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Roughly 4.6 million pounds of wrapping paper is used annually in the United States and fully half of that ends up in landfills. According to the American Forest & Paper Association, 65.7% of paper used in 2020 was recycled, which means that our use of wrapping paper tends to be more wasteful than with other forms of paper.

One reason is that many types of wrapping paper aren't recyclable. If you're wrapping paper has foil, glitter, sparkles, lamination, or sequins, then it most likely cannot be recycled in your municipality. This means that we collectively spend hours every year wrapping gifts with paper products that are destined for landfills. It's a losing situation for us and the environment.

Fortunately, there are alternatives to single-use wrapping paper.

Here are the best reusable gift bags.

With gift bags, boxes, bows, and charms for any occasion, EverWrap products are made to be re-used. All of EverWrap’s bags and boxes are self-closing with the closures built in, so no scissors or tape is needed for gift wrapping. EverWrap bags and boxes are also foldable and lay flat for easy storing, which means more closet space for you and no stress over wrinkled, ripped gift packaging.

EverWrap products are also super easy to use, meaning you can wrap a present in the time it takes to tie a bow, with no measuring, cutting, tearing, or folding required. With a wide range of solid colors, neutral patterns, and and festive designs available, EverWrap works well for any holiday or occasion.

Yes, this is technically a shopping bag, but Baggu’s bold prints, fun designs, and reusable quality make this a fun and eco-friendly way to wrap your gifts. Plus, your recipient gets a beautiful bag to add to their reusable shopping collection.

The ripstop nylon Baggu totes are made with 40% recycled material, while the heavyweight nylon bags are made with 59% recycled material. The mesh bags are made from 100% post-consumer recycled PET (polyethylene terephthalate), sourced from plastic water bottles.

There are dozens of Baggu designs available. Some of our favorites include meditating Lisa Simpson, marching elephants, kittens, hens, puppies, and the vibrant strawberry pattern. Baggu also makes reusable wine bottle bags for the oenophiles in your life.

These elegantly simple bags are made from jute and feature short sentiments for celebrating all of life’s occasions. Have a birthday coming up? The Little Market Gift Totes has options ranging from a straightforward "happy birthday" to "here for the cake" or "it's in the bag." From baby showers to wedding, there's a gift tote with the right sentiment for your occasion.

Little Market Gift Totes are manufactured by a Fair Trade certified organization of women artisans in Bangladesh. Primarily made from sustainable jute fibers, The Little Market is also transitioning away from its current laminated interior to a sustainable canvas lining, which means its gift totes will soon be made from 100% sustainable materials.

Ditch the paper gift wrap all together with Wrappr, a company using a traditional Japanese fabric wrap as an alternative to wrapping paper. Dating back more than 1,200 years, furoshiki are square pieces of fabric once used to wrap everything from bathing supplies to religious icons. In recent years, environmental concerns have lead to a renewed interest in furoshiki, with Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko promoting their use as an eco-friendly way to minimize paper waste.

Wrappr's take on furoshiki are limited run seasonal designs, available in cotton, satin, and silk options in three different sizes. Artists are not only paid for their designs, but also receive a royalty for each furoshiki sold featuring their image. Designs include vibrant illustrations and psychedelic patterns, many of them incorporating natural or seasonal elements.

The only downside is that it can take a little know-how to fold furoshiki. Wrappr's website offers folding guides, including for odd shapes, like wine bottles.

Every Wrappr furoshiki is shipped to you using recycled and biodegradable materials.

Tree-free paper is used for these eco-friendly gift bags, which come in multiple colors and designs. Lokta paper is made from shrubs instead of trees, a 1,000-year-old Himalayan tradition which helps preserve trees and cut down on waste. Since harvesting doesn't kill the plant, Lokta bushes are a sustainable source of wood pulp that return to full maturity in six or seven years.

Bark from the Lokta bush is gathered at high altitudes then carried to villages, where local artisans create a soft pulp that's poured over screened wooden frames and sun-dried into sheets. The result is a beautiful artisanal paper with visible grain and a pleasing texture. Heaven Hemp Handmade Lokta Gift Bags are handmade in Nepal, with a percentage of profits dedicated to Lalit Kumari Science Scholarship Fund, which supports local students.

Each bag is 15 inches long, 10.5 inches wide and 3 inches deep.

Delicate floral patterns, colorful zoo animals, space scenes, roaring dinosaurs, rainbows, kittens, and other appealing designs are used in these fabric gift bags, which come in a wide range of sizes.

The sturdy fabric is machine washable, making these gift bags a ready-made tradition for years to come. Each bag also comes with a coordinating satin ribbon that has been heat-sealed to prevent fraying.

Neutral beige and striped patterns make these bags the perfect everyday tote, extending their use beyond gifting. The medium-sized bag is handmade from 100% stonewashed European linen, which is OEKO-Tex certified, meaning it has been tested for harmful chemicals. Latt Linen bags also have inner pockets, which makes it invaluable if you need a little extra organization.

Each Latt Linen Tote Bag can be washed in warm water, followed by a low-heat tumble dry.

These plain, burlap potato sacks are the perfect rustic wrap for bulky gifts, which can be dressed up with a little ribbon. These bags are made from eco-friendly jute fibers, and have all sorts of uses beyond wrapping, including as planting bags useful in gardening.

AAYU burlap sacks are sold in packs of four. Each sack is approximately 40 inches high and 24 inches wide.

We love EverWrap for their diverse colors and patterns (view at Everwrap), plus they offer boxes, bows, and charms, in addition to their gift bags, making it easy to mix and match designs for any occasion. While wrapping gifts with them involve some practice, Wrappr's elegant furoshiki clothes (view at Wrappr) are a visually stunning ways to wrap that are as beautiful as they are reusable.

As always, steer clear of virgin plastics, if possible. Look for gift bags made from natural materials like jute fiber, or recycled materials like PET plastics. Don’t rule out reusable shopping bags, either. There are numerous designs and colors out there, and you can always dress up a reusable shopping bag by attaching a nice ribbon or bow to the handles. Fabric options like furoshiki wraps are always great too, as the gift recipient can always reuse the wrap for future gift giving.

Treehugger is committed to helping our readers reduce the environmental impact of their day-to-day lives. Author Amanda Ogle is a veteran reporter who loves writing about sustainability and believes it is important that we all strive to be as environmentally friendly as we can. She enjoys giving readers an honest idea of where to buy sustainable products online that make a difference to our environment.

Ebner, Tim. "Resilient U.S. paper industry maintains high recycling rate in 2020." American Forest & Paper Association.

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