Sustainable Gift Wrap

In the season of gifting, it matters just as much how you gift as what you gift. Did you know, most wrapping paper isn’t just paper? Rather, the majority of wrapping paper is filled with microplastics, non-paper additives, dyes, and lamination that make the landfill or incineration the only options to get rid of the waste. At NOTES® we believe in smelling better and doing better, that’s why we’ve rounded up our top tips for sustainable gifting.

1. Furoshiki
   1. When we were first looking to gift a little greener, we were totally entranced by the Japanese wrapping technique Furoshiki. Furoshiki is a traditional method of wrapping belongings but translates so well in the gift space. All you need is a square piece of fabric and basic knotting skills. You can use whatever cloth you have around, patterned cloth napkins, thrifted handkerchiefs, or even an old t-shirt.

1. Tote bags
   1. You probably have tote bags lingering around from various promotional events be it the kid’s school, sports team, weddings, parties, or even street pop-ups. Branded tote bags are all around you and perfect for gifting. If you’re worried about a logo getting in the way, painting tote bags is the perfect rainy-day activity that can personalize your gifts and make them that much more special.
2. Newspaper
   1. Okay, hear us out. There are tens of millions of newspapers printed daily making them accessible to most people and virtually free. Since they are paper, they are 100% home compostable making their footprint virtually non-existent. And, believe it or not, it’s super easy to make newspapers more meaningful. Pick a page with a funny article, comics, or even use unsolved crossword puzzles as a place to write your greeting or message.
3. Twine
   1. Hot take: twine is going to take over the fiber space in the coming years. Why? Well, it’s made of plant-based materials that replenish very quickly, requires zero pesticides to grow, is carbon neutral, durable, biodegradable, versatile – the list goes on and on. Twine ticks all the right boxes in terms of eco-credentials and makes a great and trendy replacement to polyester ribbons that take thousands of years to decompose. Affix a cute hang tag from it, and boom, instant giftability.

1. Shop Recyclable.
   1. As the green movement grows in momentum, so do opportunities to engage with sustainably minded and mission-driven brands. More and more brands are using mailers that are fully compostable or recyclable. At NOTES®, we ship out our starter kits in a branded white box that is made of recycled materials, and 100% recyclable. Not only is the packaging option more sustainable than traditional bubble wrap-filled plastic packaging, but the design makes it instantly giftable, with no wrapping necessary. Score!

Being more sustainable isn’t always about a complete lifestyle overhaul. Sometimes it's as simple as changing the way you wrap presents over the holidays. After all, it's these little changes that add up to make a big difference in the footprint we all leave behind. Whether the candle industry or the gift space, NOTES® is here to make conscious consumption a little easier, and a lot more fragrant.