Gift Wrapping Fabrics

Although gift-wrapping papers are most widely used to wrap packages, fabrics offer a creative alternative. Fabrics are more versatile and durable than most papers. They also provide more flexibility.

There are many uses of fabric for gift-wrapping:

Wrap the entire box the same way you would wrap with paper,

Wrap the lid and the bottom of the box, so that it can be used as decorative piece in the future,

Use fabric as an alternative to tissue paper,

Use it in place of ribbon,

Decorate a wrapped present with cutouts and adornments made of fabric,

Fabric can be easily wrapped around unusual shaped gifts, such as a basketball,

Create novelty wrapping that you could not make with regular wrapping paper using items like denim

Cottons and sheers are perfect for wrapping a present as you would with paper because they are light enough to make corners and be tucked under. Heavier cottons are good for regular shape boxes, but they will work for items like wine bottles.

Chintz can be fairly expensive but it can be used for almost any kind of gift. The glazed finish of the fabric will augment the wrapping nicely.

Strong tightly woven fabrics such as canvas are strong enough to be wrapped around oddly shaped gifts that require a bit more support than lightweight fabric.

Denim and other heavy weight fabrics can be used for novelty purposes such as decorations.

Flocked cloth and velvets bring a feeling of elegance and sophistication, so they should be considered for expensive gifts. Don’t wrap a CD in velvet, unless it is your first album.

Although felt is technically not a fabric, it makes for a great gift-wrapping material. It is inexpensive and there are many colors available. Felt may be used for awkward shaped packages.

Use satin gift-wrapping for small packages. Satin can become more difficult to manage in larger amounts. Satin looks expensive but you can buy it for only a few dollars per yard. Fabric stores also have remnants that are great for gift-wraps.

Polyesters, rayons, and silks are more effective than linens and cottons that tend to be a little too stiff to fall into gentle folds.

There are many novel ways of using fabric for gift-wrapping, just let your imagination run wild.