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8 Best Eco-Friendly Wrapping Papers for Holidays 2022
Create less waste on Christmas morning.
There's nothing more joyful than opening presents with your family. However, all the leftover wrapping paper and decorations that go straight into the trash afterward are wreaking havoc on the environment. It's estimated that approximately 4.6 million pounds of wrapping paper is produced in the U.S. each year, and about 2.3 million pounds ends up in landfills. But it doesn't have to be this way — many brands are embracing more sustainable wrapping paper options, including reusable styles and picks that are easily recycalable without sacrificing style.
The Good Housekeeping Institute is comprised of sustainability experts who have conducted reports and extensive research on how to avoid fast fashion, decoding "greenwashing" claims and addressing climate change anxiety to help educate consumers on how to live more sustainably. GH sustainability pros also vet and test brands for the Green Good Housekeeping Seal program, ensuring products meet strict sustainability criteria. Using all of our sustainability expertise, we found the best eco-friendly wrapping paper options available to buy this holiday season.
Our top picks:
- 1
Best Overall Eco-Friendly Wrapping Paper
Hallmark Sustainable Christmas Wrapping Paper with Cut Lines (3-Pack)
Read more - 2
Best Value Eco-Friendly Wrapping Paper
Creative Paper Co American Made 100% Recycled Brown Kraft Paper Roll (150 ft)
Read more - 3
- 4
Best Eco-Friendly Wrapping for Food
Bee's Wrap Reusable Beeswax Food Wraps in 3 Sizes (S,M,L)
Read more - 5
After shopping the best eco-friendly wrapping paper options vetted by GH pros, continue reading to learn more about the benefits of using sustainable wrapping paper and additional information about our vetting process.
Hallmark Sustainable Christmas Wrapping Paper with Cut Lines (3-Pack)
Hallmark Sustainable Christmas Wrapping Paper with Cut Lines (3-Pack)
Pros
- Easily recyclable
- Uses less ink than traditional wrapping paper
- Cut lines on the reverse side
Cons
- Doesn't use recycled material
With the classic holiday motifs you know and love, this Hallmark wrapping paper is recyclable for a more sustainable Christmas morning. On the reverse side, there are lines marked for perfectly straight cuts every time. This pick comes with three rolls for a total of 90 square feet of wrapping paper.
Creative Paper Co American Made 100% Recycled Brown Kraft Paper Roll (150 ft)
Creative Paper Co American Made 100% Recycled Brown Kraft Paper Roll (150 ft)
Pros
- Uses 100% recycled content
- Easy to personalize
- Recyclable after use
Cons
- No designs included
If you're art savvy, this pick comes with 150 feet of brown paper for you to personalize your own designs. The paper is made with 100% recycled content and can then be recycled after use (as long as you only used pens and markers to decorate). With so much paper included, this pick offers excellent value as you can use it for birthdays and other holidays throughout the year.
Wrappr Greenhouse Collection Bundle (3-Pack)
Wrappr Greenhouse Collection Bundle (3-Pack)
Pros
- Reusable furoshiki wraps
- Made with organic cotton
- Designs by an independent artist
Cons
- Expensive
Fabric wraps, also known as Japanese furoshiki, are a sustainable way to wrap presents and then reuse the wrapping each season. These colorful fabric wraps from Wrappr are made with organic cotton with designs by an independent artist. The brand offers a ton of different designs, including options made from silk and recycled polyester.
Bee's Wrap Reusable Beeswax Food Wraps in 3 Sizes (S,M,L)
Bee's Wrap Reusable Beeswax Food Wraps in 3 Sizes (S,M,L)
Pros
- Reusable plastic wrap
- Great when gifting desserts
- Made with organic cotton
Cons
- Doesn't provide a complete seal
When gifting cookies, pies and cakes, instead of wrapping them with plastic wrap, use reusable beeswax wraps instead. They stay tacky and in great condition after many uses as long as you follow the wash instructions closely. GH pros love these wraps from Bee's Wrap as well as making our own beeswax wraps with simple instructions.
Stasher Silicone Reusable Storage Container
Stasher Silicone Reusable Storage Container
Pros
- Top tested product
- Dishwasher-safe
- Variety of shade options
Cons
- Pricey
After a big holiday meal, you may be giving away lots of leftovers to your family and friends. Make the leftovers part of your gifting with reusable to-go bags. Stasher bags are a favorite among GH pros for offering an airtight seal. This style has a flat base to stand up, so it's easier to fill up and close. They're dishwasher-safe and durable for long-term use. Plus, they're available in a variety of different shades.
