According to a recent report cited by The Huffington Post:
“People in the U.S. spent a total of $12.7 billion on gift wrap — including wrapping paper, tissue paper, and gift bags — in 2017. This is stuff designed to be torn into shreds and tossed away in less than 60 seconds.”
With the holiday season fast approaching, it’s the perfect time to rethink how we wrap our gifts. Traditional plastic-based wrapping paper may look festive, but it creates a significant environmental impact — much of it ending up in landfills or as pollution.
A Sustainable Alternative: Recycled Gift Wrapping
To reduce waste and promote environmentally responsible habits, many schools are now offering gift-wrapping services using recycled materials. Instead of purchasing new rolls of wrapping paper, families are encouraged to bring unwrapped gifts to school, where student-led initiatives will take care of the rest — wrapping, decorating, and labeling each item using eco-friendly materials.
It’s a creative and educational way to encourage sustainability, support student leadership, and contribute to a meaningful cause during the holidays.
How It Works
- Families drop off gifts with a short form attached, detailing recipient names and any special decoration requests.
- Students wrap and decorate gifts using recycled paper, upcycled fabrics, paper bags, and handmade embellishments.
- Donations for the service are welcome and often directed toward environmental organizations or student scholarship funds.
Why It Matters
This initiative goes far beyond festive packaging. It teaches students the importance of sustainable practices, fosters collaboration, and allows young people to contribute positively to both their school community and the environment.
Programs like this also make great CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service) projects for IB students or service-learning opportunities in other curricula — promoting environmental awareness and social responsibility through action.
Final Thoughts
Whether your school is looking for a new CAS idea or a way to bring sustainability into its holiday traditions, recycled gift wrapping is a thoughtful, low-cost initiative that creates a big impact. It shows that caring for our planet can be woven into the spirit of giving — and that creativity can shine through even in something as simple as gift wrap.