Wrapping paper causes millions of tons of unnecessary waste each year. Why unnecessary? Because there are plenty of sustainable alternatives to conventional wrapping paper! Whereas paper wrapping is not fully recyclable due to laminates, glitter, or plastic components, eco-friendly alternatives use different materials and encourage the reduction of single-use products all together.
In this blog post, we want to compare furoshiki, the ancient Japanese wrapping cloth, and recyclable wrapping paper to discuss which is truly more sustainable. Keep reading to find out!
🏭 Material & Production Impact
The furoshiki is traditionally made from cotton, silk, or synthetic fibres. When they are initially produced, furoshiki can have a higher environmental footprint than paper, as fabric manufacturing often involves more water, energy, and dyes. However, in the long run, furoshiki are more sustainable when reused many times. Furthermore, if you look into organically and ethically produced furoshiki, their environmental footprint is usually much lower.
Recyclable paper is made from virgin or recycled pulp, which requires wood harvesting, water, and energy, as well as bleaching agents. Recycled paper has a lower resource demand than virgin paper but still requires processing and transport.
🌿 Lifespan & Reuse
The furoshiki can be reused hundreds of times, reducing wrapping paper by 100% and thereby avoiding unnecessary waste. Since conventional wrapping paper is made to be used once and discarded, a furoshiki has a much longer lifespan and can not only be reused multiple times, but for many purposes. Furoshiki are multi-functional and can be used as gift wrap, as a shopping bag, scarf, or décor, spreading its production impact over many uses. Of course, when you're using your furoshiki a lot, it might require occasional washing or ironing, but still, the water and energy footprint will remain small.
Recyclable wrapping paper, on the contrary, is generally made for a single use, though it can be reused if it isn't torn. After being used, it can be recycled, but its recycling cycle is not endless. Each recycling cycle shortens the material's fibres until they eventually become unusable after around 5-7 uses.
🌱 End-of-Life
If the furoshiki is made from natural fibres, it will be biodegradable at end of life. Thus, you should opt for furoshiki that are made from organic materials and use organic dyes. If the furoshiki is made from synthetic fibres, it is not biodegradable at end of life, however, it can be repurposed and upcycled, or simply used as a fabric scrap for several crafts.
Recyclable paper is fully biodegradable and compostable, unless it is coated or contains glitter or laminates. Recycling reduces landfill waste, but requires collection, sorting, and processing energy.
🚛 Transport & Storage
Furoshiki are lightweight, foldable, and durable. With only few replacements needed over their long lifespan, transport emissions are drastically reduced over time.
Recyclable paper is lightweight but bulkier when large volumes are shipped, especially when it comes to commercial gift wrapping. Recyclable paper requires constant resupply for frequent wrapping needs.
💭 Cultural & Behavioral Factor
Furoshiki is not just the name of a wrapping cloth, it as an art of wrapping that represents mindfulness and respect for others. Thus, the furoshiki encourages a reuse mindset which can have positive spillover effects on other sustainable habits. Of course, wrapping with furoshiki is slightly different than wrapping with paper as it requires some practice and awareness of different folding techniques. However, you'll learn super fast and realise just how easy fabric wrapping truly is!
Recyclable paper fits current habits and expectations for gift-giving when it comes to sustainability, with no further skill required. Thus, recyclable paper is easier to integrate without behavior change, but doesn't inherently promote long-term reuse habits.
Which Is Truly More Sustainable?
Let's compare, shall we? There are different pros and cons to both furoshiki and recyclable paper. Should a furoshiki be used only once, it has a higher footprint than recyclable paper due to use of energy and resources in the production process. If used many times, like dozens to hundreds, a furoshiki becomes far more sustainable over its long lifespan, especially when it is made from natural fibres or upcycled fabrics.
Recyclable paper is convenient and lower-impact for one-off uses, however, its recycling cycle is not endless and it cannot compete with the long-term reuse of a furoshiki when it comes to sustainability.
All in all, the furoshiki is more sustainable than recyclable paper as it can be reused without having to be replaced countless times. You will have to make an investment at first, but it is ultimately the best sustainable solution!