Reusable Gift Wrap and Recyclable Paper: What Actually Works

Reusable wrap, such as fabric gift bags, furoshiki cloths and saved boxes, cuts the most waste because nothing is thrown away. If you use paper, pick plain paper with no foil, glitter or plastic coating. Seattle and Fort Collins accept plain wrapping paper for recycling, but Houston rejects all wrapping paper, so check your local program.

Why reusable wrap beats recyclable paper

The EPA ranks ways of handling materials from most to least preferred. Source reduction and reuse sit at the top, recycling and composting come next, and landfill is last.

Wrapping is a clear case. A cloth bag used for ten Christmases replaces ten rounds of paper, and there is nothing to sort afterward. In a 2006 release, the EPA said household trash rises by 25 percent between Thanksgiving and New Year, an extra 25 million tons, and listed reusing wrapping and cloth among its tips.

Worcestershire County Council makes the same point in plain terms: reusable gift bags and scarf-style wraps can both be reused many times.

Fabric gift bags: what to look for

A drawstring fabric bag is the fastest reusable wrap. Drop the gift in, pull the cord, done. Our fabric gift bags guide covers fabrics, sizes and how often one needs reusing to pay off.

When comparing bags, check the listing for:

• Size in inches or centimeters. Bag sizes vary by seller, so match them to the gifts you give most.
• Fiber content. Cotton, linen, jute and polyester all show up. Natural fibers and synthetic ones have different care needs, so read the label.
• Trim. A drawstring or ribbon tie is simple to reuse. Seattle sends gift bags decorated with foil or glitter to the trash, so plain fabric is easier to deal with at the end.
• Design. A bag in plain or winter colors works for birthdays and other holidays too, which means more uses per bag.

A mixed set of sizes covers most of a family’s gifts, and the bags fold flat for storage.

Furoshiki: a cloth that wraps any shape

A furoshiki is a square Japanese wrapping cloth tied with a knot. It handles awkward shapes that bags do not, such as round tins or long, thin gifts. Kyoto maker Musubi sells them in sizes from 45 cm up to 195 cm, in fabrics from cotton to silk.

Our furoshiki gift wrapping guide covers which size fits which gift and how to tie the basic folds.

Kraft paper and other plain papers

If paper is part of your wrapping, plain paper is the type city programs are most likely to accept. Seattle Public Utilities accepts “plain wrapping paper” with no foil, glitter or plastic coating, and adds a simple rule: if it tears easily like paper, it is likely recyclable.

Plain brown kraft paper fits that description when it has no metallic print, glitter or laminated finish. So does newspaper, which the EPA and Fort Collins both suggest as wrapping. Cardboard wrapping paper tubes are also accepted in Seattle.

The EPA’s 2006 tips also advised avoiding foil and plastic-embossed paper, which it said use more resources to make.

Is wrapping paper recyclable? It depends on your city

There is no national rule. Each local program sets its own list, and three city programs show how much they differ:

Seattle’s guidance also says that when in doubt, it is better to put a questionable item in the trash than to risk contaminating the recycling.

Look up your city or county’s recycling list before the holidays. Many have an A to Z search where you can type “wrapping paper.”

The scrunch test

Several UK councils promote a quick check called the scrunch test. Recycle for Greater Manchester puts it simply: if you can scrunch the paper into a ball and it stays scrunched, you can recycle it. Worcestershire County Council adds that paper which springs back likely has plastic mixed in.

Treat it as a guide for sorting a mixed pile, not as permission. It does not override a US program that rejects wrapping paper outright, as Houston’s does.

Reuse ideas that cost nothing

The EPA’s holiday tips suggest wrapping with materials already in the house:

• last year’s wrapping paper, smoothed and reused
• cloth, such as scarves and cloth napkins
• newsprint and old maps
• old holiday cards cut down into gift tags
• old boxes, reused from earlier years

Wrapping with less also pairs well with gifts that come with little packaging. See our low-waste Christmas gifts by interest for ideas, and top a plain parcel with a dried orange slice or sprig of greenery from our guide to natural Christmas decorations.

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