It's a Wrap
by Bonnie Alter, London 
on 12.20.06
Christmas wrapping paper is really wasteful--but there is something about using newspaper and string that just doesn't have that festive spirit. But there is hope. There are quite a few festive recycled wrapping papers available. Recycled aluminium foil looks shiny and bright and you can re-use it to wrap up the left-over turkey. World Wildlife Fund has gift wrap that is 100% recycled, decorated with sweet little birds on snowy branches (pictured). Or you could cover the presents in paper printed with hot chili peppers, bamboo or tea leaves, all Fairtrade. A Nepalese co-operative, set up with assistance from The Body Shop, makes hand-made carrier bags out of rags, waste paper, and agriculture waste like banana fibres and water hyacinth. Another bright and cheery paper range has been made using the raffia fibres from the bark of the mulberry tree as the base raw material. A variety of petals, leaves, banana, sugarcane fibres and bark particles are used. They have tags and paper cord as well. Don't forget about raffia, used as cord, it's colourful, comes in every colour imaginable and makes every present look like a dream.
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I wrapped things in multicolored, gaily knotted bandannas. Like Japanese furoshiki/ I think they went over well enough, and are washable, reuseable, and so on.