Is wrapping paper recyclable? How to tell and what to buy instead
Two quick tests show whether Christmas wrapping paper can go in the recycling, and your council decides the rest. Here is what to buy, reuse or put in the bin.
Plain paper wrapping paper can be recycled in many UK council collections. Foil, glitter, plastic coatings and sticky tape stop it being recycled, and some councils refuse all wrapping paper, however plain, because some recycled paper mills reject it. Two quick tests at home tell you which kind you have, and your council’s rules decide which bin it goes in.
Is wrapping paper recyclable? It depends on the paper
The Recycle Now website gives three reasons councils turn wrapping paper away: much of it is very thin with few good-quality fibres, it is often dyed, laminated or decorated with glitter, plastics and gold or silver shapes, and a lot of it has sticky tape attached. This is how the common types compare:
| Type of wrap | Recyclable at home? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Plain printed paper that stays scrunched | Usually, where your council takes wrapping paper | It is paper and nothing else |
| Plain brown kraft paper | Yes: Which? says all councils and recycling centres should accept it | Long, high-quality fibres |
| Foil, metallic or holographic paper | No | A metal or plastic layer is bonded to the paper |
| Glitter-covered paper | No | The glitter contaminates the batch |
| Glossy plastic-laminated paper | No | A plastic film covers the paper |
| Very thin, cheap paper | Often rejected | Too few usable fibres |
| Cellophane | No | It is not paper |
How to tell if wrapping paper is recyclable
Which? recommends two checks that take seconds and need no label.
The scrunch test
- Take a piece of the paper about the size of your hand.
- Scrunch it tightly into a ball.
- Open your hand. If the ball stays scrunched, the paper is generally recyclable. If it springs back open, it is likely laminated with plastic or foil-based, and it goes in the general waste.
The tear test
Try to rip the paper by hand. Paper tears easily. If it resists or stretches, there is something other than paper in it and it cannot go in the recycling.
Read the label, and know what it does not say
| Label | What it means |
|---|---|
| Recyclable | The paper itself can be recycled. Your council still decides whether it collects it. |
| Recycled or made from recycled paper | The paper was made from waste paper. It says nothing about recycling it again. |
| FSC Recycled | The product is made from 100% recycled material. |
| FSC Mix | The material is a mix from FSC-certified forests, recycled material and FSC-controlled wood. |
| FSC 100% | All the material comes from FSC-certified forests. |
An FSC logo is about where the paper came from, not about what happens to it after Christmas. A foil-printed roll can carry an FSC logo and still fail the scrunch test.
Can you recycle Christmas wrapping paper in the UK? Check your council
Rules change from one council to the next because some recycled paper mills do not accept wrapping paper. Some councils take wrapping paper without glitter or foil in the household recycling, some accept it only at the household recycling centre, and some refuse it altogether.
What the national and local guidance says
- Recycle Now: some councils accept wrapping paper without foil or plastic in the household recycling, and others do not because some recycled paper mills refuse it.
- Which?: if the paper is labelled recyclable, most councils should accept it, and some that refuse it at the kerbside take it at a household recycling centre.
- Recycle Devon: not all areas of the county can accept wrapping paper, while brown paper can be recycled at home or at a recycling centre once the plastic tape is off.
To check your own rules, search your council’s website for “wrapping paper”. If it says no, the paper goes in the general waste: putting it in the recycling anyway risks contaminating the paper your council collects.
Tape, ribbons, gift bags and cards: which bin
The paper is only half the pile on Christmas morning. These are the extras, item by item:
| Item | What to do with it |
|---|---|
| Plastic sticky tape | Peel it off before the paper goes in the recycling. The tape goes in the general waste. |
| Paper parcel tape and some paper-based washi tapes | Which? says they can go in the recycling with the paper. |
| Ribbons and bows | Usually polyester, so not recyclable. Keep them for next year. |
| Paper gift tags | Recycle with the paper once any string or ribbon is cut off. |
| Paper gift bags | Take the handles off first: Card Factory says its bags are then recyclable. Glossy laminated bags fail the scrunch test: keep and reuse them. |
| Christmas cards | Paper cards go in the paper recycling. Cut off badges, ribbons and anything stuck on, and put glittery cards in the general waste. |
| Cardboard gift boxes | Take out any plastic window or insert, flatten and put out with the cardboard. |
Recyclable Christmas wrapping paper: what to buy instead
The paper that causes no trouble at the bin is matt, plain paper with no foil, glitter or plastic finish, sold with the word recyclable on the roll or its packaging. Pair it with paper tape and a ribbon you will reuse. Our Christmas wrapping range has kraft paper rolls and sheet sets that come with twine and tags.
