Kraft Paper Gift Wrap: Is It a Greener Way to Wrap Gifts?

Kraft paper is a greener way to wrap gifts when it is plain, carries a stated recycled share and is tied with natural twine instead of plastic ribbon. Plain paper with no foil or glitter is what programs such as Portland and Seattle accept, but some cities reject all wrapping paper, and printed or coated kraft loses that advantage.

What kraft paper is and why it is brown

Kraft paper is paper made with the kraft pulping process. Chemist Carl Ferdinand Dahl of Danzig, now Gdańsk, received a US patent for his process of making cellulose from wood in 1884. The pulp made stronger paper, and the name comes from the German word for strength.

Kraft paper is light brown when left unbleached, and it can be bleached white for printing. A brown roll is simply the paper before that bleaching step.

The strength matters for gift wrap. A sturdy sheet tears less when it comes off, which makes it easier to fold away and use again next year.

When kraft paper gift wrap is the greener choice

Kraft paper gift wrap is the greener choice under a few conditions, and each one can be checked on the label or in your city’s list.

The FTC Green Guides warn sellers against broad claims such as “eco-friendly” because they are hard to back up. Specific statements, such as a recycled share or an FSC label, tell you more.

Recycled kraft paper labels explained

Recycled kraft paper labels follow FTC rules. Under the Green Guides, a seller can call a product “recycled” without qualification only if the whole item, minor parts aside, is made from recycled material. A roll that is only partly recycled should state the share by weight, such as “50% recycled content.”

The Forest Stewardship Council runs a separate label. FSC Recycled means the product is made with 100% recycled fiber; FSC Mix combines FSC-certified, recycled and controlled material; FSC 100% means all virgin material from FSC-certified forests.

Recycling kraft paper wrap after Christmas

Recycling kraft paper wrap depends on your city. Portland accepts wrapping paper and gift bags made only of paper, with no foil or glitter. Seattle accepts plain wrapping paper and gives a quick test: if it tears easily like paper, it is likely recyclable.

Other programs are stricter. Houston’s curbside list names wrapping paper as not accepted, whatever it is made of. Our guide to reusable gift wrap and recyclable paper compares city lists in a table.

Printed kraft needs a closer look. Metallic stars, foil stamping or glitter put the sheet in the rejected group; for other prints, your program’s own list has the answer.

Twine, tape and handles on kraft wrap

The extras on a kraft parcel decide whether it stays simple to sort at the end.

Twine. Natural-fiber string is the natural partner for kraft. Calgary, in Canada, asks residents to reuse usable cotton, jute, sisal and hemp twine and to put worn-out natural-fiber string in its green (compost) cart. Portland keeps ribbon and yarn out of recycling, so plastic ribbon does not mix with paper in the bin.

Tape. Using less tape makes a sheet easier to unwrap and reuse, and leaves less to peel off before plain paper goes in the bin. Our guide to recyclable wrapping paper sorts the other wrap types.

Gift bag handles. Calgary recycles paper bags with paper handles as they are, but asks residents to remove ribbons, rope handles and metal rivets first. Seattle sends gift bags with handles to the trash, so check your list before the bag goes in.

Kraft paper compared with reusable wrap

Kraft paper ranks below reusable wrap on waste. Fabric bags and wrapping cloths skip the bin entirely and come back every year, and the EPA puts reuse above recycling. Our furoshiki gift wrapping guide covers cloth sizes and simple folds.

Kraft fits when you need paper, for a parcel to mail or a gift you will not get back. Plain kraft also takes simple natural trims: a dried orange slice or a sprig of greenery from our guide to natural Christmas decorations.

For trees and decorations as well as wrapping, start at the eco-friendly Christmas guide.