Cost-Effective

Wrapping with brown paper is cost-effective when compared to other colored or branded papers. It’s available in giant rolls at a reasonable cost since it’s used by many businesses and industries. Shops use kraft paper to package and wrap gifts. Restaurants use rolls of brown paper to cover tables. And butchers use kraft butcher paper to wrap up a variety of meats.

You may be able to find brown paper wrapping for free when you receive deliveries and packages. 📦 You can turn brown paper bags into small sheets of paper too. 🛍 Full rolls are also available at a low cost, and they’re generally much thicker than a typical roll of wrapping paper.

Room for Creativity

Wrapping gifts with brown paper leaves you with a wide-open canvas. You can keep it simple or choose to add your own creative touches.

Brown paper gift wrapping ideas are endless and provide you with an opportunity to get creative. (See our ideas below! ⬇️) From painting to stamping to incorporating a piece of nature, you can have fun with it. Kraft paper wrapping ideas can get the whole family involved in a creative project, which results in a unique and personalized touch for your gift wrapping.

Never Goes Out of Style

The simplicity of wrapping gifts with kraft paper never goes out of style. You don’t have to worry about who the latest cartoon character is or whether or not you have Christmas, birthday, anniversary, wedding, thank you, etc. paper on hand. It’s all the same and can be used for any and all occasions.

Closer to Eco-Friendly

While wrapping with any paper isn’t completely environmentally friendly, wrapping with kraft paper is a whole lot better. Brown kraft paper is natural and can be recycled, unlike most colored wrapping papers and gift bags.

Unfortunately, many colored and textured wrapping papers end up as wish-cycling. We think we aren’t being wasteful since we’re recycling all of our gift wrap, but adding paper to the recycling that can’t be recycled can do a lot more harm than good.

♻️ Learn more about wish-cycling and what can and can’t be recycled.

1. Simple with Twine

Don’t have much time to get creative? No problem! The beauty of wrapping with brown kraft paper is that it doesn't take much to look good. A simple twine string tied around the package or in a bow will give your gift a simple, elegant, and classic look.

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2. Add a Piece of Nature

If you want to spice things up a bit, you can incorporate a little piece of nature into your wrapping. This will maintain the natural look while creating a unique and rustic feel.

You can buy natural elements from a craft store or find them yourself outside. Consider adding pine cones, pine sprigs, dried flowers, or small branches to jazz up your wrapping while preserving the natural aesthetic of the kraft paper.

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3. Stamp Art

Stamping your kraft paper is a simple and effective way to get creative with your plain brown paper. It doesn’t take long and only requires an ink pad and a stamp.

You can lay out your paper ahead of time to stamp it flat or add your stamping after the gift is wrapped. Get creative and try out multiple styles and various patterns on the papers. You can personalize the gift with stamps for specific occasions, such as balloons for a birthday, hearts for a wedding, or candy canes for Christmas.

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4. Branded Stamping

Stamping can be used for corporate or small business gift wrapping too. It’s a cost-effective way to get your branding out in the world that can easily be tied to the end of giving a client gift or wrapping up a customer purchase.

Simply order a custom-made stamp and decorate the kraft paper with your logo. You can use one stamp in the middle or corner for a basic, clean look or multiple stamps to create various patterns across the paper. You don’t need to limit yourself to your business logo—you can also order a custom stamp with your mascot or other custom imagery related to your business or industry.

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5. Kids Coloring

Get the kids involved! Brown kraft paper is perfect for children to work with. It’s an activity the whole family can participate in, and the end result will be a custom, wholesome design that friends and family members will love.

To get kids involved, lay out sheets of brown craft paper for them to add their own custom designs on. You can utilize a number of different craft supplies depending on the look you want to achieve, including crayons, markers, stamps, and stickers. For specific occasions, make sure to provide kids with holiday-specific colors, stickers, or stamps. You can also design the paper with bright colors that can be used for any occasion.

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6. Artwork Canvas

Allow the kraft paper to be your own canvas. For those a little more artistically inclined (or those who want to learn,) you can use brown paper as your own personal canvas.

You can paint patterns and designs on the paper in advance while laying the paper out or paint the front face of the package after it has been wrapped. If painting before you wrap the gift, make sure you use thin paint that won't bend or crack when folded to wrap the gift, such as watercolor paints. If you are painting after you have wrapped the gift, make sure the paint isn’t too wet so that it doesn’t seep through the paper.

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7. Splatter Paint

No matter your art skills, you can tackle a splatter paint design. Lay out the paper in advance and choose 1-4 colors of paint splatter. You can flick the paintbrush or use your finger (gloved or not) to splatter the paint.

Make sure you put down additional newspaper or painting sheets so you don’t get paint anywhere you don’t want it. Alternatively, you can paint splatter outside to ensure your indoor space stays clean.

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8. Painted Bow 

Paint a bow on your wrapped kraft paper gifts for a unique twist on a classic look. It’s simple and gets the point across without adding any more waste to landfills. Plastic ribbons and bows are often thrown out after one use, and they are not recyclable.

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9. Calligraphy Words 

Into calligraphy or interested in learning? You can add any type of calligraphy words, phrases, notes, poems, passages, or quotes to your kraft paper wrapping. The calligraphy writing gives the package a classy look that can be adapted depending on the occasion or person receiving the gift.

Try repeating one word across the paper, such as “Birthday” or “Celebrate” for birthdays, or “Holidays” or “Noel” for Christmas paper.

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10. Doodles and Sketches

Doodling is relaxing and stimulates the mind. Take all of those school day or office meeting doodles and put them to good use on kraft paper. Doodles create custom wrapping paper, which could look as simple as a series of repetitive shapes or be an in-depth sketch that matches the specific occasion.

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🖊 5 Free Resources to Learn How to Doodle

Where to Buy Brown Kraft Paper

You can find kraft paper at your local craft supplies store as well as many of the same places you purchase office or school supplies. Kraft paper is extremely cost-effective since it’s available in all sorts of bulk sizes, including kraft paper roll wholesale options. For example, for $50, you can purchase 200 feet of natural kraft paper.

Blue Summit Supplies carries a number of different kraft paper rolls in various different widths and roll sizes.