Can you recycle wrapping paper? The scrunch test and greener ways to wrap
Quick answer: Sometimes. Plain paper wrapping can usually be recycled where your council accepts it; foil and glitter-covered paper cannot. Use the scrunch test: scrunch the paper into a ball, and if it stays scrunched it is paper and can be recycled. Remove sticky tape, ribbon and bows first.
Last updated: 12 November 2026
On Christmas morning the living-room floor disappears under paper, and the question is which bin it belongs in. The answer depends on what the wrapping is made of and on what your local council collects. This guide explains the scrunch test, what to take off before recycling, what to do with cards, and some ways of wrapping that leave less behind.
The scrunch test, step by step
Recycle Now, the national recycling campaign, recommends a simple check for wrapping paper.
- Scrunch it. Take a piece of the wrapping and squeeze it into a ball in your hand.
- Let go. Open your hand and watch what the ball does.
- Read the result. If the paper stays scrunched, it is paper and not foil, and it can be recycled where your council accepts wrapping paper. If it springs back open, it contains foil or plastic film and belongs in the general rubbish.
The test works because paper fibres hold a crease, while metallised film and plastic do not.
Why foil and glitter are the problem
Paper is recycled by breaking it down into fibres. Foil and plastic layers are not fibre and cannot go through that process. Glitter is a problem of its own: WRAP, the charity behind Recycle Now, has pointed out that glitter is almost impossible to remove in the recycling process. Recycle Now lists foil and glitter-decorated paper among the things that cannot be recycled, and says that where a council does collect wrapping paper, only non-foil paper will be accepted.
If you want paper that is easy to deal with afterwards, choose plain or printed paper without a metallic or glittery finish. Brown kraft paper is the simplest of all, and it passes the scrunch test every time.
Before it goes in the recycling
- Sticky tape. Recycle Now says sticky tape cannot be recycled, so peel it off first. Using less tape when you wrap makes this much quicker.
- Ribbon and bows. These cannot be recycled with paper. Take them off and keep them: fabric ribbon can be used again and again.
- Gift tags. Plain card tags can go with the paper once the string is removed. Tags with foil or glitter cannot.
- Cardboard boxes. Flatten them and pull off any loose tape before they go in with the cardboard.
What about Christmas cards?
According to Recycle Now, cards and their envelopes can usually be recycled at home, but anything decorated with foil, glitter, ribbon or bows needs dealing with first: tear off the embellished part and recycle the plain remainder. Musical cards contain a small battery, which should be taken out and put in a battery recycling point.
The fronts of cards also make good gift tags for next year, which costs nothing and saves buying them.
Why your council has the final say
Recycling collections are organised locally, and the rules differ. Some councils do not accept wrapping paper at all, because so much of it arrives covered in tape and decoration. Others accept it in the paper and card collection as long as it passes the scrunch test. Recycle Now's Recycling Locator and your council's website will tell you what applies to your address. If wrapping paper is not collected from your home, a local recycling centre may still take it.
What goes where, at a glance
| Item | Can it be recycled? | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Plain or printed paper wrap | Usually, where your council accepts it | Scrunch test, then remove tape and ribbon |
| Foil or metallic wrap | No | Reuse it if you can; otherwise general rubbish |
| Glitter-covered wrap | No | General rubbish |
| Sticky tape | No | Peel off and put in general rubbish |
| Ribbon and bows | No | Keep and reuse |
| Plain cards and envelopes | Usually | Recycle with paper and card |
| Cards with foil or glitter | In part | Tear off the decorated part; recycle the rest |
| Musical cards | In part | Remove the battery and take it to a battery recycling point |
Based on Recycle Now guidance. Local rules vary, so check with your council.
Greener ways to wrap
The Carbon Trust's advice is short: reuse wrapping paper wherever possible, or make your own from newspaper or magazines. A few more ideas in the same spirit:
- Open presents carefully. Large sheets that are unfolded instead of torn can be smoothed out and kept for next year.
- Use bags and boxes. A sturdy gift bag or box can go round the family for years. They are in our Christmas Gift Wrap & Cards department alongside paper and ribbon.
- Tie it instead of taping it. Ribbon or string holds a parcel together with little or no tape, and both can be used again.
- Wrap in fabric. A scarf, a tea towel or a square of cloth knotted at the top becomes part of the present.
- Decorate plain paper yourself. Brown paper with a sprig of greenery, a paper snowflake or a stamped pattern looks handsome and still recycles. The makings are in Christmas Crafts & Party.
- Buy the right amount. Measure your largest present and check the roll length on the product page, so that less paper is left over.
After Christmas
Wrapping is only part of the clear-up. A stocking and a Christmas Eve box from our Stockings & Advent Calendars department are used year after year, which is the easiest kind of recycling there is. Fairy lights that have stopped working count as small electrical items and should go to a recycling centre, not into the household bin, and real trees are collected or accepted at drop-off points by many councils in early January. Our guide to when to take your decorations down covers the rest of the packing away.
If you are still choosing presents, the Christmas Gifts department is the place to start, and all twelve departments are listed on the Shop by department page. Questions about an order are answered in the FAQ.