Sustainable linen gift wrap ideas

While Christmas and holiday wrapping paper is beautiful and comes in so many wonderful prints, not all of it is recyclable. If you’re looking for more eco-friendly ways to wrap your Christmas presents, my favorite sustainable option is linen fabric. Read below for three creative ways to wrap your gifts in linen.

Table of Contents

• 1. Use simple, white linen for eco-friendly gift wrapping
• 2. Decorate linen gift wrap with fabric markers
• 3. Dye your fabric for a colorful or tie-dye gift wrap
• Is holiday wrapping paper recyclable?
• Is linen sustainable?
• Can I reuse the linen used for gift wrap?

You can wrap your gifts in any type of fabric, and using fabric scraps you have on hand is a great way to make your holidays more sustainable. I always have several yards of white linen on hand for small sewing projects or craft projects. I love linen because it’s a natural fiber, is beautiful in its simplicity, and has a rustic feel to it. Whether you like minimalist wrapping or something more colorful, here are three ways to use linen to wrap your gifts this year.

1. Use simple, white linen for eco-friendly gift wrapping

The absolute easiest way to use fabric as gift wrapping is to cut a piece of white linen large enough to wrap your gift. Iron the linen so it’s wrinkle-free, and then simply wrap the gift as you would wrap it with paper.

It’s best to cut a piece larger than you think you’ll need. Since you won’t be using tape like you would with paper, you’ll want to be sure you have enough to tuck all the ends neatly in.

Then, just wrap it with a piece of twine for a natural, sustainable, and rustic look, or embellish it with other items, such as satin bows, jingle bells, or decorative embellishments. The white background is like a blank canvas. You can either keep it simple, or use it as a starting point for lots of creative wrapping ideas.

2. Decorate linen gift wrap with fabric markers

With fabric markers, you can design your own holiday gift wrap by drawing on white linen. I’m no artist and I still found this really fun and creative, but if you’re a good artist, then you could really do something special with this.

Just iron your white linen fabric and use fabric markers to draw a scene. I just drew some simple Christmas trees and wrote Merry Christmas, but you could also write the name of the recipient right onto the fabric. I love this idea because you can really tailor it to the person you’re giving the gift to to make it extra special.

Read more about using fabric markers on linen here.

3. Dye your fabric for a colorful or tie-dye gift wrap

Linen is really easy to dye using Rit Dye, and you can make it any color under the sun. I had some dye left from the Rit Shibori Kit (Japanese indigo tie-dye) that I used to make pillowcases earlier this year.

Using the instructions in the kit, I did the triangle shape. I wet the fabric, then accordion-folded it lengthwise. Then I folded it into triangles like you would fold a flag. Using the included acrylic blocks, I sandwiched it in between the blocks, tied it with a rubber band, and then dropped it into the bucket of dye. I stirred it occasionally and set a timer for 30 minutes.

I love how it turned out! This will be sure to stand out under the Christmas tree!

Read more about Shibori Japanese Tie-Dye here.

Is holiday wrapping paper recyclable?

It depends. Many wrapping papers that are sparkly, metallic, or even very thin are not recyclable. You’ll have to throw them into the trash (though if you’re careful unwrapping your presents, you may be able to at least get a few uses out of them).

Recycled wrapping paper is plain and not shiny. It may be more expensive to buy recyclable paper, but of course you have options. Using the linen ideas above, or using fabric bags or reusable baskets can help you make your gift wrapping more eco-friendly.

Is linen sustainable?

Linen is a highly eco-friendly and sustainable fabric. Made from the flax plant, it is completely natural and has been used for thousands of years. Though linen is highly durable and long-lasting, it is completely biodegradable, making it the perfect material to use for all kinds of things, including gift wrap.

Can I reuse the linen used for gift wrap?

Of course you can! The linen used for gift wrapping can be reused in a number of different ways. You can simply use it again to wrap another similar sized gift. Or you can potentially use it as a napkin or a washcloth, depending on the size. Or you can use them in your sewing projects.

Do you use sustainable gift wrap instead of paper wrapping paper that can’t be recycled? I’d love to hear what you’re doing. Leave a comment below and share your thoughts.

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