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Vermont-based entrepreneur Meagan Downey brings an environmentally friendly touch to the holiday season with a reusable gift-wrapping solution. Shiki Wrap, founded in 2021, creates beautiful fabric made of recycled plastic as an alternative to traditional throwaway wrapping paper. During a season that sees a 25% increase in waste production in the US, the company offers a much-needed answer to the question of how we can give gifts in a more sustainable way.
A Creative Solution to a Growing Waste Problem
As the holiday season approaches, Americans are gearing up for the annual tradition of gift-giving — but this festive spirit comes with a hefty environmental cost. In November and December alone, an extra million tons of holiday trash fill our landfills. A lot of that waste is made up of wrapping materials—packaging, wrapping paper, bows, and ribbons.
The traditional wrapping paper industry is responsible for cutting down thousands of trees each year, not to mention the amount of emissions and waste created. With consumers increasingly concerned about the environment, there is a demand for better alternatives. More and more research shows that consumers are prioritizing sustainability when deciding what to spend their money on.
Indeed, this lack of environmentally friendly options is what motivated Meagan to start Shiki Wrap. With a commitment to sustainability from start to finish, every step in the production process is designed to minimize waste—without sacrificing the bright, festive patterns that consumers expect in wrapping paper.
Reuse, Reduce, and Recycle: Shiki Wrap’s Production Process
Shiki Wrap sources its fabric from Repreve, a company that transforms recycled plastic bottles into high-quality polyester. A single Shiki Wrap uses between 1.5 and 7 plastic bottles, depending on its size.
The production process involves shredding the plastic bottles and melting them into resin chips, which are spun into very thin threads. The threads are then wound together into polyester yarn and finally woven into a flexible, elastic, and resistant fabric.
Once the fabric is produced, it is sent to another company for dyeing. While the traditional dyeing process uses harmful chemicals and a lot of water, Shiki Wrap uses a technique called sublimation. It uses heat instead of water to transfer the bright colors and festive patterns onto the fabric.
Finally, the wraps are cut to size using laser technology, eliminating the need for sewing and leaving a clean, fray-proof edge. In the pursuit of a zero-waste process, Meagan even sells leftover scraps of fabric, which can be used as ribbons, hair ties, or decorations.
An Ancient Solution to a Modern Problem
Shiki Wraps is named after a traditional Japanese cloth called “furoshiki”. The wraps originated over 2,500 years ago when they were commonly used to bundle and carry personal items. Shiki Wraps combines tradition with innovation to offer a modern solution to a pressing environmental issue.
The idea for Shiki Wrap came to Meagan during a holiday fundraiser for her daughter’s school. She noticed the lack of sustainable gift-wrapping options and set out on a mission to find a better alternative.
Meagan admitted that at the time she didn’t have much industry-specific knowledge or experience, but she made up for it with determination and creativity. In an interview with Generator, a program that assists new entrepreneurs, she explained, “I had a real sense of urgency around solving a problem for myself and my customers.”
With the help of coaches from the Generator JumpStart program, Meagan tested prototypes for her wraps. After receiving feedback and making improvements, she settled on using recycled polyester for her product.
The New Face of Gift Wrapping
Undoubtedly, breaking into the well-established, $15 billion-a-year gift wrap industry comes with its challenges. Consumers have certain ideas about how gift wrap should look and feel, and not everyone will embrace change quickly—especially if it costs more than traditional paper.
In an interview with Business Insider, Meagan acknowledged, “To make something sustainably and locally in the US costs a lot of money.” The higher upfront cost per wrap is justified by its reusable nature. It is a one-time investment that can be repurposed in many ways. “You can reuse them as tote bags, scarves, gift wrap, head wraps, all kinds of things,” says Meagan. Some would say the wrap itself is another gift.
Indeed, Shiki Wrap has seen some big wins already. It sold 4,000 wraps in its inaugural year, priced at $14 each. The holiday wraps set, priced at $130 per set, sold out last year. The company has certainly generated a lot of buzz this year, with celebrities like the Kardashians adopting Shiki Wrap for their presents.
Conclusion
Shiki Wrap used innovative thinking to create a unique, sustainable solution out of a waste product. While it faces obstacles breaking into a well-established gift wrap market at a higher price, consumers are likely to recognize the higher value of the product and appreciate the company’s commitment to the environment. So this holiday season, we can all wrap our gifts with a clear conscience, knowing we are helping to reduce pollution and waste.
Sources
This article was originally published in Certainty News [link to article page]
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