Waiting until the last minute to wrap your gifts? You’re not alone. Before you dive into the discount wrapping paper bin, consider your options. Gift wrap accounts for millions of tons of waste in the United States each year, and alternatives such as brown shipping paper, newspaper or fabric can help save your gift (and the planet).

“There are so many ways to make gift wrap more sustainable,” said Kathryn Kellogg, founder of Going Zero Waste, a website dedicated to eco-friendly and frugal living. “My family always used gift bags and we reuse the bag and the tissue paper year after year,” she added. Scarves from the thrift store, reusable grocery bags and upcycling are other options she considers.

Read on to find out how to wrap presents like a pro and reduce waste while you’re at it.

What you use to wrap your gifts is perhaps the most important decision you can make.

“I try to think about the full life cycle of every product I buy,” Kellogg said, adding that you should take into consideration not only the wrapping but the gift itself. “Where did it come from, how long is it going to be in use, and what happens to it at the very end of its life.”

Materials needed: A ruler, wrapping paper, scissors, tape

It’ll take a bit of mental math, but you can measure your wrapping paper to reduce waste.

For example, let’s say you have a four-inch tall square box. The diagonal length from corner to corner would be 5.5 inches and 1.5x4=6. So the equation to get the magic number would be 5.5+6=11.5. Cut an 11.5x11.5-inch square of paper and then wrap the box using the method shown in the video above.

This method was developed by Sarah Santos, founder of Math Busking, a service company that applies math in unexpected situations.

Materials needed: A piece of fabric large enough to wrap around the box or the item you’re gifting.

Use fabric scraps or items like vintage scarves, bandannas, tea towels or cloth napkins to wrap your boxes (and give a bonus gift!)

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Materials needed: A cardboard roll, scissors, something cylindrical like a mug, glass or water bottle

Leftover cardboard rolls from toilet paper or gift wrap can be repurposed as gift boxes for small items or gift cards. An added bonus: they’re recyclable and don’t require any tape.

Like so much else, when it comes to wrapping presents, details can make all the difference.

Choosing garnishes that can be reused or ones that will naturally decompose is a sustainable way to decorate your gifts. Clip greenery from your yard or use found items like twigs and flowers. Dried plants, cinnamon sticks, old buttons or even earrings are also great options. Remember to use natural hemp twine — rather than plastic — to secure them to your gifts.

If you’re feeling extra crafty, you can make your own bows out of newspapers, magazines, shipping paper or even chip bags.

If you do opt for plastic bows and ribbons, you can always reuse them, but don’t try to “whishcycle” them, Brock said. “That’s when you put something in the bin hoping it will be recycled. But … it actually disrupts the recycling process.”

It only takes a little bit of creativity to make your wrapping more sustainable.

“I personally love to use a bit of brown paper. You can steam or iron it to get out the wrinkles,” Kellogg said. “Tied up with some nice string and a branch from your Christmas tree or some dried oranges, and it’s stunning.”

Videos and photos by Ross Godwin. Hand modeling by Ashlyn Still. Editing by Danielle Rindler.