Gift Wrap Ideas (2): Recycled Materials

Gift Wrap Ideas (2): Recycled Materials

Today is the second day of my 12 days of Christmas Gift Wrap ideas: Recycled Materials

I’m featuring my 10 favourite uses of recycled materials to create stunning gift wrap.  There is something heartwarming about using recycled materials to wrap presents, given that the paper or material will soon be strewn on the floor, in the bin, or at best relegated to the recycle bin.

I love these ideas, because they create beauty from the mundane.  Some of these recycled materials are just too beautiful to be used only once.

1. NEWSPAPER

Newspaper can be a beautiful and definitely plentiful supply of paper to wrap gifts.  Pimp them up, or keep it simple – both options look great as these two examples found on pinterest will demonstrate.  Unfortunately I can’t find the link to the original source.

2. ATLAS OR MAP PAGES

These Atlas pages from look brilliant grouped together.  These could be easily themed to a specific location.

3. MUSIC PAGES

These music pages from Snippet and Ink are perfect for a music lover.

4. VINTAGE BLUEPRINTS

Rock Paper Scissors  found a cache of beautiful old blue prints, that they have used as gift wrap.  Personally I would love to receive the blueprints as much as whatever is inside.  If you can’t find (or bear to part with) vintage blueprints, you could get new ones, and age with an old teabag!

5. DRESSMAKER PATTERNS

As with the blueprints, vintage dressmaker patterns make a beautiful patterned gift wrap, especially for a craft minded friend.

This was found on Flickr

6. MAGAZINE PAGES

Some magazine pages are a work of art.  Like the newspaper pages above, they are in plentiful supply.  These magazine from White Gun Powder  are simple and monochrome – but you could use a speciality magazine that ties in with the favourite pastime of the recipient.

7. CALENDAR PAGES

Such a waste to enjoy a calendar page for one month only. These calendar pages found on pinterest are a beautiful example.  Unfortunately the link to the original post is missing.

8. COMIC PAGES

These comic pages makes nice colourful gift wrap from  When The Pigs Fly

Or if you don’t want to wrap the shoe gift in the cartoon, you can cut out letters as I did for my sons birthday – or wrap a strip round as you can see just underneath the large parcel.

9. BOOK PAGES

Book pages also make beautiful wrapping for smaller presents.  Ive seen quite a number of pinterest, but these ones from  Its a House  with red thread simple embellishments are one of my favourites.

 10. OLD JUMPERS

Heres a genius idea from Box Wood Clippings to use up old jumpers that have seen better days.  Perfect for winter and christmas presents.

So many great ways to wrap presents creatively with materials that may otherwise be consigned to the bin.  Whats your favourite?  Or do you have other materials that you recycle and use to wrap gifts.  Id love to hear.

Look out for the rest of the Gift Wrap Series.  (Or maybe you’d like to subscribe so you don’t miss a post!)