It was the morning of my daughter’s birthday when I realised that we completely run out of wrapping paper. So, normally in a situation like that, I would find a newspaper and wrap a gift in it, but instead, I took one of our new and clean kitchen towels and wrapped her present in it and tied with a ribbon.
This was the moment I knew we never will be buying wrapping paper again. All our presents are now being wrapped in pretty scarves, table cloths, and fabrics that are easily found in thrift shops.
The fabric feels so much better in hands and you can reuse it many years in a row. Just imagine how many resources are used to produce something that is designed to be torn and tossed away in a matter of seconds. Also, when you think about it, wrapping paper is not something that’s hard to give up altogether.
According to a report from Sundale Research, a total of $12.7 billion on gift wrap was spent in 2017 in the US alone. Most of those wrapping materials are lined with plastic and can not be recycled.
In case you find yourself in a similar situation this festive season, I would highly recommend giving good old fabric wrapping idea a go.
Cloth present wrapping can become a part of a gifting experience when children use their imagination and creativity to
- cross-stitch
- sew a picture
- sew a special message
- personalise by sewing a person’s name
- use natural dyes to colour white fabric
- think of creative ways to recycle old fabrics
- sew a gift bag
Experiences of such kind create an important opportunity to practice mindful giving and delayed gratification.
Another creative alternative to wrapping paper was shared by Teresa on FB: “We use the newspaper that we have used all year to protect the table from a paint”.
I believe in is the time we revived the tradition of wrapping gifts into the fabric that has been around from the dawn of time and is still very popular in Japan.
Here are some gorgeous handmade alternatives to wrapping paper for Christmas, birthday or any other occasion:
As I mentioned earlier, thrift shops are ideal places to find all the materials that you may need to create a gorgeous wrapping for your present.
Also if you would like to get hold of personalised materials you can use, Etsy is a perfect place to find it.
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