Sustainable gift wrapping: the Christmas gift that keeps on giving

GIFTING season is upon us, and many of us are scrambling to make sure we cross off all the gifts listed on our loved ones’

- JUSTIN BOTT

Christmas wish lists.While Christmas shopping can be a stressful exercise, it’s also a task we endure each year to ensure our loved ones have a cheerful season filled with joy. An important part of Christmas shopping is finding the perfect gift-wrapping paper to go with your Christmas theme or suit the personality of the person on the receiving end.

However, consumerism carries its own environmental challenges; gift wrapping paper is one to always be considered, given its limited recyclability. Many types cannot be recycled due to non-paper additives like glitter, foil, and plastic, resulting in large volumes ending up in landfills. While global data isn’t available, on average, the UK uses an estimated 227,000 miles (around 365,000 km) of wrapping paper each year, which is equivalent to 365,320 km.

Market growth for gift paper is projected to reach approximately $4.9 Billion by 2025, with expected growth at a CAGR of 4.0% from 2025 onwards to reach an estimated size of USD 7.2 billion by 2035. This is attributed to increasing consumer preferences for eco-friendly wrappings, higher demand for premium and customised gift packaging, as well as regulations restricting the use of plastic-based wrapping materials.