Fabric Gift Wrapping with African Print Textiles

Did you know? The earliest form of gift wrap was actually the Japanese furoshiki – a reusable, square wrapping cloth that originated during the Edo period between 1603 and 1867, that eventually inspired the practice of wrapping presents. Fast forward to this day and more people are wrapping gifts with fabrics instead of paper for the holidays.

This practice continues to gain momentum worldwide for a variety of reasons. Fabric gift wraps will always be better than paper when it comes to protecting the environment. They are an eco-friendly and sustainable alternative since the fabrics can always be used for other purposes or continuously for gift wrapping year after year. Plus, using fabrics to wrap your holiday gifts will not leave you with a crumpled mess of paper everywhere after the gift is unwrapped. It keeps your space clean and eliminates the need for recycling the used paper in the first place.

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Still not sure how to wrap your gifts in a way that looks pretty? Take a closer look at the video demo and further examine the images included for how to wrap your gifts in five different but unique ways. When in doubt, simply refer to the clip and carefully follow the steps.

You can use just about any type of fabric to wrap your gifts but African print textiles are fun, versatile and very easy to manipulate. For example, the ankara fabrics are made out of 100 percent cotton, which are quite soft, lightweight and are just the right texture to hold those desirable folds and creases in place right where your gift needs it. Reflektion Design sells high-quality African print textiles, which can be used to adorn your gifts this season.

This fabric gift wrapping inspiration can help you create the ideal gift-giving experience. It takes less than five minutes to wrap a small box in a napkin-size fabric. However, for bigger items, you will need a larger square cloth which you can cut according to how you see fit. The fabric can then be used to wrap just about anything too! – from boxes to bottles to baskets and anything else.

Single Knot Gift Wrap

Bow-Tie Gift Wrap

Envelope Gift Wrap

Flower Gift Wrap

Rose Knot Gift Wrap

Add some warmth to your gifts this season by wrapping them in African print textiles. All are available from the Reflektion Design shop at affordable prices you cannot resist. Here is a quick summary of the textiles you can choose from in the online shop.

Mudcloth – a.k.a. Bambara – is created with a process which may take several weeks to finish. Cloth is first woven and then it is hand painted using natural ingredients, which is then dipped several times into specially prepared dyes that are made with mud. The cloth is then left to dry, revealing the beautiful patterns. If you are looking to make a statement, then mudcloth is for you as there are no two pieces that are exactly alike. Your gifts would look great in this cloth. Shop here.

Ankara – Ankara is the popular name for“wax print” fabrics. They have a vibrant and complex history but what is most attractive about these fabrics are their colours and the intricate designs on them! From Reflektion Design, they come in different colours and styles depending on the season. Each one is three yards long, 45 inches wide and made out of 100 percent cotton. Please note that the colours may vary slightly due to variations in computer screens. Nevertheless, they are as great as they look and your gifts will pop nicely in them. Shop here.

Both types of fabrics are beautiful and vibrant. Depending on what you want to wrap, you might need to cut them to the desired size before the wrapping begins, which is very easy. All you need is a pair of scissors and you can save any of the leftover fabric scraps to create some arts and crafts. The key is not to be afraid of making a huge mess at first when trying the wrapping techniques. Mistakes are only part of the plan. Experiment a little and you might even be able to create your own styles of wrapping – as long as it is unique and pretty to look at. This would take some practice but you will eventually get it right.

Fabric gift wrapping is a great activity for the whole family to partake in. Gather everyone around the living room and huddle together by the fireplace as you wrap up the gifts for the ones you love and appreciate. And with that, may this holiday’s gift-giving experience bring a lot of joy and cheer from you – the giver to all your family and friends.