Sustainability is a topic that is on many people’s minds and understandably so. Taking care of our planet is more crucial than ever right now, so being mindful of our role in that is just as important. Using what we have not only benefits the environment, it helps our wallets, too. So when it comes to crafting, raiding those healthily stocked stashes is a great time to see what you can use up and minimise waste, rather than always turning to something brand new in order to make something.

Christmas is another one of those times when being conscious of the above points feels paramount. The festive season always seems to creep into shops and online earlier and earlier, with many of us feeling compelled to buy more, spread the cost, or both.

More and more people are having important conversations regarding gifting, with some opting for second hand or vintage items, breathing new life into otherwise wasted products. So when it comes to wrapping gifts both old and new, thinking about how to do that is another way that we can make a potentially better choice, not only for ourselves, but for the planet, too. With that in mind, we’re getting mindfully merry and offering a few ideas to get you thinking of some eco-friendly alternatives to use, instead.

We’re hoping to inspire you this time of year by ‘shopping’ from what you have first. With the season being merry and bright for many, we’ll be showcasing what you could use for Christmas presents. Yet, any of the below ideas could be fashioned to suit any other celebration throughout the calendar year!

Cheers To You! 🍾

For some, a bottle of a loved one’s favourite tipple is a gesture that’s welcomed, especially around this time of year. Whether it’s a pairing wine, a bottle of port or a bottle of bubbly, dressing up that glass of fizz doesn’t have to cost any more than it needs to.

The Gift That Keeps On Giving 🛍️

Gift bags are another expense that we’re prone to purchasing whenever there’s an occasion around the corner. Although very reusable, taking the time to craft something a bit more earth-friendly can bring the joy tenfold!

Stash permitting, there are plenty of sizes and styles that you can craft a handy gift bag in. For these items, the larger tie-handle bag on the left can easily fit two 100g balls of Yarnsmiths Create DK, whereas the smaller drawstring is perfect for those smaller offerings, such as a little jewellery box.

Both Julie from Sum Of Their Stories and Cassie from Little Red Window have some great tutorials on how to create some wonderful gift bags. With handy step-by-step instructions and detailed photos, you’ll be sorted in ‘snow’ time at all!

For the tie-handle bag, contrasting fabrics are used to bring a further festive feel. However, if you’re looking to keep things a little more ambiguous on the celebrations, be sure to take a look through your own offerings at home to see what blends you can come up with! Whatever the occasion, we’re sure the recipient will adore that you’ve thought of them, as well as the planet.

Fab-yule-lous Furoshiki 🎁

Over the years, many of us have bought reams and reams of wrapping paper, for it to only end up in the recycling bin. Whilst we’re always keen to keep our well-thought out gifts, quite literally, under-wraps, we’re also throwing money away in the process – that’s where the ancient Japanese art of furoshiki comes in.

Translated as “bath spread”, furoshiki had typically been used as a way to keep the wearer’s clothes clean as they bathed. Over the years, the wrapping cloth has been utilised in a multitude of different ways. Its alternative and other traditional uses can be for shopping bags, leisure and many other practical uses. The Japanese government have offered wrapping techniques as a way to promote environmentally friendly alternatives HERE, and Yoko Kumano of Umami Mart offers more on furoshiki’s interesting history, along with some helpful tips on how else to utilise your cloth just HERE.

Yet as we’re talking celebrations, furoshiki has been used as a sustainable alternative to wrapping paper. The image of a loved one holding a bin bag on mid-Christmas morning isn’t a hard one to conjure. However, the reality of a bag full of rubbish that, essentially, can be avoided is a much happier thought – especially when it comes to getting used to the new recycling schedule around the new year!

Having a good ol’ root through your fabric stockpile may bring the wins, allowing you to create your very own furoshiki in whichever season or style you’d like! Whether you’re crafting something with a couple of designs to be reversible for a complimentary look, or keeping things ambiguous to use throughout the year, Charlotte Kan’s offering some wonderful tutorials HERE. For more techniques and wrapping ideas, River Takada’s handy tutorials via Spoonflower are certainly impressive and ones to watch HERE.

It’s custom to pass this style of wrap back to the giver to be reused, yet it’s your call as to whether you’d like to offer the furoshiki as part of your gift. It might be worth having a chat with your loved ones to see whether they plan to pass the wrap onto another person. If not, you could kindly ask for it to be returned for you to reuse it for next year, or another occasion depending on your design. However you wish to craft and utilise your furoshiki wraps, we’re sure they’ll go down a real treat.

That’s it from us this time around – have you used these alternative wrapping options before? If you’ve crafted your own, we’d love to see! Be sure to tag us in your posts using #MyMindfullyMerryMakes and we’ll share some of our favourites 🛍️

However you may choose to celebrate this upcoming time of year, we hope you’re keeping well and have a prosperous 2026 ahead 🎆