Tirrinia 2 Bottle Wine Tote Carrier
Tirrinia 2 Bottle Wine Tote Carrier
Pros
- Padded carrying straps
- Insulated interior
- 11 color and pattern options
Cons
- Not fully leakproof, according to some reviewers
Make the gift of wine even more special with a wine tote carrier too. This two bottle wine tote carrier from Tirrinia has a padded shoulder strap and a durable top handle for easy carrying. The interior is insulated to keep bottles chilled. Since the interior divider is removable, you can also use this bag as a small cooler to carry other beverages and snacks.
Wrappily Winter Animals and Stars Wrapping Paper
Wrappily Winter Animals and Stars Wrapping Paper
Pros
- Brand offers a variety of holiday motifs
- Recyclable and compostable
- Uses recycled content
Cons
- Need to spend $75 to get free shipping
Wrappily offers a variety of recycled holiday wrapping paper, great for Christmas, Hannukah and winter greetings. The paper is made with recycled content and is recyclable or compostable after use. It's sold as flat sheets for easy storage without a long tube. This pick also comes with adhesive gift tags.
BagDream Kraft Paper Bags (75 Bags)
BagDream Kraft Paper Bags (75 Bags)
Pros
- Made with 100% recycled content
- Three different sizes included
- Reinforced bottom and sturdy handles
Cons
- No designs available
Made with 100% recycled paper that's entirely recyclable, this pack comes with three different sizes (25 bags included in each size) to accommodate all types of gifts. With 3,000 rave Amazon reviews, online reviewers love the sturdy handles and versatile design, great for all holidays and special occasions throughout the year.
How we choose the best eco-friendly wrapping paper
Using our sustainability expertise, GH Lab pros vetted the above products for having sustainable attributes to help decrease your environmental footprint this holiday season. While no product can be sustainable in every single way, these are some of the criteria we looked for when making these picks:
✔️ Recyclable: Using recyclable materials ensures that any leftover waste doesn't end up in a landfill. Just make sure all of the wrapping paper actually ends up in the proper recycling bin at end of day to ensure it's properly recycled.
✔️ Recycled content: In addition to being recyclable, options that use recycled content are ideal, especially if it features a high percentage of recycled content since the paper is reusing previous materials in its creation.
✔️ Reusable: Make the gift wrapping actually part of the gift by opting for reusable items like a chic bag, a cooler or fabric.
Why should I use eco-friendly wrapping paper?
Not only is traditional wrapping paper not usually recyclable, but it's often coated with plastics and covered with glitter (a.k.a. microplastics) that ends up in our water supply. While the holiday season is joyous, it's also more wasteful with estimations that between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, more than 1 million tons of additional waste is generated each week nationwide. Opting for eco-friendly wrapping paper is one small choice to help reduce your environmental footprint while still enjoying gift giving.
Remember that although these options are better than traditional wrapping paper, the most sustainable wrapping paper choice will be something you already have. Reuse old magazines or newspapers with twine (instead of tape) or repurpose old tote bags you are no longer using to create the least amount of waste. After enjoying the most recent issue of Good Housekeeping, many GH pros use the pages to wrap presents!
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
At the Good Housekeeping Institute, we've built a unique expertise on the topic of sustainability that shows up in how our experts test and recommend products. From launching the Green Good Housekeeping Seal in 2009 and GH's Sustainable Innovation Awards in 2019, helping readers make more sustainable choices is a top priority for us.
Emma Seymour has a Bachelor of Science in Fiber Science and Apparel Design from Cornell University and has been testing clothing and footwear for more than three years at the GH Institute. Emma has written multiple features on sustainability issues, including stories about fast fashion, sustainable denim and greenwashing.
Emma Seymour (she/her) is a senior product analyst at the Good Housekeeping Institute's Textiles, Paper and Apparel Lab, where she has led testing for luggage, pillows, towels, tampons and more since 2018. She graduated from Cornell University with a bachelor of science in fiber science and apparel design and a minor in gerontology, completing research in the Body Scanner Lab on optimizing activewear for athletic performance.
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