Wrapping paper is incredibly versatile and makes for the perfect enclosing mechanism for gifts. It’s easy to use, available in a huge range of colors and designs, and people love tearing into it. But, it’s not the only option!
While you can find personalized wrapping paper for every occasion, there is also a range of creative ways to wrap your gifts such as gift bags, DIY wrapping, and old posters. If you want to experiment with something different, I have listed seven wrapping paper alternatives below - enjoy!
Fabric Gift Wraps
Just think of all the different fabrics there are that you could turn into gift wrap. Wrapping paper doesn’t have to only be made from paper! Maybe you have some old clothes or blankets that you don’t use anymore. Instead of throwing them away, cut them up and make gift wrap!
You could also head to a sewing shop or fabric store and buy some pieces of different colored fabric, wool, and string to turn into gift wraps. The possibilities are endless here and you can get really creative with the style, textures, and colors.
Gift Bags
In most instances, people place wrapped gifts inside gift bags, but this doesn’t have to be the case! You could simply place your gifts directly inside the gift bag without any wrapping.
This is particularly suitable if you know your friend or relative isn’t a fan of gift wrapping. Gift bags can be decorated and personalized and you can of course put a gift tag on them and write a special message for the recipient.
Scarves and Bandanas
Any type of long clothing or fabric can serve as wrapping paper alternatives and two that spring to mind are scarves and bandanas!
These items of clothing can both easily be wrapped around gifts and you can even use multiple pieces with different colors and patterns to make unique and interesting alternatives to wrapping paper.
The recipient may like a particular style, pattern, or color too in which case you can use scarves or bandanas that match their likes.
Creative DIY Wrapping Ideas
There are many paper-based materials that you can use as a substitute to wrapping paper and some of my favorites include:
- Kraft Paper
- Newspaper and magazines
- Maps and atlas pages
Kraft paper is eco-friendly and easy to use and the plain, brown appearance is ideal for adding decoration like bows and glitter.
Alternatively, maybe the person you are buying gifts for has an interest in a certain subject or hobby. You could pay homage to this by wrapping gifts in newspapers or magazines relating to their hobby. Perhaps they love traveling too in which instance you could use old maps or Atlas pages!
Old Calendars and Posters
Instead of throwing away your old calendars and posters, why not use them to create custom gift wrapping? Let’s say that your friend loves nature and the outdoors. In this instance, you could buy a nature calendar bursting with images of wildlife and epic landscapes and turn it into gift wrapping.
Or, maybe you have a sibling who loves a particular sporting team, celebrity, or musician? You could use the same principle and create gift wrapping from posters featuring the person or team they support!
Reusable Shopping Bags
If you want to keep it simple and give them practical gift wrapping, you could use reusable shopping bags, or “bags for life”. These are more durable than typical plastic bags and are meant to be reused multiple times.
You could either place your gift directly into the reusable shopping bag or cut the sides to shape to create a sheet of wrapping paper. The person will appreciate the uniqueness of the gift wrap, and if you have opted to keep the bag in one piece, they can reuse it afterward too for their shopping!
Embracing Eco-Friendly Gift Wrapping
If you are environmentally conscious you may want to invest in eco-friendly gift-wrapping. The premise is simple in that you use materials that are either recycled, or that can be recycled once the gift has been opened.
By adopting eco-friendly gift wrapping, you can minimize waste, and reduce your carbon footprint while also encouraging others (i.e. the recipient) to recycle!
Get Creative and Try These Wrapping Paper Alternatives Today
As you can see, if you think outside the box and exercise your creativity you can produce some charming and unique gift wrapping without using wrapping paper. Things like using bandanas and old posters are especially creative and allow you to add a little personalization to the gift wrapping too.
Failing that, remember that Viola Grace supplies an epic range of custom wrapping paper and stylish premium wrapping paper for different occasions so make sure to check out our product ranges!
