Eco Friendly gift wrap bridal shower

[Deleted User]

Hey everyone! I had a question. My bridesmaids are looking to have Eco-friendly gift wrapping at my shower. Baskets, towels, reusable bags, throw blankets etc.... Any suggestions on how to word that in the invitations? Have you ever heard of anyone doing this? What were guests responses? 

For the comments already left, I'm not planning my own shower. And it was a bridesmaids idea for the Eco friendly wrapping (which id never heard of before and I thought it was pretty interesting) just simply looking for advice. I'm not micromanaging she simply asked my thoughts and I was curious how you'd go about wording it. And since they aren't on here to ask thought I would. 

STARMOON44

Don't. 

A) it's rude to host your own shower so you shouldn't be worrying about the invitations. 

B ) people are already making an effort to give you a gift. Don't give them additional annoying chores on top of that. If you really care about being green that much, don't have a shower! Saves the wrapping, the gas, the gifts. Get all your stuff second hand. 

lyndausvi

Talk about micromanaging.  Geez, telling people how to wrap a gift to you is over-the-top.  Sorry.  

Jen4948

This is something you shouldn't instruct your guests on.  If you really don't like to unwrap gifts, don't have a shower.

MyNameIsNot

inkunderwater said:

Hey everyone! I had a question. I'm looking to have Eco-friendly gift wrapping at my shower. Not that I want gifts to be unwrapped, because I feel like people enjoy watching the bride open gifts, but I'd like to not have people waste paper and find other green creative ways to wrap gifts. Baskets, towels, reusable bags, throw blankets etc.... Any suggestions on how to word that in the invitations? 

Sorry, but there's just no polite way to tell people how to wrap gifts for you. 

You shouldn't be sending out the invitation or having anything to do with it at all. 

[Deleted User]

I added to my above text. I'm not involved in the shower planning at all. A bridesmaid came to me with the Eco friendly wrapping idea and wanted to know my thoughts. I thought I'd ask all your opinion on Etiquette since I've never heard of the idea before.

holyguacamole79

inkunderwater said:

I added to my above text. I'm not involved in the shower planning at all. A bridesmaid came to me with the Eco friendly wrapping idea and wanted to know my thoughts. I thought I'd ask all your opinion on Etiquette since I've never heard of the idea before.

Don't say anything. 

scrunchythief

Save the wrapping paper and reuse it.  Shipping packaging, fire kindling, scrap paper.  Then it'll be eco-friendly.

AddieCake

Wow. 

jacques27

So, unless I happen to have stuff lying around my house to reuse and want to give you (or it's totally kosher for me to take my own basket/blanket/towel/tote back home with me after you're done "unwrapping" your gift from it) - you're basically asking me to buy you two things - the gift and the thing you'll "reuse" in the name of being ecologically friendly?  Sounds pretty economically unfriendly to your guests.

[Deleted User]

Makes sense. Thank you!

ernursej

I've actually seen this at a few farm bridal showers where I live. Nothing was stated on the invite but most of the guests showed up with the gift wrapped in newly purchased sheets, tea towels etc. It is an interesting idea, but I don't think there is any polite way to tell the guests how to wrap their gifts. 

[Deleted User]

Thank you for your comment, I appreciate it. It's definitely an interesting topic my bridesmaids have been talking about and trying to bounce all the pros and cons around. Thank you for the response.

ernursej

@Inkunderwater I also agree with PP that you need to stay far removed from the actual planning of the shower. Someone planning the shower can always come on here and ask the questions you are asking. Nothing is worse than when guests get the vibe that the one being honoured has been helping to plan. The most you should do is offer up names and addresses for the guests to be invited (within the number offered up by the host), ensure you are able to attend the date that the shower will be hosted and then follow up the gifts and hosting with lovely written thank you notes. Other than that, stay away. 

The shower could potentially have a theme (I've been to a kitchen themed shower) but eco friendly might be too narrow for guests to work with. I also don't particularly like being corralled into a certain gift just to fit a theme. 

