You don't need new wrapping paper for every gift. A tea towel tied furoshiki-style, a reusable tote, or a plain box with ribbon all wrap just as well, and some of them double as a second small gift once the paper would have been thrown away.
Wrapping Materials at a Glance
| Material | Best for | After the gift is opened |
|---|---|---|
| Fabric (tea towel, furoshiki-style) | Boxes and awkward shapes | Reusable as a towel, not thrown away |
| Reusable tote or bag | Clothing and soft items | Reusable for future gifts or errands |
| Plain paper and ribbon | A clean finish on a tricky shape | Paper recyclable if it passes the scrunch test; ribbon reusable |
| Foil or glitter paper | Looks festive | Not recyclable; can contaminate a recycling batch |
Sources: Florida Museum of Natural History, "Action of the Week: Furoshiki Fabric Wrapping." and City of Raleigh, NC, "Anytime Alternatives: Wrapping Paper."
Furoshiki: Wrapping with Fabric Instead of Paper
Furoshiki is a traditional Japanese method of wrapping gifts in a square of fabric rather than paper. A square cotton tea towel (see our cotton tea towel guide) works well for this: wrap it around a box, gather the corners, and tie them in a knot on top, no tape needed. The towel itself becomes part of the gift instead of getting torn off and thrown away.
Source: Florida Museum of Natural History, "Action of the Week: Furoshiki Fabric Wrapping."
Reusable Bags Instead of Wrapping Paper
A sweater or other soft item can go straight into a reusable tote or bag rather than paper (see our sweater gift guide), which is especially useful for clothing and other odd shapes that rarely wrap cleanly in paper anyway.
If You Do Use Paper, Check It Can Actually Be Recycled
Foil, glitter and most metallic wrapping paper can't go in curbside recycling, and a batch of it can contaminate an otherwise recyclable load, according to recycling guidance from the city of Raleigh, NC. A quick test: scrunch a piece of paper into a ball. If it stays balled up instead of springing back open, it's probably not recyclable.
Source: City of Raleigh, NC, "Anytime Alternatives: Wrapping Paper."
Wrapping a Gift Card So It Doesn't Look Like an Afterthought
Tuck a gift card into a small fabric pouch, the fold of a furoshiki knot, or a holiday card, rather than handing it over bare in its original envelope.
When Plain Paper and Ribbon Still Win
For an awkward shape you need a genuinely clean finish on, standard paper and ribbon is still the simplest option. If you haven't settled on the actual gift yet, browse our full shop guide index for ideas before worrying about how to wrap it.
What to look for
- A square tea towel or scarf wraps a box as well as paper, and it's a second small gift.
- Skip foil and glitter paper if you care about it being recyclable.
- Clothing and odd shapes often wrap faster in a bag than in paper.
- Tuck a gift card into a fold or pouch rather than leaving it bare.
- Save ribbon and bows, they're reusable year to year unlike paper.
FAQ
- What is furoshiki gift wrapping?
- A traditional Japanese method of wrapping gifts in a square of fabric instead of paper, with the corners gathered and tied in a knot rather than taped.
- Can glitter or foil wrapping paper be recycled?
- Generally no. It can contaminate an otherwise recyclable batch, and a simple scrunch test, where the paper stays balled up rather than springing open, helps tell if a paper is recyclable.
- How should I wrap a gift card so it doesn't look last-minute?
- Tuck it into a small pouch, a fabric fold, or a card, rather than handing it over bare in its original packaging.
