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Today on my blog, I’m sharing the very best eco-friendly Christmas wrapping paper to shop online. Eco-friendly wrapping paper is such a critical part to a more sustainable Christmas! Here at PunkMed, we believe in living life to the fullest–fully enjoying the holidays–while also doing our best to reduce our impact on the planet.
This blog post is all about eco-friendly Christmas wrapping paper.
Hi there! I’m Leslie
I’m Leslie, the founder of PunkMed! I live with my husband in Boston, Massachusetts, where I enjoy urban homesteading (I love to garden), sustainable fashion and, this month, celebrating the holidays in an eco-friendly way. On PunkMed, I and my team share my best tips, tutorials and recommendations in the areas of sustainability (including thoughtful gift ideas!), non-toxic products, and outdoor living. My goal is to make it less overwhelming for you to live an adventurous and sustainable life!
In today’s post, I’m sharing a list of eco-friendly Christmas wrapping paper. My team and I came up with this idea, after we were talking about the MOUNTAINS of paper that are made each Christmas morning.
Also, really quickly, I just want to say: As you read this list, please do not give into the temptation to throw out your current (not so eco-friendly) wrapping paper! You’ve already purchased it, so be sure to use the remainder of that up.
Let’s get into talking about ALL things eco-friendly Christmas wrapping paper!
Eco-Friendly Christmas Wrapping Paper
At PunkMed, we like to share with you the type of information we look for when creating a shopping guide. My blog post guide focuses on eco-friendly wrapping paper, but there are a few ways we can define “eco-friendly.”
Also, as a special note, I can’t personally vouch for ALL of the different options for eco-friendly Christmas wrapping paper that have been listed. That would be a lot of wrapping paper to try! . 😉 However, I have used my years of experience celebrating Christmas in a sustainable manner, to put together this super helpful list of eco-friendly wrapping paper options.
Watch out for tape!
All of our eco-friendly and sustainable Christmas efforts will go to waste if you use non-recyclable tape on recyclable wrapping paper!
It’s kind of like when people fail to wash out their cans and plastic bottles for recycling–tape can often result in the item not being recycled!
Be sure to use recyclable tape when wrapping your gifts with eco-friendly wrapping paper!
#1 Eco-Friendly Christmas Wrapping Paper: Compostable Wrapping Paper with Soy Inks
First up on my list of eco-friendly Christmas wrapping paper, the finish on this sustainable wrapping paper caught my eye! Doing a bit more digging, I was excited to see that this eco Christmas paper is compostable (I love all things compost, see my guide here!)
This eco-friendly Christmas wrapping paper comes in flat sheets (much easier to store than rolls) and is REVERSIBLE! I love that. In some families, you can designate a specific kind of wrapping paper per each person, which I think is so fun!
Product Specifications:
- Environmentally Green Newsprint on Quality Newspaper Presses
- Eco-Friendly, Recyclable, and Compostable
- Soy-based Natural Inks & Biodegradable Packaging
- Made in the United States of America (USA)
- Double-Sided, Two Designs in One: Santa’s Party & Empty Champagne Bottles
- 3 Large Folded Sheets (21.5″ x 34″ unfolded)
Shop this eco-friendly Christmas wrapping paper here!
#2 Eco-Friendly Christmas Wrapping Paper: Recyclable Wrapping Paper
I have burst the bubble on a number of people when I share that most Christmas wrapping paper you get at the store is *not* recyclable. Fortunately, you can buy specially made eco-friendly Christmas wrapping paper that is recyclable, like this fun Christmas paper from The Doodle Factory!
I love the vintage-inspired wrapping paper, and it was designed in London!
Product Specifications
- Total Number of Sheets: 10 sheets of Christmas themed gift wrapping paper with matching tags.
- Sheet Size: 50cm x 70cm 1
- Eco Details: Paper made in the UK on 100% recycled paper. Plastic wrap made from eco-friendly, biodegradable compostable plastic substitute.
Buy this eco-friendly Christmas wrapping paper here!
#3 Eco-Friendly Christmas Wrapping Paper: Recyclable Rolls of Paper from Hallmark
Next up, I wanted to be sure to include eco-friendly Christmas wrapping paper that is on ROLLS. A number of the other options in my guide feature wrapping paper that has been folded (for easier shipping), and not everyone prefers to iron their wrapping paper!
Product Specifications
- Total Number of Sheets: 4 rolls
- Sheet Size: 88 sq ft (total of all rolls)
- Eco Details: Crafted from high-quality paper materials, Hallmark’s eco friendly wrapping paper is made with paper from well-managed forests. Give a gift to the environment this holiday with sustainable kraft wrapping paper that can be recycled
Get this eco-friendly Christmas wrapping paper here!
#4 Eco-Friendly Christmas Wrapping Paper: Already Recycled Christmas Wrapping Paper
For the next item on my list of eco-friendly wrapping paper, I thought it would be fun to include this Christmas wrapping paper. Unlike other items on this list that are easily recycled, this eco Christmas wrapping paper was made FROM recycled craft paper. Put another way, it’s already been recycled!
