The Eco-Friendly
Wrapping Guide

The Problem with Standard Wrapping Paper

Most wrapping paper sold in the UK can't be recycled. If it's shiny, laminated, or covered in glitter, it goes straight to landfill. The sellotape holding it together is plastic. The ribbon is usually polyester. Even the gift bag probably has a plastic coating.

In the UK, we use roughly 227,000 miles of wrapping paper at Christmas alone. That's enough to wrap around the equator nine times. Most of it is in the bin by Boxing Day morning and none of it will decompose in our lifetimes.

The good news is that switching to compostable wrapping doesn't mean your presents have to look boring. In fact, the most beautiful parcels I've ever made used nothing but brown paper, cotton ribbon, and a sprig of rosemary.

Paper: What to Use Instead

Brown kraft paper is the simplest swap. It's unbleached, uncoated, and fully recyclable and compostable. You can buy it in large rolls from craft suppliers for very little money. It looks good on its own, and it's the perfect base for adding natural decorations.

If you want something printed, look for wrapping paper that uses soy-based inks on uncoated recycled paper. Do the scrunch test: crumple a corner. If it stays scrunched, it's probably fine for recycling. If it springs back, there's likely a plastic coating.

Other options that work well:

• Newspaper: old broadsheets wrap beautifully and have a vintage charm
• Brown paper bags: cut them open and flatten them out
• Fabric wrapping: the Japanese furoshiki method uses a single cloth square tied into a parcel shape
• Old maps and sheet music: charity shops are full of both
• Children's artwork: your kids' paintings make genuinely personal wrapping for grandparents

Tape: Ditch the Sellotape

Standard sellotape is polypropylene plastic. It contamines paper recycling and takes hundreds of years to break down. The good news is that several alternatives work just as well:

• Paper tape: water-activated gummed tape sticks firmly to kraft paper and composts completely. It's what we use in the studio.
• Washi tape: made from rice paper with natural adhesive. Available in hundreds of patterns. Easy to tear by hand.
• No tape at all: learn a simple fold-and-tuck wrap. Japanese department stores wrap parcels without any tape at all.
• String or twine: tie the paper closed instead of taping it. Cotton string, jute twine, and hemp cord all work.

Ribbon: Natural Fibres Only

Curling ribbon is polypropylene. Those pre-made bows are plastic and wire. If you want your wrapping to be genuinely compostable, switch to natural fibre ribbons.

Cotton ribbon, raw silk, jute string, hemp cord, and raffia are all compostable and look better than plastic alternatives anyway. They don't curl, which means your parcels end up looking more organic and less like a department store counter. That's a good thing.

We sell ribbon bundles in our shop, but you can also find cotton tape and jute twine at any haberdashery. Keep an eye out for mill ends at fabric shops too. You'll often find beautiful ribbon remnants for next to nothing.

Decoration: What Grows in Your Garden

This is where eco wrapping gets genuinely fun. Instead of plastic bows, top your parcels with something alive (or recently alive).

• Eucalyptus: smells amazing and dries beautifully. Tuck a sprig under the ribbon.
• Rosemary: available year-round if you grow it. Aromatic and sturdy enough to survive posting.
• Dried lavender: tie a small bundle to the top of a parcel. The scent lasts for weeks.
• Pine cones: free, abundant in autumn, and they add real texture.
• Cinnamon sticks: tie two or three together with twine. They smell like Christmas and cost pennies.
• Dried orange slices: slice thinly, dry in a low oven for 3 hours. Thread onto string or tuck under ribbon.
• Pressed leaves and ferns: press for 2 weeks in a heavy book, then attach with a dab of PVA glue (which is water-soluble).

The Wax Seal Trick

A wax seal turns plain kraft paper into something that looks genuinely special. Traditional sealing wax is made from shellac (insect resin), but plant-based alternatives are now available. We use a soy and beeswax blend that's fully compostable.

You need a stamp, a stick of wax, and a lighter or candle. Melt a small pool of wax onto the parcel where the ribbon crosses, press your stamp into it firmly, and hold for 10 seconds. Lift straight up. The whole process takes about 30 seconds once you get the hang of it.

Storing and Reusing

The most sustainable wrapping is wrapping you don't have to buy at all. Save paper bags from shops. Iron tissue paper from gifts you've received (yes, you can iron tissue paper on a low setting). Keep a box of ribbon offcuts, dried flowers from bouquets, and any nice paper that comes your way.

My wrapping supplies box is basically a hoarder's paradise, and I'm not sorry about it. A single fabric gift bag can be reused dozens of times if you pass it back and forth between family members.