Every Christmas, Australians tear through more than 150,000 kilometres of wrapping paper. For perspective: that’s almost enough to gift-wrap the entire planet four times over.
The problem is, most of it can’t be recycled thanks to glitter, plastic coatings, and sticky tape. All the festive trimmings that make wrapping paper feel “special” are the same reasons it ends up in landfill.
Now, I’m not here to kill the festive vibe (I love Christmas as much as the next person), but I don’t love the trail of waste left behind. So this year, let’s keep the tradition but cut the rubbish. One of the easiest ways is choosing wrapping that feels festive without costing the earth.
Here are 11 eco-friendly ways to wrap Christmas presents to celebrate the season without the waste.
Image via Printfresh
1. Brown Paper, Beautifully Dressed
Good old kraft paper is still my favourite. It’s recyclable, compostable, and endlessly versatile. Dress it up with:
- Dried flowers, rosemary sprigs, or gum leaves from the garden
- Twine, raffia, or strips of fabric instead of sticky tape
- Reusable Christmas ornaments tied onto the bow (baubles, stars, even cookie cutters)
The paper goes in the compost, and the decorations can be reused year after year.
Images: The Green Hub and Tamsyn Morgans
2. Fabric Wraps You’ll Use Again
Fabric is festive, fun and reusable. You can find Christmas prints at Spotlight, cut them to size and use them again each year, or raid the op-shop scarf rack for colourful patterns. When the presents are unwrapped, fold the fabric away for next year.
- Wrap as you would with paper and tie with a ribbon
- Repurpose tea towels or cloth napkins, useful and part of the gift
If DIY isn’t your thing, ready-made wraps are easy to find online.
Image: Pinterest
3. Hand-Stamped or Painted Paper
Plain paper doesn’t need to be boring. Stamping or painting turns it into something unique, and it’s a great holiday project for kids.
- Try potato stamps or wooden Christmas stamps with plant-based inks
- Use children’s artwork or hand-painted patterns for colour
- Stick to recyclable or compostable paper as the base
Every gift looks one of a kind, and the paper can still be composted afterwards.
Images: Design Mom and Handmade Charlotte
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4. Furoshiki
The Japanese art of wrapping with cloth, furoshiki has been used for centuries to package gifts, bottles, and everyday items. It’s beautiful, practical and endlessly reusable.
- Pretty scarves, tea towels or fabric offcuts you already own
- Vintage fabric from op-shops
- Square fabric offcuts hemmed into wraps
- There are even stores that sell premade fabric cut to size for the perfect furoshiki
There are plenty of tutorials online showing how to knot different shapes, and you can keep and reuse them year after year.
Images: Petal Plum and A Pair & A Spare
5. Eco-Friendly Wrapping Paper
If you prefer patterned paper, the key is making sure it won’t end up in landfill. A lot of the glossy, glittery rolls can’t be recycled, and glitter itself is just microplastic.
Look for wrapping made from recycled paper and printed with vegetable inks, it can usually be recycled again or even composted. It’s just as festive, but far less wasteful.
A few eco-friendly Christmas paper brands:
- Earth Greetings creates designs by Australian artists, often inspired by native plants and animals. They also sell biodegradable washi tape, which makes a simple swap for plastic sticky tape.
- The Wrapping Paper Co prints all their paper in Australia on recycled stock, with simple, colourful patterns that can be recycled after use.
- Inky Co is Melbourne-based and offers recyclable paper with playful, modern designs, plus matching ribbons and accessories.
- You can also find recycled or compostable options at eco-stores like Biome and Flora & Fauna and Banish.
Images: Inky Co and Earth Greetings
6. Old Newspapers, Maps & Magazines
One person’s recycling pile is another’s wrapping stash. Black-and-white newsprint tied with twine looks chic, while magazine spreads or old maps add colour. Even last year’s calendar pages work.
It’s free, creative, and completely zero waste.
Image: Stampington
7. Jars, Tins & Boxes
Skip the paper altogether and use containers instead. A jar of biscuits, a vintage tin, or a shoebox decorated with fabric scraps all make memorable packaging.
The container becomes part of the gift, and it can be reused long after Christmas.
Image: Little Glass Jar
9. Greenery & Natural Embellishments
Forget the plastic bows. Forage your garden or the local park for decorations that look and smell festive.
- Fresh or dried native flowers – rosemary sprigs and eucalyptus
- Pine cones or seed pods like gumnuts
- Dried spices like cinnamon sticks or dried fruit
They’re free, compostable, and give gifts a personal touch.
Images: Native & Sol and
10. Kid’s Artwork
Save a few of the kids’ drawings or paintings throughout the year and turn them into wrapping paper. It’s colourful, personal, and grandparents especially love it.
A lovely way to give their artwork another moment in the spotlight.
Image: Craftberry Bush
11. Skip the Wrap Altogether
Not every gift needs paper. A potted plant tied with ribbon, a cookbook paired with a wooden spoon, or a voucher tucked in a handmade card can be given just as they are.
Sometimes simple feels the most thoughtful.
More Ways to Celebrate a Sustainable Christmas (coming soon)
If you’re looking to go further than gift wrap, here are our other guides to an eco-friendly holiday season:
- Alternative Christmas Trees: From Potted Natives to DIY Fairy Light Trees
- Sustainable Christmas Gifts 2025: Thoughtful, Low-Waste Ideas
- Plastic-Free DIY Christmas Decorations Anyone Can Make
- Sustainable Christmas Decorations: DIY & Store-Bought Ideas
- Easy DIY Eco-Friendly Christmas Crackers
- Eco-Friendly Christmas Crackers That Keep The Fun, Not The Rubbish
