Six zero-waste Christmas decorations to make at home

Did you know that 90% of an estimated 59 million tonnes of general waste produced in South Africa in 2011 ended up in landfills, while only 10% was recycled?¹ The rapid growth in solid waste and the fact that there is a shortage of suitable land to dispose of waste means that South Africa is running out of space for waste disposal. Despite the benefits and need for recycling, studies report that as little as 5,2% of households recycled waste

The statistics are really quite staggering. The amount of waste we produce increases by 30% at Christmas. Every year in South Africa , nearly 3 million tonnes of food goes straight into landfill, and we get through about 150,000 kilometres of wrapping paper. That's enough to go around the whole of South Africa  more than once!.

As Christmas rolls around and we begin to dig out the box(es) of decorations, you may find yourself longing for a fresh festive look.

Rather than joining the hordes of merry shoppers, why not save yourself some money and adopt a zero-waste Christmas instead. These eco-friendly decorations will not only preserve your pennies but also ensure you do your bit for the planet over the festive period.

Christmas waste facts

Have you ever stopped to wonder just how much is wasted at Christmas? It’s no secret that the holiday is an indulgent one, from the extravagant festive dinner to the metres of wrapping paper covering our pressies.

How to have an eco-friendly Christmas

Luckily there are tons of ways to ensure your festivities are fairer for the environment.

Consider wrapping your gifts in leftover newspaper, packaging, or even scraps of pretty fabric. Remember to source your real Christmas tree from a trusted local vendor – cheap artificial trees are often manufactured overseas and have a big carbon footprint.

For food, only buy what you really need and will actually eat. If you do have leftovers, don’t throw them away. Instead, turn them into tasty, unique dishes that will put that Day of Goodwill meal to shame.

Eco-friendly Christmas decorations

Making the switch to sustainable Christmas decorations is one great place to start in minimising your environmental impact over the holidays.

The possibilities are endless, and here are just some of our festive favourites to get you well on your way to transforming your home.

DIY stars

The simple shape of stars makes them easy to create at home out of everyday materials.

We particularly love these stylish homemade origami stars, which can even be made out of leftover wrapping paper for an even more Christmassy feel. Newspaper also works well if you’re opting for a more rustic look, as well as old sheet music for something that looks straight out of a high-end shop.

Have a proper zero waste Christmas and construct your tree topper out of mother nature itself. These twig and string stars are so simple to put together. Use coloured string to match your table décor, or make an extra-large one and place it on top of the Christmas tree.

Sustainable Christmas wreath

Many Christmas wreaths are made out of hard to recycle plastic and, let’s face it, just don’t look as nice as the original thing. Go back to basics this year and make your own Christmas wreath for use around your home or on your front door.

This stunning homemade Christmas wreath is packed full of classic festive scents, including cinnamon and dried oranges, which decorate the various spruce, evergreen, ivory and other foliage for a beautiful, traditional look.

You’ll find wreath rings at most local florists, where you can also pick up some florist wire and twine. The final result will have you the envy of your neighbours, and you’ll earn extra kudos when you tell them it’s eco-friendly too.

Compostable garlands

Tinsel is so last season. This year, it’s all about embracing old-style sustainable Christmas decorations and creating garlands out of food.

Thread some popcorn onto some string and inject a piece (and taste) of America into your home this Christmas. These delicate garlands look great wound around your tree or draped across your mantlepiece. Just resist the urge to eat them straight away.

Those previously mentioned dried oranges also make fantastic eco-friendly Christmas decorations in other ways. This homemade garland uses sliced oranges threaded through thick twine. Again, you can place the decoration wherever you fancy – we particularly like the idea of having it spiral down your staircase.

Second-hand treasures

Charity shops are always a treasure trove of Christmas decorations. Scouring their stock over the festive period is a wonderful Christmassy experience in itself, made even better by the fact that you will be rescuing an item from potential landfill.

They are also good starting points for upcycled Christmas tree decorations – choose an item that looks slightly worse for wear and give it a little TLC.

Repurposed tree trimmings

Whether you’ve got broken parts from your artificial Christmas tree or you’ve had to trim your real one down to size, save those leftover tree branches – there are loads of uses for them.

Pad out a wreath, decorate the mantlepiece or Christmas dinner table, or even pop them into a vase for simple yet eye-catching festive foliage.

Toilet tube flowers

If you fancy yourself a bit of a crafter, you’ll definitely want to try putting together these toilet tube Christmas flowers. Constructed out of (you guessed it) toilet tubes, this pretty and intricate design is actually surprisingly easy to make.

You can keep them plain or paint them to fit with your décor. Jazz up the flowers with some old beads or plastic gems too, before hanging them around your home. A great way to spend a dark wintery evening, made from an everyday item you would usually throw away.