[Deleted User]

Thank you for the advice. I understand that I am not supposed to be involved but it's hard when they come to me and ask for suggestions and opinions. Therefore I give my opinion even if it's, whatever you choose I wanna be surprised. 

Casadena

The only thing I can think of that may work is for your hostess to put a small note on the the bottom of the invite stating something like "The bride is committed to being as environmentally friendly as possible, so please consider omitting wrapping paper from your gift. 

HOWEVER - I wouldn't bother with this unless YOU personally are super into sustainability, etc. and most people know that about you.  If that's the case, then the note above wouldn't both me and I would be happy to not wrap something, or incorporate towels/sheets as part of the gift.  If not, it would just be weird and unnecessary.  

[Deleted User]

Thank you! Good idea!

wmam35

My friend did this for both her bridal and baby showers (well, she didn't, her sisters/bridesmaids did).  They put something on the bottom of the invitations that was like "Recycled wrapping paper is encouraged because *friend* is committed to being environmentally friendly!"

That being said, almost everyone wrapped her gifts in regular wrapping paper anyway so it didn't really matter.  I personally wasn't offended because that is a strong belief of my friend's, but I wasn't paying extra money for recycled wrapping paper and I think wrapping things in non-wrapping paper (tea towels, etc) can end up looking really bad unless you're really good at that kind of thing.  I honestly think most people will ignore the request, but that's just based on my very limited experience.

scrunchythief

wmam35 said:

My friend did this for both her bridal and baby showers (well, she didn't, her sisters/bridesmaids did).  They put something on the bottom of the invitations that was like "Recycled wrapping paper is encouraged because *friend* is committed to being environmentally friendly!"

That being said, almost everyone wrapped her gifts in regular wrapping paper anyway so it didn't really matter.  I personally wasn't offended because that is a strong belief of my friend's, but I wasn't paying extra money for recycled wrapping paper and I think wrapping things in non-wrapping paper (tea towels, etc) can end up looking really bad unless you're really good at that kind of thing.  I honestly think most people will ignore the request, but that's just based on my very limited experience.

I like this wording, if you really feel the need for this.  I'd picture presents wrapped in old newspaper or old wrapping paper (DH's grandma used to reuse Christmas present wrapping paper).  My mom has sometimes saved the Sunday comics pages and used them for Christmas paper.  

VicTim328

As someone who loves wrapping gifts, I would ignore the request, as I am sure many other guests would. It would be an inconvenience, and would require an extra purchase.  Many registries offer complimentary gift wrapping, which makes things slightly easier for the giver.

Could you just have someone collect the paper and use it for other purposes or put it in the recycling?  My family will occasionally save the paper and repurpose it for something else (valentine's day boxes, scrap booking, other gifts, storing decorations).

MesmrEwe

Simple answer is "you don't" and "they don't"...  Really...  Asking your guests to purchase a product just for your shower that they'll never use the remainder of for any other event is rather wasteful and NOT eco-friendly.  Wrapping something in a sheet - remember that sheet came with tons of packing.  Putting it in a basket - what are the manufacturing practices and what will you do with 20 baskets..  It's an added expense to your guests vs. using wrapping paper they've had sitting around that can simply be taken to the local recycling center after the shower. 

lembaslover

I have seen people do cool things with baskets and stuff instead of wrapping paper at showers and yet it seems really cool and practical but honestly I don't have the time or skill to do something like that...

I'd totally side eye this being a request on the invite. Also if I saw the wording above saying recycled paper I'd probably think it meant newspaper or something similar and I hate touching newspaper so I'd probably ignore it.

Also @MesmrEwe's point about what you will do with all the baskets. If you have 1 or 2 creative friends who put stuff in a basket I bet you can find a cool use for them. Every guest's basket? Probably not...

Oh and nothing looks good wrapped in a towel...