Who doesn't love this moment? The beaming eyes as they are unwrapped and the joyful anticipation of what might come next: the giving of presents is an absolute highlight on Christmas Eve.

But what is so beautifully prepared for this moment causes a lot of garbage from bows and glitter paper per household. Assuming that every German citizen uses just 100 grams of wrapping paper before Christmas, we in Germany consume around 8,000 tons annually. 🤯 

We are convinced that there is another way. Our sustainability manager Annette shows you how to wrap your presents sustainably.

Old newspapers and stylish magazines

Old newspapers or stylish magazines offer an excellent alternative for wrapping paper. Old music sheets are also decorative and can be used as wrapping paper. To spice up the wrapping you can use cotton ribbons and small sprigs of fir and rosehip.

Reusable canning jars

Canning jars are so practical and can be used for so many things. Why not use them for an alternative to gift wrapping? Homemade cookies, jam, pesto, or a DIY body scrub will fit perfectly in the jars. The canning jars are also great for your next purchase at the zero waste store.

Cotton bags, beeswax cloths & fabric scraps

The same goes for cotton bags, which are great for shopping for veggies and fruits, thus avoiding plastic waste at the supermarket down the line. And while we're in the kitchen: Beeswax towels are a sustainable yet functional gift "paper" for small surprises and treats. You can even make these yourself from organic cotton, fabric scraps and beeswax.

Speaking of fabric scraps: the colorful scraps are great decoration and packaging material at Christmas. 

 As you can see, with a little creativity, it's easy to use sustainable packaging and avoid unnecessary waste.

And what about the disposal?

Last but not least, a little tip. Unfortunately, in most cases, wrapping paper is recycled incorrectly and disposed of in the paper trash after opening. The problem: wrapping paper often has embossing, glitter, or other plastic items on it, ensuring that it can't be recycled at sorting facilities. So if you do reach for coated wrapping paper this Christmas, please be sure to dispose of it in the plastic trash. Uncoated wrapping paper can easily be disposed of in recycled paper.

If you are still looking for inspiration for sustainable gifts for Christmas, we have also collected great ideas for you here. Feel free to have a look. 

Your Denttabs Team