Did you know that there is a 25% increase in the amount of garbage we dispose of around the holidays? And most of it is packaging and wrapping paper. According to an article in The Atlantic (12/22/12) we spend $2.6 billion annually on wrapping paper. Wasteful!
Cloth wrapping has been used in traditional cultures for over 1,200 years and is still used today by many wise parents. Furoshiki is the ancient art of cloth wrapping from Japan which is elegant, practical and eco-friendly. In Korea it's called Bojagi and is often silk or hemp patchwork cloth.
Another advantage is that different shaped gifts are easier to wrap with cloth. Here are some ideas:
We love how simple and beautiful cloth wrap is. And your wrapping becomes another gift or can be used year after year.
Playsilks are especially beautiful as wrapping because of how luminescent and shiny the colors are. Plus, after the gifts are open the children can play with them!
Our starter set of silk wrappings is available here.
Leave a comment about your ideas for reusable gift wrapping below and enter to win a Holiday Gift Wrap Set!
Two winners will be chosen 11/14/18.
I lived in Japan for sometime … and this is one of my favourite things from there that I have incorporated into my life. Using your rainbow silk scarves just takes it to another level!! x
Rebecca on
We do potato printing onto cloth and paper, we make shapes of stars and trees and cats and anything else we like and then make lovely, reusable wrap for our gifts, we also stamp simple drawstring bags. It’s really so easy and fun and the results are so beautiful. Wrapping with playsilks would be a dream!
Sarah on
We love using reusable wrapping paper at our house. We sometimes use scrap fabrics to wrap gifts, but our favorite is to use our playsilks. My daughter will often make her little brother a special gift (artwork or a sweet note), and wrap it up in one of her silks. Adding a few more colors to our small collection would be nice and just in time for some holiday wrapping! ❤️💛💚💙💜🖤
Ali on
Since my oldest was 2 hrs old 1994, we have used playsilks as costumes, forts, hide-aways, baby doll slings, trails to the birthday gifts, birthday throne upholstery, celebratory tablecloths, butterfly wings, interpretive dance accessories. It was about 10 years ago that we started using them to wrap gifts. There is nothing more magical than a gift enclosed in luxurious silk. We still use our original playsilks for wrapping gifts and are happy to stow them back into their basket after gift giving is over. The lack of gift wrap waste all over the floor makes me giddy!
Sue Petersen on
I sometimes use brown grocery bags (Trader Joe’s) turned inside out, and it looks classy and vintage with twine or ribbon! Play silks sounds like a beautiful alternative!
Kelsey Lawson on
Silks are a great idea! We’re new to silks, but that was our plan for this year. We also love using muslin blankets, kid’s artwork, newspaper, reusing boxes/packaging/wrapping paper, scrap fabric.
Courtney on
My boys absolutely love playsilks so these would double as gift wrap and then turn into toys after :D
Hannah Smith on
I was just telling my husband I wanted to get a few new colors of the play silks (to add to our collection) to wrap gifts with this year!
Alisha on
I try to think of ways to help my grandchildren to understand the importance of reducing waste. This is one of my favorites! A playsilk is a wrap and plaything in one!
Loren M. on
We have been using playsilks to wrap gifts for years! It is a beautiful, economical, and time-saving tradition!
Emily Moser on
I really don’t know why I haven’t thought about using cloth of sort before however I’ve always been the one that carefully removes wrapping paper in order to save it to reuse it along with the gift bags I’ve had for years haha. My husband and I have been living more minimal for years so now that we have a little one of my own passing that lesson of being less wasteful is important. As I child I remember one Christmas in particular where my brother and I played with the boxes our ‘gifts’ came in for hours so including the wrapping in what we are ‘gifting’ our daughter and knowing it’s something she will play with to spark her curiosity wonder and imagination is something I would love to provide her.
Caitlin A. Frizzell on
Love this idea! Never thought of using silks to wrap gifts!
Carly on