All Gifts, No Garbage: 10 Great Eco-Friendly Wrapping Paper Options

Wrapping paper might be pretty, but let’s be real: The paper’s trash just waiting for you to toss it. You tear it, crumple it up, and throw it out after looking at it for maybe 15 seconds, give or take. When you think about it, there’s really no reason to use it because there are many more sustainable options out there.

Wrapping enthusiasts, hear us out: You can definitely still make your gifts look picture-perfect without contributing to unnecessary waste. Luckily for you, we found some top-notch eco-friendly wrapping paper brands who have you in mind.

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When picking the top-notch environmentally-friendly wrapping options, we honed in on the following:

• Durability. Recyclable is good, but reusable is even better.
• Materials. We gave extra attention to options made from recycled materials.
• Aesthetics. Obviously you want it to look good, right? Right.

Whether we’re talking recycled paper or reusable bags, here are some of the best eco-friendly wrapping options for every kind of wrapper.

1. For the crafty wrappers:

Wrappily recycled wrapping paper

Price: $

Wrappily prints gift wrap on newsprint using local newspaper presses, which means the materials are recycled, and you can recycle them again. You can actually recycle one piece of newsprint up to seven times, so it’s a really sustainable option that uses less energy and gentler inks.

It’s a bonus that Wrappily offers fun, creative designs that are bright and colorful. You can even create your own custom wrapping paper if you want to get really crafty.

2. For the plant parent wrappers:

Greenease plant gift wrap

Price: $$

Who needs glittery paper when you can wrap something in a future plant? Greenease plant gift wrap is made of 100 percent recycled paper that’s embedded with hundreds of wildflower seeds.

Once the gift receiver opens their package, they can take this paper outside, plant it in the soil, and wait for it to sprout lots of beautiful flowers.

A set comes with a few sheets of wrapping paper, gift cards, and natural raffia to use instead of ribbons. Think of it this way: When you use this, you give someone two gifts in one. You’re welcome.

3. For the wrappers who like a softer, but vibrant touch:

Anthropologie furoshiki gift-wrapping cloth

Price: $$

Furoshiki is a traditional Japanese wrapping cloth that dates back centuries. It entails a square piece of cloth you can use to wrap gifts or transport items. It’s full of history, it’s a reusable fabric, and it looks amazing, so, really, it’s kinda great.

Anthropologie sells this reusable fabric in gorgeous, bright colors and patterns you can use for any occasion.

4. For the wrappers who hate folding paper:

Appleby Lane fabric gift bags

Price: $$

Forget paper and opt for these reusable bags instead. They tend to be easier to deal with (no complicated folding), they’re more sturdy (no need to worry about them ripping after all your hard work), and you can use them for a wide variety of things after unwrapping the gifts.

These Appleby Lane gift bags come in a few different colors, and a set of five offers two different sizes. The ribbon ruffle around the top makes it easy to tie them shut, and it’s just a nice touch.

5. For the wrappers who need to keep things fresh:

Bee’s Wrap

Price: $$

If you gift someone food (great idea, by the way), wrap it in Bee’s Wrap, or place it in a container and wrap that in Bee’s Wrap. It’s a natural and sustainable alternative to plastic wrap that also happens to be quite aesthetically pleasing, so it can work as gift wrap as well. (Great for gift giving!)

It’s also reusable, washable, and compostable. You can use your hands to soften a sheet as you wrap it around something, then as it cools, it creates a seal. You can wash it in a mild soap to use it many more times, so it’s a gift in itself.

Mother Earth would approve of the ingredients as well, like organic cotton, sustainably harvested beeswax, organic jojoba oil, and tree resin.

Disclaimer: With this wrap’s sticky/tacky texture, it can be more likely to pick up more dirt, dust, etc. So, be a little careful about what you lay this one on.

6. For the nostalgic wrappers:

Hallmark sustainable Christmas wrapping paper

Price: $

If you don’t feel like giving up the look of traditional wrapping paper just yet, at least make it something recyclable. Enter Hallmark’s sustainable paper made with low ink coverage.

There’s a total of 90 square feet of paper in this pack, so it can last awhile. And, as a nice plus, there are cut lines on the back so that you can wrap with precision.

7. For the less-is-more wrappers:

Boao drawstring gift bags

Price: $

Boao drawstring gift bags are basically little burlap sacks decorated for the holidays. They’re durable, washable, and reusable (let your gift receiver know that these can work great as tote bags at the grocery store).

Wrapping can be easier than ever: Just stick your item inside and use the double drawstring to close it up. And with 35 bags in one set, you’ll have enough for many holidays and parties to come.

8. For the wrappers who value presentation:

Wrapeez polka dot wrapping set

Price: $$$

Wrapeez wrapping sets give you the look of a traditionally wrapped package without all of the pollution that comes with them. The stretchy gift wrap can be wrapped around even the oddest shapes without ripping or tearing, and it feels high quality.

It also has built-in bows to make your gifts look extra impressive, and the set comes with a wine bag and gift card holder as well.

9. For the gift-that-keeps-on-giving wrappers:

Stasher bags

Price: $$

OK, we know these don’t necessarily look like gift wrap, but Stasher bags are a surprisingly cute and environmentally-friendly alternative to plastic baggies.

These food-grade silicone bags are durable: They can go in the microwave, on a hot stove, in the freezer, in the oven, in the dishwasher, and can even be used for sous vide cooking.

The point is you can get a lot of use out of these bad boys. So much so, it’s pretty much like giving two gifts in one.

10. For the stylishly practical wrappers:

Wrappr no-waste seasonal gift wrap

Price: $$$

Wrappr gift wrap is inspired by furoshiki fabric, too. It’s organic, biodegradable, and made of recycled materials. It’s also beautiful — Wrappr designs the fabric with artwork curated by a team of graphic designers.

And once the gift receiver unwraps? Tie Wrappr into a tote bag, wrap it around a laptop for easy storage, or use it to wrap another gift. It can be as versatile and sustainable as gift wrap comes.

You can purchase single wraps, bundles, or a seasonal subscription box.

Each year, Americans usually spend billions of dollars on wrapping paper that often ends up in a landfill.

The most aesthetically pleasing kinds — you know, the glossy, glittery ones— are not recyclable, so they tend to just exist to make our gifts look nice.

The only kind of wrapping paper you may want to consider placing in the bin is plain brown paper. Throwing away any other kind could make your entire bin nonrecyclable. Yikes.