitable fabric lying around, consider pre-made versions like <a href="http://www.rewrapables.com" target="_blank">ReWrapables</a> or <a href="http://inhabitat.com/green-gift-wrap-idea-bobo-wrap-scarves/">BoBo Wrap</a>. Fabric can be knotted, pinned, or tied with a ribbon. After presents are opened, simply fold and store for next year!

Clay pots come in all shapes and sizes and are relatively easy to find at thrift stores or gardening outlets. Think about decorating the outside of the pot with paint or markers before nestling your present inside. If the pot comes with a dish for catching water, simply invert the dish and use it as a lid to cover your gift. If no drip tray is available, set the pot in the center of a large square of fabric. Bring the edges up in a bundle over the top of the pot and secure with ribbon or and elastic. Voila! A personalized gift package that can be reused in the summer time!

Don't have time to decorate your packages after the fact? No worries. Old maps and calendars are another source of relatively large sheets of paper that are already colorful in their own right. Since almost everyone in the world depends on Google to provide directions from point A to point B, there's little chance that you'll be searching for a paper map anytime soon. Calendars are only relevant for 365 days before becoming outdated forever but many have funny or beautiful images within. Instead of tossing these paper goods, keep them around as convenient wrapping for holiday and birthday gifts.

Gift bags have long been preferred among earth-loving gift givers because they involve no tape or folding, and they're easy to reuse next year. If you're very careful, even the cheap paper gift bags available a discount stores can be preserved for several years. Over time, however, the bags become crinkled and worn, losing some of their holiday appeal. Overcome this problem by creating or purchasing resueable gift bags made from fabric. Burlap, flannel, and cotton make the best gift bag material, but literally any fabrics can be transformed into a gift bag with just a few seconds of sewing. If you're not the needle and thread type, consider a pre-made variety like <a href="http://wrapsacks.com/" target="_blank">WrapSacks</a> or <a href="http://www.livingethos.com/" target="_blank">LivingEthos</a>.

Old habits die hard. If you can't get excited about upcycled alternatives, or are wrapping a really special gift for that really special someone and need everything to be perfect, don't despair. Over the past few years, lots of companies have gotten on the green wagon, creating wrapping paper that looks and feels like the stuff you remember, only no trees are sacrificed in its making. Look for brands like <a href="http://www.fishlipspaperdesigns.com" target="_blank">FishLips</a>, <a href="http://www.greenfieldpaper.com/AWSCategories/p/19/100%20RECYCLED%20GIFT%20WRAP" target="_blank">Green Field Paper Company</a>, and <a href="http://www.shopecosaurus.com/index.html" target="_blank">Ecosaurus</a> which use post-consumer recycled waste and a chemical-free treatment process to create their wrapping.

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