Are Wrapping Paper, Ribbons, and Bows Recyclable?

This time of year brings about a lot of gift-giving and even more questions about whether certain things are recyclable.

Gifts are generally given in one of, or a combination of, the following: gift bags, various types of gift wrap, ribbon, and bows. Technically few of which are recyclable.

Wrapping paper, made primarily of, well…paper, seems to beg to be put into your recycling bin after use just by virtue of the fact that paper is one of the most commonly recycled commodity. 

The reality, however, is that “including it in the bin with other paper products can make an entire load unrecyclable.”

Many of today’s commonly used wrapping paper is made with foil or thin layers of plastic coating the paper and some tissue paper contains acid, making it a less desirable item to recycle. 


According to recyclenation.com, “There are lots of great alternatives to regular wrapping paper.

1. Use brown paper grocery bags, craft paper, newspaper or other large sheets of paper. These types of paper are easy to recycle once you are finished with them. They are also less expensive than buying wrapping paper (and are free in some cases).

Decorating the paper with crayons or markers is fine. Adding paint, glitter and many other materials can make the paper unrecyclable.

2. Buy decorative gift bags or boxes that can be reused again and again. Or find nice shopping bags and boxes and use those for gifts

3. Wrap gifts in fabric, kitchen towels or other reusable materials.”

Understanding the actual impact of the products we use is the first step to knowing how what we use will impact the environment.

For more information on recyclable items visit www.wasteawaygroup.com.

earth911.com