Have yourself a sustainable little Christmas with these jolly recycled Christmas decorations. We’ve included decorations to both make and buy so you can make all your eco-friendly dreams come true!
by: Phoebe Burt
Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year but what will make it even more wonderful? Making it sustainable of course! This year we’re focusing on making Christmas as eco-friendly as can be.
Whether that’s recycling our Christmas tree or using handmade wrapping paper, we're determined to make this Christmas the greenest one yet.
One of the biggest waste products from Christmas is decorations. Hundreds of decorations are thrown away after one month of use and many are made from harmful and non-recyclable plastics.
To help you combine an eco-friendly lifestyle with the joy of Christmas, we’ve collected twelve wonderful recycled Christmas decorations for you to enjoy. There’s six to make and six to buy so no matter your budget you can make this festive season eco-friendly.
Grab a mulled wine, it’s time to find you some new recycled Christmas decorations.
Six DIY recycled Christmas decorations
1. Turn buttons into a mini Christmas tree!
Buttons are always appearing in the home. Whether they’re spare ones for clothing or ones hidden down the back of the sofa, every household has them! We’re here to show you how to turn buttons into fun recycled Christmas decorations.
Our how to make Christmas tree decorations from buttons tutorial shows you how to make this adorable little tree! Make colourful, bigger or patterned versions and hang them around your home.
2. Transform old baubles with paint
This year is all about reducing, reusing and recycling. Instead of buying new Christmas baubles why not upcycle the ones you already have?
Lana Red is here to show you how to make these DIY Christmas baubles with nail varnish and a little gold leaf. It’s easier than it looks and is completely customisable. The perfect recycled Christmas decoration!
3. Use felt and thread scraps to make mini ornaments
Anyone with a love for arts and crafts tends to have a stash full of scraps, threads and beads. To help you clear this stash, and make your own recycled Christmas decorations, Christine Leech is here to teach you how to sew fabric Christmas ornaments.
These adorable little Christmas jumpers can be made using spare embroidery thread, felt and any decorative bits and bobs you have hanging around. Add sequins, beads and embroidery stitches to decorate and design your dream jumper in mini!
4. Make decorations from leftover clay
Pottery makers and those who enjoy dabbling with clay definitely need to make this recycled Christmas decoration. Learn how to make a Scandinavian Christmas star garland using those pesky bits of leftover clay.
The stars are tiny so you only need a tiny amount of clay to make them. Plus you only need some string or twine and a glue gun to turn the stars into a festive garland.
If you have a block of clay left over from your creations, follow our how to make air dry clay Christmas decorations tutorial. Who wouldn’t want a sparkly pretzel hanging from their tree?
5. Sew scrap fabric into beautiful decorations
Leftover fat quarters, rolls of fabric or even old clothing can be turned into recycled Christmas decorations – all you need is a little imagination! Gather up all your scraps and learn how to sew patchwork Christmas decorations.
These decorations can be made with any fabric you like. