How to wrap gifts sustainably

Migros bags

No doubt about it, Migros tote bags are what you need for trendily wrapped presents this Christmas. They don’t just come in handy for transporting your gifts – you can wrap your presents in them, too. Larger presents can be fully enclosed within the bag, decorated with a bow or a sprig of pine.

Sprigs of pine

Speaking of sprigs of pine, the forests are full of lovely little twigs that have fallen from the trees. Use them to add a Christmassy touch to your presents. They’re also perfect for affixing a name label to your gift.

Scrap paper

Give old issues of Migros magazine a new lease of life by wrapping gifts in their pages. Other magazines often have attractive prints and colours to offer, too. You can use them to create collages to stick onto your present once it’s been wrapped in newspaper: Christmas trees, stars and hearts are a doddle to cut out. You can also paint the newspaper before you use it. Before you wrap the gift, make sure the paper is dry. This is a handy tip, as the newspapers would be getting recycled anyway. If you use them as gift wrap, you’re not creating any additional waste.

Maps, sheet music and similar

You can also use other types of paper in the same way as newspapers: old street maps, country maps, comics or even sheet music from the flute lessons you gave up can be turned into creative wrapping paper.

Gift tags

You can cut gift tags out of thick paper or cardboard. Alternatively, you can even just write the name of your gift’s recipient on the wrapping paper in nice handwriting.

Edible gift tags

With a little heads-up, you can write on biscuits with icing and use them as gift tags. Before you bake them, remember to pierce a hole in each biscuit so you can subsequently tie it to the gift with a ribbon.

Glasses and waxed cloth

Biscuits and homemade chocolates can be shown off in pretty glasses or wrapped in a waxed cloth. This turns the “packaging” into a handy gift, with nothing being thrown away.

A gift in a gift

Of course, the principle of a “gift in a gift” works in other ways, too: a cookbook or kitchen utensil looks lovely wrapped in a tea towel or apron.

Furoshiki – presents wrapped in cloth

If you were wondering, the concept of wrapping gifts in cloth is very popular in Japan, where it’s a veritable form of art. You can try it yourself using online guides. Just search for “furoshiki” and “guide”. Your search results will even include lots of videos with clear explanations of the technique.

Cardboard tubes

Want to give a small gift? If so, cut a toilet roll tube or a kitchen roll tube to the size you need. Pop the present inside it and wrap the roll in packing paper or newspaper. Tie the ends with packing twine to create a bonbon shape. The recipient will have no idea what’s in the gift!

Metal containers

It’s harder to guess what a gift is if you use a metal container, such as an old chocolate box or biscuit tin. The boxes don’t have to be thrown away: instead, they can be reused in the future to store bits and pieces.

Print your own paper

If you’ve got both the time and the desire to do so, you can print your own wrapping paper: use packing paper and print it with homemade potato stamps. It’s a breeze to create simple shapes like Christmas trees or stars. Even a square or dot can produce pretty patterns, when used creatively.

Recycling wrapping paper

There’s always a celebration on the horizon: when you receive presents wrapped in regular wrapping paper, you should store it away. No matter whether it’s got the odd fold in it, it might be perfect for wrapping a smaller gift.

Published 28.10.2022, revised 4.11.2024