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8 Unique Gift Wrap Ideas

Get crafty this holiday season with original and beautifully ordinary packaging materials

Jess Chamberlain

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1 /8 Photo by Jeffery Cross; written by Jess Chamberlain

Reusable fabric wrap

Make the wrapping part of the present. Cotton wraps such as the one at left, which are often made with environmentally gentle soy-based inks, are a beautiful and reusable way to present a gift.
2 /8 Photo by Jeffery Cross; written by Jess Chamberlain

Floral wrapping paper

Stock up on 100% recycled papers. They're out there and often come in whim­sical prints, like the floral one above, that won’t feel stale come January.
3 /8 Photo by Jeffery Cross; written by Jess Chamberlain

Accessorized scrap paper

Recycle your own newspapers, magazine pages, or junk mail as gift wrap. Add a bit of greenery (here, rose hips and redwood sprigs) for color and a festive scent.

4 /8 Photo by Jeffery Cross; written by Jess Chamberlain

Stamps on kraft paper

Style your own gift wrap with stamps and colored ink. Kraft paper from Blick Art Materials, Pinecone (after one found in Yosemite) and stamp sets by Yellow Owl Workshop.
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Magazine pages

This material makes the perfect wrapping for small boxes. Look for sheets with large and colorful images, graphic prints, or old-fashioned black-and-white type.

6 /8 Thomas J. Story

Recycled cloth

Use neatly pressed fabric remnants from sewing projects for soft or hard-to-wrap objects. Cut, fold, and punch holes into pages from old calendars or prints to make gift tags.

7 /8 Thomas J. Story

Jam jars

Reuse jam jars for items such as jewelry. Cover lids with fabric secured with glue.

8 /8 Thomas J. Story

Paper bags

Shredded paper lines the inside of a shoe box covered with a paper grocery bag. To dress up packages and add color, tie with vintage ribbon.