So much paper is wasted at Christmas each year as it’s eagerly torn off and put straight into the bin – recycling if we’re lucky. And remember anything with glitter, foil or with sellotape on it can’t be recycled.
Reduce the waste this year by creating your own DIY wrapping paper using recycled or scrap paper.
Save newsprint throughout December to reuse and wrap your gifts or buy a roll recycled parcel paper and print it yourself.
Need gifts to wrap?
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Ingredients
Recycled parcel paper
Small potatoes
Paint or vegetable ink
Small dish or plate
Knife for carving
Pen/pencil for marking shape
Rosemary / foraged leaves and berries
Method
- Start by doing some research into the pattern you want to make. You can personalise each sheet to each person you’re gifting to. We think Pinterest is great to get some ideas (follow our Ethical Christmas board for more tips and ideas).
- Once you’ve got your patterns you’ll need to carve out the stamps into potatoes. Take a potato and cut it in half. This will now make two stamps.
- Try to dry out the top of each slice as much as possible with a towel and then etch in your shape with a pen or pencil. Geometric shapes are easier to carve out.
- Take a knife and carefully carve out the shape. You want to make sure that when you stamp it, the only part of the potato that touches the paper is the shape that you’ve carved.
- Lay out the sheet of paper that you want to wrap with. You could cut the shape to the present first or print the entire roll if you know you’ll be using it all.
- You might need to dry out the stamp a little more now if it has become wet again. This is important before we start stamping.
- Put some of your paint or vegetable ink into a small dish and press your stamp into it. It’s a good idea to do a few practise prints to make sure you get the right amount of pressure and ink.
- Now start stamping and create your pattern. Leave the paper to dry for about 20 minutes and then you’re ready to start wrapping.
- To avoid sticky tape, tie the present up with string and add some foraged sprigs and berries for an extra festive touch.
