There are plenty of ways to beautifully wrap a gift with recycled or natural and biodegradable materials. Here are some ideas for materials you can most likely find around your house, or purchase at a craft store.
Wrapping:
Old paper grocery bags
Recycled paper
Newspapers
Thin Kraft paper
Kraft boxes
Old maps
Scraps / old fabrics
Cloth napkins
Old clothes
Vintage scarfs
Pretty dishcloths
Mason jars
Tying:
Hemp, jute or linen twine
Cotton strings
Strips of scrap fabric
Metal wires
Paper tape (great alternative to wasteful and unfortunately very common sticky plastic tape)
Decoration:
Real plants like leafy branches, twigs, pinecones, mountain ash/rowan berries, winter berries
Sprigs of rosemary or thyme
Dried slices of fruit like orange, lemon or lime
Cinnamon sticks
Fabric scraps
Vintage jewelry
Gift Tag:
Cut the thicker craft paper (from the craft store or from the kraft box you have at home) into any shape you want. It can be either simple rectangular, heart, oval or a Christmas tree shape.
Make a little hole in the top of the tag
Tie it to a present with hemp, jute or linen twine.