How to create Christmas gift bags

As Christmas approaches you have probably started to think about presents- but how will you be wrapping them? The amount of wrapping paper thrown away in the UK each Christmas is enough to stretch to the moon. Creating personalised gift bags is a great alternative way to wrap your presents. Not only will using old cotton or canvas bags help you to keep costs down, it is also much kinder to the environment then using reams of wrapping paper that will immediately get thrown away once presents have been opened. Here at Cotton Bag Co we love to find inventive crafts to create using cotton bags, and what better of time of the year for this than Christmas. Follow our steps below to create your own stylish gift bags ready for the festive season.

1. Choose your cotton or canvas bag.

Perhaps your chosen bag is plain, or has a decorative design that you want to keep for your gift bag? If not, simply turn it inside out to hide the existing logo, and tidy up the edges by cutting off any loose threads or labels.

2. Cut it down to size

You can easily change the size of your bag to match the gifts that they will be used for. For smaller gift bags ready to hold sweets and small toys for children, simply cut a cotton tote bag into four and then sew up three of the sides on each of the resulting pieces. You can create a perfect bottle sized bag by cutting a cotton bag in half and sewing up the long side, or if you are feeling doubly generous, simply sew up the middle of your bag allowing two bottles to fit in together without clinking.

3. Time to get creative

Now you can personalise the gift bags however you like- whether it is using coloured thread to sew on the recipient’s initials or perhaps using glitter glue to create a festive design. Create a collage pattern by sewing on scraps of old fabric, or dig out some paints or fabric pens to add your own unique pattern.

4. Finishing touches

Once your bag has dried and is ready to use, it is time to fill it with presents, then tie a bright ribbon around the top to keep it closed. Add a handwritten tag to make sure it goes to the right person, and voila you now have a thoughtful personalised gift that anyone would be happy to see under the Christmas tree.