Properly recyclable wrapping paper?

[Sewbean]

I hear such mixed things about recyclable wrapping paper. Any good, reasonably priced suggestions?
If it has no glitter on it is that enough? What's the story about the scrunching thing? If you scrunch it up and it keeps its shape it's not recyclable?
Sports Direct had massive rolls of shiny looking paper today with "recyclable" on the label but I wasn't sure I believed them, it looked too smooth and shiny.

Tissue paper? I know it's not recyclable because the fibres are too short or something, but it must still be less wasteful than shiny glittery paper? I sort of assume it just dissolves in landfill.

Good question. Hoping someone's got this sussed.

Brown paper with lovely ribbon ?

I don’t think you can recycle wrapping paper. Or cards because of the glitter. Sellotape has to be removed too. Unless you go for brown paper and string, and decorate with ribbons etc?

I go for brown paper and Christmas ribbon. The ribbon can be reused for future presents as well. I get the ribbon from tiger as its reasonably priced and very pretty.

Look for Kraft paper which is brown paper printed with patterns - avoid glitter.

I got some brown parcel paper from WHSmiths which is both recycled and recyclable. Sellotape isn’t recyclable so I also got some brown paper tape as well. It was right next to the normal tape in my small local smiths, so should be easy to come by.

I also bought some inks online to print the paper with (DD aged 2 loved helping me with this the other day!) as home-painted paper isn’t recyclable, but obviously paper written/painted with ink is. Plain paper with a ribbon also looks lovely if you/kids don’t fancy the painting or printing it!

Bamboo/hemp washi tape is eco-friendly, biodegradable and fine to leave on recyclable paper for kerbside collection.

Brightens up plain brown paper a treat.

Cheery selection of Xmas designs here
(plus AndKeep sell plastic-free alternative to sellotape)

IKEA have a good selection of 'Kraft' based papers and also paper based ribbons.

I'm really surprised most shops aren't advertising positively on products when they are recyclable.

Someone said further up that you can't recycle paper that's been painted on? But you can recycle paper that's been drawn on with ink?

God it's complicated.

A lot of brown parcel paper seems really thick to me so is that more to recycle? More wasteful than the really thin sheets of wrapping paper?

We have a little cheap and cheerful card shop near us that sells loose sheets of wrapping paper for 25p each. It's not shiny or glittery, I wonder if you can recycle that? The woman in the shop looked at me like I was crazy when I asked her.

It's really difficult! I was looking at some in next and it had the recycle sign on it twice but then I noticed it had glitter on so I didn't get it. We did printed brown paper last year and I think we will stick with it this year.

Our blue bins aren’t allowed to have any type of wrapping or brown paper.

A friend of mine wraps in vogue magazines and newspapers with velvet ribbon and they look beautiful.

Recyclable I believe?

I use gift bags and tissue in the basis that they can be used time and time again.

How can shiny vogue pages be recycled but not shiny wrapping paper? It's a mystery to me.

I use gift bags for grown ups but I still like to wrap for the kids.

@AutumnalLeaves38

Thanks for link to &Keep

Tin foil

I try to use patterned brown paper. I have got it from IKEA in the past, but last year I got some from Oxfam.

I find because it is quite sturdy, you can reuse it the following year for wrapping.

Any scrappy or scruffier bits that are too tatty to use to wrap again I have found further uses for - I have lined shelves with it for putting muddy boots on, have used when sending parcels through the post, have used to wrap cheese in the fridge, or if DC take an apple to school for a snack they will wrap to protect it. Dd used some when she had to cover some school exercise books to protect them.
Really small bits I write shopping lists on, or reminders on the fridge, or DC will use for Christmas crafts.
Basically I try to think "reuse" before I think "recycle".
It takes a bit of sorting just after Christmas, I smooth it all out and sort it, have always done it and Dc like helping.

My council accepts wrapping paper in the recycle bins as long as it stays in a tight ball when scrunched up. Otherwise it has to go in the refuse bin.

True about the scrunch test & removing sellotape etc, but according to this some councils don’t take it, because the recycling facilities they use won’t accept it, so you need to check with your own council.

www.recyclenow.com/what-to-do-with/wrapping-paper-1

Also we use some scrunchable paper for laying fires, instead of newspaper. It’s not a smokeless zone here though, I don’t know if eg sellotape shouldn’t be burned?

I use square pieces of Christmas patterned fabric, with ribbon to secure it. We reuse it every year, it’s so easy to wrap with too - square things you do as usual, but anything that’s an odd shape you just gather all the corners and tie like a ‘Dick Whittington bag’ (as my DH calls them!). Totally paper free, love them!
Also brown paper is lovely, if you’ve got nice handwriting you can write recipients’ names right onto the paper.

I use square pieces of Christmas patterned fabric

@Garlicandherb that is a great idea. I have lots of odd fabrics lying around. Do you hem them before you use them? I guess I would have to do that first. Or just pink the edges? Do they come apart?

I think some of my family will be really pleased to receive a fabric wrapped gift but others, my mum for one, will think it is downright strange.

Do you ask for your wrappings back from people you have given to?

@sewbean I’ve hemmed mine, but I think pinking would probably work pretty well, maybe not last quite as long. This year I’ve also started making gift bags, just hem the top, put right sides together and sew the bottom and side. Even quicker to fill! Also I’m making lined ones with a Christmas outer and plain inner. They feel a lot more luxurious and I think people will keep them, hopefully!

I’ve found that a few people threw the fabric away but not many. When I gave them I explained it was about using less paper and they could keep/reuse as they liked. Some people gave it back to me there and then for me to reuse, some used it for my return gifts the next year, everyone was ok with the concept really! I like the idea of the bags this year, I don’t think (hope) anyone would chuck them.

I’ve got a few nieces and nephews who love to do frenzied paper ripping, so I still do theirs in brown paper as I think they’d be pretty disappointed with fabric wrap 😂

@GiantKitten,

You're welcome.

@AuntieDolly,

"Tin foil"

Aka 'the Gavin & Stacey's Smithy method'!