LauraBell
True Blue Farmgirl
357 Posts
Laura
Corpus Christi
TX
USA
357 Posts
Posted - Nov 18 2025 : 07:22:07 AM
My sister has been wrapping her gifts in pieces of fabric and ribbon for years and we've been collecting fabric bags and vintage pillowcases for wrapping rather than using wrapping paper.
I'm thinking (ha ha) that I might make some drawstring bags this year for this Christmas. I bought a big piece of flannel with little gnomes from a fabric destash before Caroline was born. I've never done anything with it and this might be just the project.
Does anyone else use sustainable wrapping for their gifts?
Laura
Happy to be Farmgirl #7286
Bellepic
True Blue Farmgirl
384 Posts
Christine
Santa Ana
CA
USA
384 Posts
Posted - Nov 18 2025 : 07:39:29 AM
We are on the same wavelength!
I keep and reuse the Amazon gift bags some out of state family send Fallon gifts in. In the excitement, a lot of the ribbons have been pulled all the way out of the neck of them over time. Sure, it would be easy to repair; it would feel slightly "homier" if I swap these out for home-made ones too. We just blew out a grey fitted linen sheet (after a little over a year of daily use--MIL and I have a theory our spouses' rough feet are the main source of wear and tear), so maybe that could be my guinea pig material...
I also opt to wrap with brown kraft paper. Not so much because that was a "trendy" aesthetic a few years ago as because I can shred and compost it without worrying about the provenance of the dyes and Fallon can decorate the paper with whatever artistic flair... Although there was a 3 kid birthday gauntlet right after we said goodbye to our dog where all her friend's packages were covered with "Chi died" crying faces... Not exactly the art to match the occasion... But at least they could shred and compost it!
Blessed in Colorado
True Blue Farmgirl
5472 Posts
Debbie Fischer
Coos Bay
OR
5472 Posts
Posted - Nov 18 2025 : 10:11:28 AM
I love wrapping Gifts in fabric especially when I want to give the gift of fabric. I can give two gifts in one. Never thought about using left over fabric for ribbon though. I will start doing that.
Big Hugs, Debbie Farmgirl if the Month for: September 2012, February 2018, September 2022 and August 2025. “My altars are My Mountains and the Ocean.” Lord Bryon When I am old I am wearing Purple. I am Old!!
nndairy
True Blue Farmgirl
1920 Posts
Heather
Wapakoneta
Ohio
USA
1920 Posts
Posted - Nov 19 2025 : 7:09:02 PM
I love this idea, but sadly it would be a waste of fabric for the majority of people I give gifts to. It would just end up in the trash and I'd be very sad. We had a tree fall down this summer and I'm going to burn names into little pieces cut from the branches to use for tags. We'll see how many of them get kept as ornaments.
~Heather “I would rather be on my farm than be emperor of the world.” — George Washington
levisgrammy
Scattered Prairie Hen Honcho
10731 Posts
Denise
Ohio
USA
10731 Posts
Posted - Nov 20 2025 : 05:05:08 AM
Same here Heather. It would get tossed.
Denise~~
Sister #43
"I am a bookaholic with no desire to be cured."
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path" Psalm 119:105
LauraBell
True Blue Farmgirl
357 Posts
Laura
Corpus Christi
TX
USA
357 Posts
Posted - Nov 20 2025 : 07:04:47 AM
We use fabric for our family get-togethers so my sister just keeps a pillowcase next to her and stuffs it all in the bag as we go. We do use fabric for our quilty friends but we know when they keep the fabric it's going to a good home :)
Laura
Happy to be Farmgirl #7286
AussieChick
True Blue Farmgirl
102 Posts
Cindy
Esk
Queensland
Australia
102 Posts
Posted - Nov 22 2025 : 4:04:46 PM
I had a friend who used to give gifts in fabric/reusable shopping bags. This was a great idea, so I often do the same for some of my local friends here.
Farmgirl #6058 Farmgirl Sister of the Year 2021
"The happiest people don't have the best of everything, they just make the best of everything they have".
Wrapping Gifts
Posted - Nov 18 2025 : 07:22:07 AM
