Wrapping Paper Paper Recycling Wrapping Year-Round Wrapping paper in good condition can be folded neatly and stored for reuse at your next celebration or holiday. When buying wrapping paper, consider options that are less holiday-specific so the gift wrap is easier to reuse for multiple occasions. Metallic Paper Is Not Recyclable Wrapping paper that is shiny, or contains foil and metallic pieces, cannot be recycled due to the mix of materials. Remove Bows and Ribbons If you’re planning to recycle the wrapping paper, remember to remove all bows and ribbons because they cannot be recycled. Bows and ribbons can be thrown in the trash. No Tissue Paper Tissue paper is made out of very short fibers from recycled paper, so it’s not valuable enough to recycle. Find out what to do with tissue paper. Tape Is OK You can recycle wrapping paper that has tape attached to it. It is a small contaminant that does not interfere with the recycling process. Choose Recycled Paper Instead of using paper made with virgin fibers, wrap your gifts in newspaper or brown paper with 100 percent recycled content. Ways to Reduce Newspaper Wrapping Wrap your gifts in newspaper instead of metallic wrapping paper. This reduces waste because you’re reusing the newspaper and not purchasing anything that’s non-recyclable. Did You Know? Top 7 Ways to Be More Sustainable During the Holidays Gift Wrapping Waste How much gift wrapping waste do Americans generate on a yearly basis? About two pounds per person, or 40 million pounds in total, which includes paper products used to wrap, package and decorate gifts. 38 million miles of ribbon are discarded per year, which is enough to wrap around the Earth.