Sustainable Fabric Christmas Gift Bags

 I decided last year really that the best way forward for us - from a sustainability point of iew was to go down the fabric gift bag route. I made a small and probably much posher gift bag last year for my Mum. She actually uses that as a bag. It was ot quite the same idea because I wrapped the contents in paper inside the bag. This year I want to make bags which are themselves all the wrapping there is - other than ribbon fastenings and tags anyway.

This year I want to make some more reuseable "every Christmas" type of bags and have some offcuts of christmasey fabrics left over from other projects from last year in various sizes which I decided were a good choice fabric wise.

I have some presents already bought so decided now is a good time to experiment and since I had half a day off this was what I decided to do. I still used bought gift tags and ribbon so its not perfect as yet and I added bought jingly bells as well but at least I have eliminated the paper wrapping this year. Next year if all my tags are gone then I will find a way to replace these.

These bags are still not perfect because they are all poly cotton so a man made fibre mixed with cotton and quite likely its not organic cotton but despite this I feel I am at least on the way to being sustainable. And by not sending this wrapping to landfill - as well as me using up scraps of fabric that otherwise could be thrown away - this does hopefully count towards making the world a better place.

These bags were quick to make as well. I overlocked the outside edges and the opening edge. If you do not have an overlocker though you could just sew up with a normal machine. It will still work.

Then add tags and ribbon and I added bells because I just love an excuse to use them.

Really of course you shuld make the tags yourself for true sustainability and maybe also swap to reuseable ribbon but I feel I should use up what I already have first - and its easier to use that of course. But still there cannot be an excuse to just throw something out because you decided there is a better way. I intend to use everything and as time goes by I will need to swap to making my own tags as well.

Interestingly despite the fact I needed to cut out the fabric into rectangles and sew up into bags, I reckon parcelling the presents I have to far bought was actually much quicker than with paper. I always hate the parcelling up bit as well so thats a definite plus for me. 

Or if you wanted to do something similar but have no easy way to sew, you could even just cut your fabric with pinking shears and tie around the parcel because there is no reason why you have to make an actual bag. I thought bags would be easiest hence thats what I made. Sizes of each bag were varied and according to parcel size and fabric shapes because my fabric is all left over from other projects so shapes/ sizes were a bit random. But then hopefully people will reuse them next year.

I think by the time my Christmas shopping is done then, I will also clear out lots of old bits of fabric from my stash so thats also a good thing. I might for next year have to keep a look out for sequin fabrics and glitter fabrics as well just so we get some sparkle and because they will be reuseable I do not feel that difficulty with my conscience that I feel when I want to use those super shiny glitter wrapping papers that look lovely but then I know it is going to end up in landfill becase its currently not recyclable. They regularly have glitter fabrics reduced throughout the year because people only want them at Christmas party season so now is not the best time to buy them. Although you might just find a good bargain out there if someone wants to clear some. I shall be keeping and eye open over the next few weeks now just in case.

I just have to hope now that my friends and relatives do not just throw away the bags as they would wrapping paper. Otherwise its kind of a waste of effort. I hope its obvious they can reuse the wrappings next year. With the younger people thats less likely than with the pensioners since it seems the older generations still do not understand the "reduce, reuse and recycle" mentality despite the media and most people under the age of 60 pushing it.

Still as we all age I suppose it will be easier to be sustainable. Its a natural thing for even most under 60-somethings, but it seems not the 80+s. 

Despite long conversations with my relatives over 80 years old they simply do not see the world the way most of us do. For example I have had arguements when refusing to sign a petition against wind farms because the older people see them as "polluting the landscape". Several neighbours still refuse to speak to me about that one! 

The good thing is as time passes there will be less and less people that do not get the idea of sustainability and no I do not wish they would die but realistically we all will. And we will become more sustainable as younger people want the world to be a better place. Future generations should hopefully be better educated than those older people who see the world as disposable. For now yes I think, I really believe, even the smallest of actions towards saving the planet will help so its all worth the effort.

Anyway enough ranting about sustainability. I hope this idea helps some people, or encourages you to think about ideas for other ways to wrap Christmas parcels. All ideas welcome here. I am sure this is just one way to deal with all that wasted paper ( and trees) we make every time we have a holiday. Please comment or tell me your blog address if you have some intersting ideas in fact because I would love to have more ways to wrap this year's parcels without wasting resources and polluting our precious world.

Take care

Bracken