Can I Ask for it Back…?

Affordable ways to switch to fabric gift wrapping

One of the sticking points for switching to fabric wrapping is the greater cost of fabric over paper - and the question of whether you have to buy new furoshiki for each gifting occasion.

There are various ways to get over this obstacle. We take a look at some of them below…

A change of mindset

Asking for the wrap to be returned once the recipient has opened their present is the most cost-effective approach for you as the giver. We were recently asked if doing this feels a bit uncomfortable - and it set us thinking. Within the Japanese tradition of furoshiki-wrapped gift giving, it is automatically assumed that the wrap will be given back. In other words, it’s down to cultural expectations. Fabric wrapping is a relatively recent departure from the paper gift wrap norm for western countries. There are numerous ways in which we need to create new cultural expectations as we shift from single use throwaway to a more sustainable lifestyle - and the rituals surrounding fabric wrapping are no exception.

Regarding the actual process of asking for the wrap back … Well, in our experience, people are more than happy to return it, particularly if asked with a mildly apologetic smile. Apart from anything else, it saves them the bother of dealing responsibly with the waste generated by the receiving of gifts. Given the time it takes to work out whether the wrapping paper is recyclable, remove the sticky tape and put the plastic bow in the ‘gift wrap drawer’ (if you’re organised enough to have one), it can be tempting to dump the lot in the rubbish bin instead. How much easier to just hand the wrap back! It also saves feeling guilty about dispatching a load of plasticised wrapping paper to landfill. Never forget it’s the gift recipient who carries the responsibility for gift wrap waste disposal, not the gifter!

Still feel awkward?

If asking for the wrap back still feels too uncomfortable, but you can’t afford to include it in the gift, you could add a little request tag. Something like ‘please give me back’ with a heart or smiley face makes your intention clear - but without you having to say anything out loud.

Gifting the wrap

Including the wrap as part of the gift is another option. This is where it can get expensive as you have to buy a new wrap each time. One possible answer is to incorporate the cost of the wrap into your gift budget.

It’s also worth doing an accurate audit of how much you truly spend on paper, tape and gift wrapping paraphernalia. If you carefully save any leftover paper, fish out last year’s bows from your ‘gift wrap drawer’ and make your own tags, then your gift wrap costs are probably low. If, however, you can never remember where you put the remains of the roll from last time, and the bows accidentally got thrown out with the discarded paper, you may find you spend close to the cost of a fabric wrap for each gifting occasion.

A family collection

For extended families and groups of friends, there is always the option of building up a family and/or friends collection of wraps. Nowadays, members of our family seldom have to purchase new wraps, and everyone has forgotten who originally bought what as old favourites are passed back and forth, and round and round.

Ditch the greetings card?

Here’s a novel (and sustainable) idea… Does the gift recipient truly value receiving a greetings card along with their gift? Many do of course, and that’s fine - but a lot of people really aren’t that bothered. If you avoid having to spend money on a card, the savings you make can go towards the cost of a fabric wrap. It’s also simple to slip a handwritten note under the knot of your furoshiki-wrapped gift, saying everything you would put in a card without either the expense or the waste of resources.

For those amongst your circle who do value a card for the mantelpiece, we should perhaps add that we have the answer with our collection of hand-stitched, reusable greetings cards.

Affordable furoshiki

There is no avoiding the fact that fabric, particularly sustainable fibres such as organic cotton or linen, is more expensive than paper. In our efforts to make furoshiki wrapping as accessible as possible to as many people as possible, a lot of our wraps are made from thrifted fabric which we sell as cheaply as we can. We also run wraps with any kind of fault as seconds, selling at a reduced price. These can be a real bargain as invariably the fault doesn’t show once the fabric is wrapped around a gift.

Check out our Instagram and sign up to receive our newsletter (below), where we flag up when a new batch of seconds is going on sale. Receiving our newsletter also gives you access to various money off codes throughout the year - yet another way to help you buy furoshiki within a budget.

Happy (and affordable) wrapping!

RAPPU x

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