3 Creative Ways to Wrap Gifts without Paper

When gifting small, flat items and paper goods, you don’t always need a box. Create the perfectly sized package with an item you may already have on hand: a roll of padded shelf liner. The soft, protective qualities of shelf liner and the ease of cutting it to any size make it ideal for crafting gift pouches. Plus, this kitchen cabinet staple comes in a variety of patterns and colors to bring your personality to packages you give.

These pouches are perfect for giving drawings, certificates, small books, printed photos, gift cards and more. Instead of a normal plain envelope, your sentimental gifts will look great in custom, pretty pouches.

Gather your materials:

• Non-slip shelf liner
• Measuring tape
• Pen
• Scissors
• Hot glue gun
• Sticky back fasteners
• Velvet or cotton ribbon (width determined by pouch size)

First, determine the size of your pouch. For gifts that have the same dimensions as a piece of paper or smaller, cut a 21-inch by 13-inch rectangle out of the shelf liner. For gift cards and other small-scale, flat items, cut a 10-inch by 5-inch rectangle.

Alternatively, you can also create custom sizes tailored to your gift. Measure the length of the item and double it. Add 3 inches to that doubled measurement. Measure the width of the item and add 2 inches. This is the size of the shelf liner needed for your pouch.

• Working on the backside of your piece of liner, place the material horizontally on a flat surface in front of you.
• Fold the left end 2 inches in from the right end, almost folding the length of the liner in half. Crease the folded edge.
• Starting at the creased end in 2- to 3-inch sections, use a hot glue gun and pressure to adhere the two sides of the pouch together.

• Apply sticky back fasteners to the top opening of the pouch and the mirroring positions of the 2-inch flap.
• Once the gift is securely inside, fasten the pouch flap closed. The side with the flap is the back of the package.

Use ribbon to tie a standard bow.

Tip: Using velvet or cotton ribbon allows the bow to bounce back into shape after being potentially squashed during transport.

Now, it's time to mail your package.

• To give more protection to the gift, consider placing the pouch between two pieces of cardboard to keep it flat.
• Tape the cardboard edges together and place in a padded mailing envelope and ship to your loved one.

Edible gifts are commonly given in glass canisters and canning jars, allowing the contents to be clearly viewed. You can present these tasty gifts right in their glass containers, adorned with small ribbons or raffia bows, without distracting from what’s inside.

But foods aside, many other things can also be packaged this way. Jewelry, electronic accessories, gift cards and much more can fit inside modern glass canisters. For instance, a clean, empty glass wine bottle, complete with its cork, makes an eye-catching gift box for a necklace or bracelet. Using a thumbtack or push pin, secure the jewelry’s clasp to the cork’s underside. Then, lower the gift into the bottle and re-plug the cork.

It's also a fun idea to hide the gift with shredded paper filler inside and adhere a big bow to the outside. The best thing about this way to “wrap” is that, after opening, the canister gets to be repurposed elsewhere in the recipient’s home.

Gather your materials:

• Lidded glass canister
• Colored shredded paper filler
• 1-inch wired velvet ribbon
• Scissors
• Hot glue gun

• Begin by filling a glass canister one-third full with shredded paper.
• Nestle the gift in the center of the paper.

• Fill the canister with additional shredded paper to cover.
• Place the lid securely on the canister.

Are you sending cylindrical gifts, like candles, in jars or other containers?

• Wrap glass containers themselves for a simple, clean and attractive presentation. Roll paper around them and fasten the bottoms with tape.
• Gather the excess paper on the top and tie it with a string.
• You can tie a bow around the gift’s cylindrical center. Wired velvet ribbon bounces back after being squished so that gifts look their best when they arrive in the mail (though any 1-inch ribbon will do).
• Once the bow is added, wrap the entire canister in bubble wrap to protect it during transit.
• Consider a larger cylindrical container as an alternative way to present gifts. For a simple rustic or industrial look, fill a clean, 5-gallon paint can with your gifts. Or decorate gallon-size metal buckets to hold smaller and/or oddly shaped gifts.

• Because this container is glass, it’s important to package it correctly, so that it isn’t damaged in transit.
• Choose a box that is 6 inches taller and 6 inches wider than the item being sent.
• Once you've placed the items in a box, be sure to surround them with packing peanuts, paper or air pillows. For example, the container shown here is about 4 inches. So, it can be sent in a 10-inch by 10-inch box filled with overpacking materials, such as eco-packing peanuts and air pillows.

Some gifts need a structured container. But for those that don’t, delivering a gift in a mini sack can make the holiday season feel even more special. Stuffed animals, throw blankets, decorative pillows, bathrobes and other soft goods are great presents to wrap this way. Create your own version of Santa's gift sack using a new standard queen pillowcase beautifully tied with a handmade accent tag.

Gather your materials:

• Pencil
• Alphabet stencil
• Cork coasters
• Paint marker
• Hole punch
• Pillowcase (any color of your choice)
• 1/4-inch cotton ribbon
• Scissors

And when filling the sack, consider adding a functional gift, like an apron. Useful and cute, you can slip a few small, related presents into its pockets, like gardening or grilling supplies.

Using your pencil to outline the first initial of the recipient’s name onto a cork coaster with a stencil.

• Now, fill in the letter with a paint marker. Let dry.
• Make this truly custom by writing the giftee’s name on the back of the coaster with the paint marker or a permanent marker.

• Stack your custom coaster on top of another coaster for leverage.
• Now, using a single hole punch, create a hole at the top of the coaster. This will help you string the coaster tag.

It's time to add your gift to your custom gift bag.

• Place a gift inside of the pillowcase. Evenly bunch the opening together in your hand and wrap the ribbon around tightly three times.
• Tie the ribbon in a bow to secure.

Tip: If the pillowcase has creases from the store, put it on a wrinkle release setting in the dryer or use a clothing steamer to smooth out the folds.

• With an additional piece of ribbon, attach the cork tag underneath the bow with a concealed knot.
• Most of the gifts given in a sack like this won’t be fragile in nature. So, it can be mailed in a box that perfectly fits the sack and sent with or without additional padding.

Taking time to creatively wrap gifts and ship to loved ones is a great way to make the recipient's holiday even more special.

Tip: Always be sure to talk to your shipping provider to make sure you are sending your presents as securely as possible.