Eco-friendly gift wrapping: Give joy not planet pain

Presents wrapped in glossy, glittery paper adorned with metallic bows might make your Christmas extra special, but they make a dent in the planet’s environmental sustainability. 

That is because shiny paper is not recyclable and ends up first in the rubbish bin and then in a landfill site. The problem is that South Africa has a severe lack of available space for landfills, which also release harmful gases into the soil and atmosphere.

While South Africa does not record the amount of wrapping paper that is sent to landfill sites, UK company Business Waste reports that around 365 200km of Christmas wrapping paper is thrown away every year. 

Don’t worry, the recycling Grinch is not stealing Christmas

Fortunately, by choosing ‘green’ wrapping options or recyclable wrapping paper, you can still have beautiful gifts under the tree without placing extra strain on the environment.

But how do you know what wrapping is recyclable? According to waste management business Interwaste, any paper that contains sparkles, glitter, sequins, foils, artificial texture or plastic is either ‘very hard to recycle or not recyclable at all’.

There is a simple test you can do, called the scrunch test. If you crumple a piece of paper in your hand and it stays scrunched up when you open your fist, it is recyclable. If it bounces back, it is not.

Watch: The scrunch test:

If you use wrapping paper that passes the scrunch test, it is important not to bin it. Keep it separate from your non-recyclable waste and take it to a recycling centre. Many shopping centres have recycling bins available to the public.

Note that sticky tape is not recyclable, so remove it from your gift paper and put it in the bin. Or better yet, find creative ways to secure gifts without using sticky tape.

According to the Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa (Pamsa), the paper recycling rate for 2022 was 61%. This means the country recycled just less than 1.3 million tonnes of paper and paper packaging in 2022. The same amount would fill 1 502 Olympic-sized swimming pools. 

“More importantly, it saved 3.8 million cubic metres of landfill space, and ensured that the paper industry could re-use the fibre in cardboard boxes, grocery bags, egg boxes, newspapers, and tissue products,” explains Samantha Choles, Pamsa’s communications manager.

Go back to nature

Theresa McGill (aka Miss Milly), who has a small studio in Skukuza in the Kruger National Park, creates beautiful paper products and meaningful gifts that are inspired by her love of nature.

A passionate environmentalist, she shared her top five gift-wrapping ideas with Caxton Network News:

1. Fabric as gift wrap: It is a sustainable alternative to traditional paper. For instance, consider using a beautiful tea towel to wrap a fridge notepad in; it doubles up as gift wrapping and a gift.
2. Reusable fabric ribbon: Can be untied and used again.
3. Glass or tin: It is reusable and has a beautiful and unique aesthetic.
4. Hemp twine: Use natural hemp or jute twine to tie up your gift, instead of synthetic options. Jute twine is made from 100% natural fibre from the corchorus (jute) plant.
5. Natural elements: Add natural elements, such as dried flowers, to decorate your gifts.

Keep it green

Kate Stubbs, marketing director of Interwaste, shares these five gifting and wrapping ideas: 

1. Unused fabric: If you have unused fabric, you can find creative ways to use it to wrap a gift. Furoshiki are Japanese wrapping cloths traditionally used to carry gifts and other goods. The method used in Japan can be replicated with any fabric. Best of all, the fabric can be reused and the Furoshiki method does not require sticky tape.

2. Use recyclable paper: Consider using kraft paper (brown paper made from wood pulp, a renewable resource). Your gifts will have a unique and rustic feel – and you can get your children involved with decorating the kraft paper to make it even more special for family and friends. You could even use the pages from old magazines or map books you have lying around.
3. Glass jars: Home-made food items can be such a considerate gift. Glass jars can be filled with home-made biscuits or sauces, sweets, or small, fun items. Think men’s survival or grooming kits, mommy’s favourite bath treats, or even an emergency kit for load-shedding. 
4. Bees wax: You can also use bee wax wraps to wrap your gifts. These are biodegradable and can be re-used to cover and store food in your fridge or for children’s tuck boxes – you don’t need to throw them away. 
5. Avoid sticky tape: Sticky/cellophane tape can cause issues at recycling centres. So, if you can, rather get creative with natural string, paper clips, or reusable ribbons.

Be creative

Caxton Network News team members share their tips:

1. Keep old copies of your local newspaper and use these A3-sized sheets to wrap your presents. Look for striking headlines or photos that can be positioned in a prime position. Use strips of coloured newspaper (from photos or colourful full-page advertisements) to make interesting ribbons and bows.
2. Save cardboard boxes and place gifts inside these, nestled in a bed of used paper that has been shredded. Close the box with natural string or look in your garden for large leaves, such as from banana plants, that can be cut into ‘ribbons’.
3. Use pine cones, feathers, or bright red berries from plants to decorate your gifts.
4. If you have time and are creative, consider sewing your gift bags or painting brown paper bags with non-toxic acrylic paint. Your loved ones will appreciate the effort you put in. 
5. For those celebrating Christmas at your home, don’t wrap their gifts, but instead hide them and create a fun treasure hunt for each gift recipient.