Wrap Gifting

Adopt-a-Bag

Continuing our resource-saving theme of making the wrapping part of the gift (see Tip #10 for Mothers’ Day Gifts at http://www.greenerpenny.com/, my greener girlfriend Christy Wise sends this idea: Wrapsacks. These bright cotton gift bags are meant not only to be reused, but can be passed along and are completely trackable! Think of the tagged green leatherback turtle Stephanie Colburtle, Stephen Colbert’s adopted daughter in the Great Turtle Race organized by Conservation International. So, too, you can adopt and track your sack. And, yes, they come in a turtle print (and a couple dozen other tropical motifs).

Christy received a birthday present in a new wrapsack, registered it online, and recently put a gift for a friend in it and released it, tagged, into the wilds of the U.S. Postal Service. Almost 20,000 sacks have been registered to date. “I’m looking forward to following my bag’s progress in the ‘Journeys’ section of the website,” she says. The only problem we foresee is parting with these bags in the first place. Gift bags from $2.24 to $6.74 (extra large), http://www.wrapsacks.com/.

Organic Cotton Gift Bags

For $2, Patagonia stores sell beautiful organic, formaldehyde-free cotton sacks made from clothing scraps that tie closed with a selvage ribbon. The large ones also make great pillowcases or laptop travel slips. To find a retailer near you, go to http://www.patagonia.com/ and click on “find Patagonia,” or call 1-800-638-6464.

For an unbleached, undyed wrapper, choose a medium (10 x 12”) or large (12 x 15”) Organic Cotton Sack with drawstring closure, strong enough to haul up to 10 lbs. of fresh produce. $3 or $4 each; $2.70 or $3.60 each for 5-10; $2.45 or $3.20 for 10 and up. A 3” x 5” mesh “soap bag” with drawstring doubles as a wash cloth (put those slivers of old soap inside) or a gift bag for a brand new bar. Buy one for yourself, one for Mom, one for Dad (his day is on the way): $4 each, all from http://www.ecobags.com/. Please share this tip with any interested friends and send them to http://www.greenerpenny.com/. I deeply appreciate all your blog and website mentions! Thanks,
Mindy