Plain, uncoated paper wrapping paper can usually go in your curbside recycling bin. Foil, glitter, plastic-coated, laminated, or heavily taped wrapping paper generally cannot. The safest rule: if it’s shiny, sparkly, or springs back when you scrunch it, it’s trash, not recycling.
Here’s the catch — “usually” is doing a lot of work in that first sentence. What your city accepts depends on your local recycling program, and programs across the US don’t all draw the line in the same place.
Below is what most municipal recycling providers accept, how to check your own, and what to do with the wrapping paper that doesn’t make the cut.
📺 Watch: Can You Recycle Wrapping Paper? Video Guide — a quick visual walkthrough if you’d rather watch than read.
Quick Answer Summary
- Plain paper wrapping paper (no foil, glitter, or shiny coating): recyclable in most curbside bins.
- Metallic, foil, or glittery wrapping paper: not recyclable curbside — trash it.
- Tissue paper: technically paper, but usually too thin and low-grade for recycling mills to want it. Reuse it if you can.
- Gift bags: follow the same rule as wrapping paper — plain paper bags are fine, glossy or foil-laminated bags aren’t.
- Bubble wrap and plastic ribbon/bows: not curbside recyclable; some grocery stores take plastic film separately.
- Styrofoam packaging: not accepted in standard curbside bins almost anywhere in the US.
What US Recycling Programs Usually Accept
Paper gift wrap often is not recyclable when it has a shiny or laminated coating. If you use gift wrap, the EPA recommends buying a type that can be recycled or is made from recycled content. In practice, that means:
- Plain, matte, colored, or printed paper wrapping paper
- Kraft paper or brown paper gift wrap
- Wrapping paper free of foil, glitter, or plastic film
- Cardboard tubes from wrapping paper rolls, if your local paper stream takes tubes
What Should Go in the Trash Instead
Metallic wrapping paper contains aluminum or other metals bonded to paper fibers, and recycling facilities can’t separate these materials. The same goes for anything with glitter, plastic coating, or lamination — the added material contaminates the paper-recycling batch rather than getting sorted out.
Keep these out of the recycling bin:
- Foil or metallic wrapping paper
- Glitter-covered wrapping paper
- Plastic-coated or laminated paper
- Wrapping paper that’s wet, greasy, or food-stained
- Ribbons, bows, string, and bulk tape
If wrapping paper is metallic, glittery, or made from foil, it isn’t recyclable. It’s also hard to recycle paper that’s heavily dyed or coated with a laminate finish.
The Scrunch Test
This is the fastest way to check any specific piece of wrapping paper, and it works regardless of what city you live in:
- Crumple a piece of the wrapping paper tightly in your hand.
- Open your hand and watch what happens.
- If it stays scrunched — it’s likely plain paper and safe for the recycling bin.
- If it springs back open — it likely has plastic, foil, or a coating woven into it, and it belongs in the trash.
In this test, if the paper stays crumpled after you let go, it’s generally okay to recycle; if it springs back, it likely contains plastic and should go in the trash.
Related: Can You Recycle Tissue Paper?
Tissue paper is paper, but most recycling mills won’t take it. It’s made from very short, low-quality fibers to begin with, and once it’s been used it’s often torn, wrinkled, or stuck together with tape — none of which recycling equipment handles well. The better move is to smooth it out and reuse it for your next gift, or use it as packing material.
Related: Can You Recycle Gift Bags?
Gift bags follow the same logic as wrapping paper: if they’re glittery, shiny, or coated in vinyl or plastic, they’re difficult to recycle. Plain paper gift bags with no lamination can typically go in with mixed paper. Remove any plastic or ribbon handles first, since those attachments aren’t recyclable and can jam sorting equipment.
Related: Can You Recycle Bubble Wrap?
No — not in a curbside bin. Bubble wrap is a type of plastic film, and film doesn’t go through the same recycling stream as rigid plastics or paper. Some grocery stores and larger retailers have plastic-film drop-off bins (the same ones that take plastic shopping bags) that will accept clean, dry bubble wrap. Check for a store drop-off location near you before tossing it.
Related: Can You Recycle Styrofoam?
Almost never curbside. Most recyclers don’t accept Styrofoam, so it’s worth checking with your local recycling provider first to be certain. If you get a lot of Styrofoam packaging around the holidays, look for a specialty foam drop-off center in your area — some exist, but they’re the exception, not the rule.
Why Rules Vary by City
There’s no single nationwide list of what’s recyclable — each city or county sets its own rules based on what its local sorting facility (called a MRF, or materials recovery facility) can actually process. A facility that can separate foil-coated paper from plain paper might accept both; one that can’t will ask you to trash anything shiny to avoid contaminating the whole batch. Because of this, always check your own municipal sanitation department’s list before assuming what’s allowed elsewhere applies to you.
Practical Checklist
- Remove ribbons, bows, string, gift tags, and as much tape as you can.
- Confirm the paper is clean and dry — no food residue or wine stains.
- Run the scrunch test on anything you’re unsure about.
- Recycle what passes; trash what doesn’t.
- Consider reusing gift bags, tissue paper, and boxes next year instead of buying new.
FAQ
Is all wrapping paper recyclable?
No. Only plain, uncoated paper wrapping paper is typically recyclable. Foil, glitter, and plastic-coated varieties are not accepted in most curbside programs.
How do I know if my wrapping paper has foil or plastic in it?
Scrunch it in your hand. If it springs back open instead of staying crumpled, it likely contains foil, plastic, or a laminate coating.
Can I recycle wrapping paper with tape still on it?
A small amount of tape is usually fine, since most recycling facilities can screen it out. Large amounts of tape should be removed first if possible.
Do gift bags recycle the same way as wrapping paper?
Yes. Plain paper gift bags are typically recyclable; glossy, foil, or plastic-coated bags are not. Remove any plastic handles before recycling.
Why can’t tissue paper be recycled even though it’s paper?
Its fibers are already short and weak, which is part of what makes it soft. Recycling mills generally can’t get usable fiber out of it, so reuse is the better option.
What should I do with wrapping paper my city won’t recycle?
Put it in regular household trash, or check if a local school, daycare, or craft program wants it for art projects.
Bottom Line
Recycle plain, clean, paper-only wrapping paper if your local program accepts it. Keep foil, glitter, plastic-coated, and laminated wrapping paper, along with ribbons and bows, out of the recycling bin. When in doubt, scrunch it — and check your city or county sanitation department’s website for the final word, since acceptance rules differ from one program to the next.
Sources: US EPA, “Frequent Questions on Recycling”; US EPA, “How Do I Recycle Common Recyclables”. Check your city or county sanitation department’s website for local rules, since acceptance varies by program.