Can I Recycle Wrapping Paper?

Did you know that 227,000 miles of wrapping paper are thrown away each year? Wrapping paper might look pretty, but let's be honest: it's in the trash within minutes and most wrapping papers are not recyclable.

If you're trying to be a bit more planet-friendly this festive period, our handy guide will give you all the details you need to know...

What wrapping paper cannot be recycled?

Wrapping paper can only be recycled if it passes the scrunch test. The materials that go into making some wrapping paper will not be accepted for recycling, including:

Wrapping paper that is dyed or laminated.
Shiny or non-paper additives i.e. coloured shapes, glitter, plastics etc cannot be recycled as it is nothing but microplastics. Not only does the glitter pollute the ocean, but it also ends up being ingested by animals which can be fatal!
Wrapping paper that is very thin will only contain a few quality fibres, not enough for recycling.
Paper that has sticky tape attached to it makes it very difficult to recycle.
Paper with decorations such as ribbons, gift tags and bows cannot be recycled.

Important: Some councils will accept wrapping paper in their household recycling collection but others will not as wrapping paper is not accepted by some recycled paper mills, so please check with them first. If your council does not accept wrapping paper, you can check here to see where you can recycle it.

How can I be more eco-friendly with my wrapping?

You can still make your gifts look picture-perfect without contributing to unnecessary waste. You can do this by using alternatives that are made from sustainable sources. Some great alternatives to usual wrapping paper are:

Fabric gift bags:

Why not opt for reusable bags instead? Not only are they easier to deal with but more sustainable for our environment! Etsy have a great range of fabric gift bags that will also raise a FREE donation for your favourite charity when you shop through Give as you Live Online!

Recycled Wrapping Paper:

Buying recycled wrapping paper is more sustainable for our planet. Eco Wrap specialises in fully recyclable & plastic-free wrapping paper for all occasions. They also plant a tree for every order over £5!

What's even better is, when you shop through Give as you Live Online, you'll raise a FREE donation for the charity you love!

Bee’s Wrap:

If you're gifting food this year, Bee's Wrap is a sustainable alternative to plastic that is reusable, washable, and compostable! You can get beautiful designs like these from Lakeland, which will also raise donations for your favourite charity when you shop through Give as you Live Online!

Alternatively, if you don't want to spend any money, you can reuse what you have lying around the house. You can use newspapers, magazine pages, maps etc. To spruce up your gifts you can decorate them with natural materials like pine cones and berries.

What is Give as you Live Online?

Give as you Live Online is a FREE online fundraising platform that has raised over £28 million for UK charities just through online shopping. There are over 6,000 stores listed and over 200,000 charities available to support. Sign up, click through Give as you Live Online and raise free donations whenever you shop!

Sign Up >

Offers, donation rates and participating stores are correct at the time of writing and are subject to change. Please visit the Give as you Live Online website for the most up to date information.