Christmas Through the Eyes of a Roll of Gift Wrap  Christmas (Paper) Comes Around Each Year

What would Christmas be without presents? And what would presents be without wrapping paper? One thing’s certain: more sustainable. If you don’t want to go without, there are certain eco labels to look for when buying paper. From the perspective of a certified roll of recycled wrapping paper, Sina Bahr tells us what makes her so environmentally friendly – and what doesn't.

Some are small, others are big. Some are useful, others are beautiful to look at. Christmas gifts can be very different. Money and vouchers, but also food, toys, clothing, books and jewellery ended up under Christmas trees last year. According to a survey conducted annually by the FOM University of Applied Sciences of Economics and Management, the amount spent per person averaged more than 500 euros. And all those gifts have one thing in common: they are beautifully wrapped for Christmas.

Packaged in pretty-coloured paper and decorated with a bow, the presents are waiting under the Christmas tree. The thrill of anticipation begins, the ribbon is untied, and the wrapping paper is torn open expectantly. And thus the perfect surprise is delivered, if all goes to plan.

This is not sustainable

Wrapping paper is the method of choice when it comes to giving gifts a beautiful appearance, but it is increasingly coming under criticism. Because the paper is produced only to be thrown away again having been used briefly: this is not sustainable. Admittedly some people are now resorting to alternatives such as newspaper, fabrics or old maps – but most continue to use wrapping paper. Together with packaging, it makes up the largest share of German paper consumption, according to information from Die Papierindustrie e.V. – the paper industry association. And this results in deforestation, water consumption and CO2 emissions. But what should you do if you’re unwilling to go without wrapping paper, but still want to consider the environment? That’s where I come in: I'm a roll of recycled gift wrap. I’ve been certified by the Blue Angel, the environmental label of the Federal Ministry for the Environment. According to surveys, 90 percent of consumers are aware of the Blue Angel, and more than 40 per cent allow it to influence their purchase decision. Its diverse criteria make it the most impressive quality seal in Germany.

How to earn the Blue Angel

What exactly this means for me, my creation and design, is explained by Janine Braumann from the Federal Environment Agency. “Paper is a wonderful raw material. Once you extract it and have the paper fibres, they can be recycled again and again.” That's why the most important criterion for environmentally friendly wrapping paper is its one hundred percent recycled paper content.

So my body is made from reprocessed paper products originating from the paper recycling bins of German households. “It’s not a waste bin, it’s a raw material bin,” stresses Julia Braumann. This system makes it possible to keep valuable resources in circulation.

There are also important criteria for the colouring process. For example the dye used in my design must not contain any toxic substances and must wash out easily. This washing, also known as deinking, is particularly important so that the paper fibres can be reincorporated into the cycle. After all, environmentally friendly paper should not only consist of waste paper, it should also be able to become waste paper again. Plastic decorations and coatings that cannot be removed are also taboo on my skin.

And who wants me now?

With all these restrictions, can I ever be as pretty as other wrapping papers? That depends entirely on expectations. I can certainly offer bright colours, Christmas patterns or embossed motifs within the paper structure. However I can’t give you metallic colours, glittery coatings or foam overprints. But is that really so important?

For many it is, says Janine Braumann. Some manufacturers are still clinging onto it because their customers demand it. Others, by contrast, prefer to follow the Blue Angel guidelines. But there is definitely still room for improvement, says Braumann.

What consumers can do

There is also room for improvement in usage behaviour. The Federal Environment Agency cannot control what consumers do with wrapping paper. It can only create a label that guarantees environmentally friendly production. And even then, the truth is this: “Even a Blue Angel product is never environmentally friendly per se. A product always has an impact on the environment.” Janine Braumann has a variety of tips for consumers in order to minimise this impact as far as possible.

Paper that is carefully unwrapped can be reused next year and thus gets a second life even without the recycling process. Furthermore it should not be used in bulk quantities, so a roll of wrapping paper will last for several years.

So if you choose me when buying wrapping paper and also use me responsibly, you‘re already taking an important step towards environmentally friendly gifting. There are other labels to help you decide what to buy, such as those awarded by the FSC, the Forest Stewardship Council. The German government's label evaluation portal "Siegelklarheit" offers a good overview of all the paper quality labels that exist in Germany.

My conclusion: although I love to give people a nice gift experience year after year and am happy about their decision to use environmentally friendly paper, I would not hold it against them if they came up with a completely different idea this Christmas. The fact is: recycling paper is good. Avoiding paper is better. And makes gift-giving even more creative and personal.

December 2024