- Choose matt over glossy where you can. A high shine can mean a plastic coating, so give glossy paper the scrunch test before it goes in the recycling.
- Skip metallic, holographic and glitter designs, however festive they look on the shelf.
- Look for “recyclable” on the roll, and FSC Recycled if you also want recycled content.
- Use paper tape, or fold the paper and tie it with string so you need less tape.
- Plain brown kraft paper has long, high-quality fibres, and Which? says all councils and recycling centres should accept it. It takes stamps, paint or a sprig of greenery.
When you browse our gift wrapping and cards range, check each product description for recyclable, glitter-free or plastic-free, and leave foil and holographic finishes on the page.
Wrap that can be used again
A wrap that comes back next year beats one that goes in any bin. Christmas gift bags take awkward shapes with no tape at all, and sturdy Christmas gift boxes can do several Christmases if the lid is lifted rather than torn. For a fabric wrap in the Japanese furoshiki style:
- Lay a square of fabric flat, wrong side up, with the gift in the middle set diagonally.
- Fold one corner over the gift and tuck it under.
- Fold the opposite corner over the top.
- Lift the two remaining corners and tie them in a double knot on top. The knot doubles as a handle.
For neat folds with less tape, see our guide on how to wrap a present.
What to do with leftover and used wrapping paper
- Unopened rolls: keep them upright in a tall box or a bag hung on a door so the ends do not crush.
- Large pieces from opened presents: fold them flat as you unwrap and reuse them for birthdays.
- Small offcuts: cut them into gift tags, paper chains or the collage tree in our guide to handmade Christmas cards.
- Ribbons and bows: wind them round a piece of card and keep them with the paper. Our guide on how to tie a bow covers presents, wreaths and the tree, so saved ribbon gets a second use.
- Shredded scraps that pass the scrunch test: use them as padding when you post parcels.
Frequently asked questions
Can I recycle Christmas wrapping paper in the UK?
Often, but not everywhere. Many councils take plain wrapping paper without glitter, foil or plastic in the household recycling, some take it only at the household recycling centre and some refuse all of it. Search your council’s website for “wrapping paper” to see which applies to you.
Which bin do I put Christmas wrapping paper in?
Plain paper that passes the scrunch test goes in the paper recycling if your council accepts wrapping paper. Foil, glitter and laminated paper go in the general waste wherever you live. Where the council refuses wrapping paper altogether, all of it goes in the general waste bin.
Why can’t some Christmas wrapping paper be recycled?
Much of it is too thin to give good fibres, and many designs are dyed, laminated or covered with glitter, plastic or metallic shapes. Sticky tape adds more plastic. Some recycled paper mills refuse it for these reasons, which is why some councils cannot collect it.
Can I recycle wrapping paper with sellotape on it?
Peel the plastic sticky tape off first: it is not recyclable and it contaminates the paper. Which? says paper parcel tape and some paper-based washi tapes can stay on and go in with the paper.
Is Sainsbury’s wrapping paper recyclable?
Which? lists all Sainsbury’s wrapping paper ranges as FSC-certified and recyclable, from retailer information it gathered in December 2024. Ranges change, so check the label on this year’s rolls, and check your council’s rules as well, as a recyclable label does not guarantee your council collects it.
What is the best eco-friendly Christmas wrapping paper?
Matt, plain paper with no foil, glitter or plastic coating, labelled recyclable and, for recycled content, FSC Recycled. Plain brown kraft paper with string is the safest choice for the bin, as Which? says all councils and recycling centres should accept it. Fabric wraps, gift bags and boxes that come out again every year create the least waste.
What kind of wrapping paper can’t be recycled?
Foil and metallic paper, glitter-covered paper and plastic-laminated paper cannot be recycled, and neither can cellophane. Very thin paper is often rejected too. Paper that springs back open after you scrunch it belongs to one of these groups.
What can I do with unused Christmas wrapping paper?
Store unopened rolls upright in a tall box so the ends do not crush, and fold large reusable pieces flat for birthdays. Offcuts make gift tags, paper chains and collage cards, and scraps that pass the scrunch test can pad a parcel.
