Christmas is well and truly on its way, but for a lot of us, the Christmas presents still aren’t wrapped.
Unfortunately, rushing to the shops and grabbing the nearest roll of wrapping paper could have a huge impact on the planet. Any paper that has glitter, foil, or plastic on it cannot go in the recycling bin. If you’re not sure, try the “scrunch test”. Scrunch paper into a ball, if it stays scrunched it’s recyclable (unless covered in glitter) and if it unravels it’s not recyclable.
In the UK, we use approximately 227,000 miles of wrapping paper every single year and will put around 108 million rolls of wrapping paper in the bin. That means that 50,000 trees are cut down each year to wrap our presents.
Never fear though! There is a way to get presents wrapped, quickly, easily, and with a substantially reduced carbon impact. Here’s how...
Wrap things in one
It can seem really tempting to wrap all of your gifts separately. We get it, it looks great on Instagram! However, why not try wrapping gifts for one person in one package? If you’re using wrapping paper you’ll hugely reduce the waste you’re creating, as you’ll use less paper.
To save even more time and waste, why not consider placing your gifts into a recyclable bag or even a reusable stocking? Your gift will still look great, and it’s quick and easy to do.
https://ecovibe.co.uk/products/christmas-bottle-bags-set-of-3
https://ecovibe.co.uk/products/pack-of-three-gift-bags
No sellotape? No worries!
Sellotape is made from polypropylene, a type of plastic that is not recyclable. Luckily, there are some simple ways to avoid it this Christmas.
Rather than traditional wrapping paper, use malleable materials like tissue paper or fabric and just use a ribbon or some string to tie it up.
There are even ways to use wrapping paper and no tape or ribbon at all. Here’s a great tutorial. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TA4Whui_xA
Remember: when opening your presents at Christmas, remove any sellotape from recyclable wrapping paper before you pop it in the recycling!
See what’s in the house
Are you sure you used up all your materials from last year? Check your usual cupboards to make sure that you don’t have lots of wrapping materials hanging around. Reusing old wrapping paper is a great way of cutting your environmental impact, especially if you’ve got some old paper that isn’t recyclable.
If you’ve only got small bits and pieces of paper lying around, embrace it! Go for a mismatched festive theme, use really small bits of paper as tags, and just wrap the main parts of a gift’s box, or even use two complementing pieces to wrap one gift.
Replace hampers with sacks
When was the last time you had a sack load of presents? Yes, hampers feel very adult and grown-up, but if there ever was a time to feel like a kid, it’s Christmas! (And don’t get us started on the cellophane on most hampers…)
This year, why not embrace sacks? Unlike hampers, which literally present you with all of your gifts, sacks encourage you to dig around which we think sounds pretty fun!
For the wrapper, you don’t have to think about how to wrap awkwardly shaped gifts either. It’s win win.
We have some sacks that are recyclable and can be reused Christmas after Christmas.
https://ecovibe.co.uk/products/christmas-paper-sack
Avoid wrapping big gifts
Been extra generous this Christmas? Things like bikes or scooters are really hard to wrap and they never look great when they’ve been wrapped anyway unless they’re still in their box.
Instead, add some fun to Christmas morning and hide your gift. You can be as creative as you like. Perhaps you could create a treasure map or a scavenger hunt? If the thought of something elaborate fills you with dread, keep things simple, use a Christmas card and tell somebody exactly where they can find their present, it could be just outside the front door!
Remember the finishing touches
Regardless of how lazy you’re feeling, a few finishing touches can make a gift look fantastic and the recipient will feel extra special.
Whether it’s adding a few sprigs of foliage, some cinnamon sticks, or some Christmas decorations, it’s really easy to elevate your gifts. We recently shared some ideas for finishing touches that will help inspire you.
If you want to keep things super simple, a recyclable tag with a sweet message will always make your gifts look great.
https://ecovibe.co.uk/products/christmas-gift-tags
Worried you’ve run out of time? At EcoVibe we offer all our customers in the UK the opportunity to purchase a full tracked 24-hour delivery for orders placed before 2pm Monday to Friday.
If you’ve got a bit more time, all orders over £35 receive a free 48 hour tracked service anyway!
Feeling inspired? READY, STEADY, WRAP!