Why the Wrapping Matters as Much as the Gift

There is a particular joy in handing over a parcel that looks as though someone has thought about it. But the paper we reach for out of habit often has a very short life. Sheets with a metallic sheen, plastic coating or a dusting of glitter cannot be recycled in most kerbside collections, and sticky tape contaminates the rest. What was admired for ten seconds becomes a bin bag full of waste by teatime.

The good news is that greener wrapping is not a case of settling for less. Fabric, recycled paper and natural string look lovely, feel nicer under the hand and can be used again and again. Think of it less as wrapping and more as part of the present — something that can be composted, kept for next year, or passed on to someone else.

Fabric Wraps You Keep and Pass On

The Japanese art of furoshiki uses a square of cloth instead of paper, folded and knotted around the gift. Once you have learned two or three folds, you will never look at a roll of paper the same way. The cloth can be a vintage scarf, a linen tea towel, a piece of quilting cotton, or an offcut left over from a sewing project.

• Small gifts — a 45cm square handles a jar, a paperback or a box of chocolates.
• Medium boxes — a 70cm square suits a shirt box or a pair of gloves.
• Awkward shapes — a 90cm square copes with a bottle, a board game or a bundle of books.

Choose a wrap that suits the recipient if you can. A gardener might appreciate a square of sturdy cotton in a green print; a knitter would adore a length of soft wool. For children, a bright scarf becomes part of the play long after the cake is eaten. Wash any fabric before its first outing, press it flat, and it will look crisp for years.

Paper That Goes Back to the Earth

When you do want paper, keep it plain, uncoated and easy to recycle or compost. Brown kraft paper is the reliable workhorse and takes a stamp, a doodle or a sprig of greenery beautifully. Beyond that, have a rummage:

• Old newspaper, especially foreign-language or comic pages, for a cheerful patchwork effect.
• Vintage sheet music or book pages from a charity shop bargain box.
• Wallpaper offcuts, if they are plain paper rather than vinyl.
• Recycled tissue paper, crumpled for volume inside a box.

Finish seams with paper tape or water-activated gummed tape rather than plastic sticky tape, so the whole parcel can go straight into the recycling or the compost heap. If you have used ordinary tape, peel it off before the paper meets its end — a small job that makes a big difference.

String, Twine and Natural Finishes

Natural string is where a parcel starts to look properly handsome. Jute twine, cotton string and raffia all biodegrade and cost very little by the ball. Keep a collection of ribbons from previous years too; silk and cotton ribbon can be reused until they fray, and even then make excellent plant ties.

For decoration, look to the kitchen and the garden rather than the craft aisle:

• A dried orange slice and a cinnamon stick tied at the bow.
• A sprig of rosemary, holly or eucalyptus tucked under the string.
• A few bay leaves for a kitchen gift, or a star anise for something spicy.
• A hand-cut paper tag, or a luggage label with the name written in ink.

Skip the glitter, the plastic curling ribbon and the foil bows. A simple double bow that can be untied rather than a tight knot will spare the recipient a wrestling match — and means the string can be rolled up and used again.

Let the Card Carry the Words

Wrap and card belong together. If the paper is beautifully plain, the card becomes the focal point, so it is worth making it count. A handwritten note tucked under the string says far more than a printed slip, and most of us keep the cards that carry a familiar hand.

Try making the card part of the wrapping. Cut a rectangle from the same kraft roll, fold it, and write inside with a fountain pen or a good biro. Cards made from recycled card stock are widely available, and seeded paper cards can be planted in the garden after the birthday — a small, satisfying end for something that would otherwise be thrown away. If you are wrapping in fabric, slip the card into the folds so it is discovered rather than taped on.

Making It a Habit

The trick to all of this is not willpower but storage. Keep one drawer or box holding your fabric squares, your twine, your paper tape, your saved ribbon and a few sheets of kraft paper. Unwrap your own presents carefully and add the reusable bits to the box before the recycling goes out.

Buy once, use for years — a metre of cotton cloth will wrap dozens of birthdays. And when you sit down to write the cards, do it in one quiet sitting with a pot of tea, a decent pen and your address book. The wrapping, the string and the words all come from the same thoughtfulness, and that is really what the recipient notices.