Getting gifts right: Making presents without unnecessary waste

Christmas preparations are almost complete: you have all gifts, the menu is set, the Christmas tree is standing (almost straight?) and nicely decorated. Now there's not much left to do… If there wasn’t the wrapping of all the presents. But how can we stay true to being sustainable, while wrapping our gifts in a creative and beautiful way?

Find out how you can stay away from wasteful wrapping paper and make this the most sustainable Christmas ever!

Photo by Jazmin Quaynor on Unsplash

1. Keep it Classy
Upcycle your newspaper! Do you already have a newspaper or magazine subscription and don't know what to do with all the paper waste? Simply use the newspaper as your gift wrapping! You can wrap it around the present in such a way that you can see beautiful motifs (for example from the travel section) or keep it simple and wrap it so that only text is visible (especially nice for books!). If you are keen to dive deeper, you can try out different folding techniques or work little branches or other reused materials into the wrapping. Still not enough? Decorate the paper with ink or stamps!

Photo by http://craftandcreativity.com/

2. Keep it Practical
With this technique, you kill two birds with one stone: use a second present to wrap the first! Presents like scarves, kitchen towels, socks, t-shirts or bags are perfect for wrapping and putting other presents inside. Have a look at this Pinterest page where you can find lots of inspiration for creative wrapping techniques!

Photo by rikumo.com 

3. Make it Special
Especially for small presents like jewelry, it's possible to come up with exceptional zero-waste gift wrapping ideas! Collect colourful leaves on a walk and wrap the ring or necklace with them. Or what about turning a walnut into a gorgeous jewelry case? Walk with open eyes through your garden, the park or the forest, and you will find many unique gift wrapping ideas that nobody else has thought about! By the way, natural materials are also perfect for decoration! If you don't have small presents that fit into a walnut or something similar, you can still use branches and leaves to make your gifts more beautiful! Who could have thought that we could combine a cosy winter walk so well with our Christmas preparation? 

Photo by Nynne Schrøder on Unsplash 

4. Be transparent
If you are giving away something self-made or something you baked, you don't actually need to wrap it. A large jar with a creative tag can look really beautiful and can be reused by the recipient in the future. Sometimes, less is definitely more! If you are giving something larger, think about what you will transport it in. Maybe you have an old picnic basket that's been lying around forever? Simply repurpose it to a creative gift basket!


5. 'Reuse, Refuse, Recycle'
If you keep in mind these three famous R's, then your options for zero-waste gift wrapping are simply endless! You can go with the already mentioned newspaper, or simply upcycle wrapping paper that you still have. If you have old maps lying around on your shelves, they are also a perfect alternative to ordinary gift wrapping paper and they really stand out under the Christmas tree with their special patterns. For small presents, use a cloth or pages from books that you would throw out anyway. Small boxes of old jewellery can be found in every drawer and perhaps you can still find an old wicker basket or briefcase in the cellar? We promise, there are no limits to your creativity when it comes to zero-waste gift wrapping this Christmas! For some more inspiration, you can take a look here.

Feel like getting started with your gift wrapping and going with a sustainable option? We are very curious and would love it if you share your personal ideas for zero-waste gift wrapping with us! Post your creations and ideas on social media under #orbasicsnowaste and inspire your friends, to go zero-waste this year as well! Ready - set - wrap!

Photo by Helena Hertz on Unsplash