Product Specifications:
- Total Number of Sheets: 10
- Sheet Size: 27.5 x 20 inches (70×50 cm)
- Paper comes folded
Purchase this eco-friendly Christmas wrapping paper here!
#5 Eco-Friendly Christmas Wrapping Paper: DIY Eco-Friendly Wrapping Paper
Ok, this next option for eco-friendly Christmas wrapping paper is a bit of extra work, at least in my experience!
You can snag a roll of biodegradable paper, and then use plant-based inks to decorate the paper! This is a great activity to do at a family Christmas party or while watching Christmas movies with your partner.
Here’s what you need:
Please note that plant-based ink takes a bit longer to dry than regular inks! While this can be a little annoying, we want to be sure to use plant-based inks so the paper can be recycled.
Shop this eco-friendly Christmas wrapping paper here!
#6 Eco-Friendly Christmas Wrapping Paper: Fabric Wrapping Paper from Fab Rap Shop
Next up, I wanted to share even MORE sustainable Christmas wrapping paper.
And that involves skipping paper ENTIRELY, and going for fabric!
Fabric wrapping paper is eco-friendly in that your recipient can still unwrap their gift–but instead of using it once, you can use it for years to come! You can even GIFT this eco-friendly wrapping paper this Christmas, wrapping a gift in it, with the added bonus of your recipient now being able to be a bit more eco-friendly for next year!
Buy this eco-friendly Christmas wrapping paper here!
#7 Eco-Friendly Christmas Wrapping Paper: Fabric Gift Bags
My next eco-friendly Christmas wrapping paper idea is also fabric, except this time, we’re using bags!
I love how Kari Smyth Design on etsy added bows to their sustainable Christmas bags, making it more fun for the recipient to open!
From the shop: “It’s a ReWrap! Made by moms for moms to make the holidays easier for them and better for the environment. Each perfectly imperfect bag is stitched with love by a mom near the stunning shores of North Lake Tahoe.”
Get this eco-friendly Christmas wrapping paper here!
#8 Eco-Friendly Christmas Wrapping Paper: Seed Paper
Ok, this next eco-friendly Christmas wrapping paper option blew my mind! This Christmas wrapping paper is compostable (we love that), and it has seeds embedded in it!
Come spring, you can take your wrapping paper out into nature and plant some wildflower seeds! How cool is that?!
Product Specifications:
- Sheet Size: Each sheet measures 20 inches by 30 inches with a full deckle edge.
Purchase this eco-friendly Christmas wrapping paper here!
#9 Eco-Friendly Christmas Wrapping Paper: Check Your Local Thrift Store
It may sound kind of silly, but many thrift stores are inundated with Christmas decor. From Christmas pajamas worn once or twice to donations of Christmas ribbon and other wrapping.
It can be hit or miss (not all thrift stores even accept donations of Christmas decor), but it never hurts to pop in! You may be able to at least snag some Christmas ribbon for your presents that you can save from a landfill, and use for years to come!
#10 Eco-Friendly Christmas Wrapping Paper: Personalized Santa Gift Sacks
This next eco-friendly Christmas wrapping paper is another alternative to paper, featuring personalized bags. Adding a bit of personalization can help younger (and sometimes senior) family members get a bit more excited about going sans traditional wrapping paper.
From the maker: “Personalized Santa Sack for the special people in your life. Fill it with Christmas gifts and leave under the tree to open on Christmas Day, or personalize for a special Christmas Eve treat bag. These are beautiful quality 100% cotton that you can use year after year.”
Buy this eco-friendly Christmas wrapping paper here!
#11 Eco-Friendly Christmas Wrapping Paper: Vintage Silk Scarf
I debated including this last (well, close to last!) eco-friendly Christmas wrapping paper idea, but I decided to just go for it!
For fashionistas, especially those who love vintage fashion, you can surprise them by wrapping their gift in a red or green vintage silk scarf. They’ll be absolutely delighted when they realize they have two gifts in one!
Get this eco-friendly Christmas wrapping paper here!
This blog post was all about eco-friendly Christmas wrapping paper.
Read these eco-friendly Christmas guides next!!
Looking for more helpful ideas and tips for an eco-friendly Christmas? Below, I’ve shared a number of posts that are packed with the very best gift ideas:
- 14 Eco-Friendly Gift Baskets for Christmas
- 21+ Consumable Gift Ideas for a Zero-Waste Christmas
- Best Sustainable Christmas Gifts for the High Maintenance Granola Friends in Your Life
- Eco Friendly Christmas Tree Ideas to Make Your Home Cheery and Bright
- 17+ Ethical Christmas Gifts for Everyone on Your List
Join me on Pinterest
Pinterest is a great platform for finding eco-friendly ideas for the holiday and the new year! Join me on Pinterest here to get all of my gift guides and tips for sustainable living.