As the summer season kicks off, we’re all in for a busy social schedule packed full of parties and events. The downside of attending a multitude of summer events? The gifts! Not only because each gift takes its toll on your wallet, but also inevitable waste of gift-wrapping levies its environmental impact too.

While gift bags do offer a reusable alternative, they just don’t offer the same excitement factor of being handed a gift that you can eagerly unwrap; and the aesthetic effects just aren’t the same as traditional gift wrap which is anything but eco-friendly. However, there is a new product that could change the industry of gift wrapping as we know it, with a reusable, environmentally-friendly alternative which makes gifts look just as pretty as wrapping paper.

Due for release during the month of June is Chewing the Cud’s organic cotton gift wrap, available in a variety of patterns. Each of the sustainable gift wrap options are hand-printed using soy based ink, minimizing environmental impact in its design as well as its use. At 28” x 28” the environmentally-friendly gift wrap can be reused to wrap future gifts following unwrapping; or they can be used as scarves or table linens.

Although this is one great product from an environmental perspective, once this line of organic cotton gift wrap by Chewing the Cud is launched, gift givers and recipients alike will have to work out the politics of eco-friendly gift wrap ownership. Once the birthday girl has opened her gift, do you ask for the sustainable gift wrap back? Do you let the gift recipient keep the organic wrapping for future gift giving endeavors, or to add to his/her eco-friendly houseware of fashion collection? Hopefully, once this eco-friendly product is available on the green market, it will come with a set of rules to avoid friendship fallouts; a risk worthwhile for the reduction of waste!
via: TreeHugger