The do’s and don’ts of recycling Christmas Wrapping

Did you know that Australians use more than 150,000 kilometres of Christmas wrapping paper during the festive season? That’s a lot of paper to dispose of – in fact it could wrap around the Earth 4 times.

Not all Christmas wrapping is created equal, so it’s important to understand what can be easily recycled or composted, and what cannot.

Here our team have pulled together a quick Christmas wrapping guide to help you this festive season.

 

Christmas Wrapping Paper

Whilst it may have paper in the name, that doesn’t mean all wrapping paper belongs in your recycling bin. Quite a few (in fact most) wrapping papers are finished with plastics – which is where those glossy, metallic, or even velvety textures come from. This makes them ineligible for recycling.

When it comes to sorting your Christmas wrapping, here are our top tips:

• For paper without this plastic coating, you can pop it straight into the recycling bin. The ‘Scrunch Test’ is a great way to test whether your paper is in fact paper. If your wrapping paper can be made into a ball (and stay that way) then it’s a safe bet for recycling.
• If you’ve been given a gift wrapped in paper that’s finished with plastics, gently unwrap it and reuse it down the track for another gift. When it’s no longer reusable, these papers belong in your regular rubbish bin.
• If you’re using wrapping paper, we suggest you avoid textures altogether. We’ve also pulled together a range of alternative wrapping solutions here.

 

Bows and ribbons

Bows and ribbons are a wonderful final touch for gifts, however, most bows are made with plastics, staples, tape, and glue – all of which do not belong in the recycling bin.

Ribbons can also be made from recyclable materials, however because they are often thin and long, they can get caught up in recycling machines and cause unintended havoc.

The good news is that ribbons and bows can easily be used again and again. Simply re-stick bows to gifts using plastic-free tape and smooth out those beautiful ribbons until they can’t be tied anymore – then you will need to pop these in the bin.

Gift Bags

Gift bags, like wrapping paper, are only recyclable if they don’t contain any fancy/plastic finishes and textures. Fortunately, gift bags are one of the easiest wrapping items to reuse!

Simply pop any salvageable gift bags into your wrapping collection. When the bag is no longer presentable, toss it in the rubbish.

 

Gift Boxes

Gift boxes are one of the easiest materials to dispose of – and can almost always be confidently placed into your recycling bin (after reusing them of course)!

Make sure to flatten your boxes before placing them in your recycling bin and remove any plastic tape.

Cards

Cards are again one of those items that fit within the ‘it depends’ basket.

If the card is made completely from paper, just pop it into the recycle bin. Seed cards from Australian Maker Plant a card are a great recycled alternative to traditional Christmas cards!

If the card has a unique finish such as a glossy finish or texture – it’s often made with non-paper fibres. These are great items to reuse by cutting into custom gift tags for your future present-giving!

Image: A Spoonful of Sugar Designs

Tissue Paper

You would think that tissue paper goes straight into the recycling bin, but beware. Although it feels papery, tissue ‘paper’ can’t actually be recycled like normal paper. Fortunately, it can be composted. The catch is that it needs to be plain tissue with no sparkles or confetti.

Reuse tissue papers for as long as possible, then simply tear them into small pieces and place them in your home compost when they’re looking worn and torn.

Keen to check out our Preschool?

Our team would love to meet your family and show you around our wonderful preschool! Sustainable Play Preschool is a small preschool, with a focus on engaging children thoughtfully with the natural world every day. Our play-based curriculum holistically prepares children to thrive and includes cooking classes, bush kindy, yoga sessions, gardening and regeneration classes, art and STEM activities.

Written By

Jenny joined the Sustainable Play Preschool team in 2021 with a Bachelor of Arts, Communications and a Bachelor of Business from Charles Sturt University.

Whilst always interested in the power of nature, it was with the birth of her own daughter that she gained a greater appreciation for just how precious (and fleeting) childhood is, and the importance of providing children with a nature centric early learning experience.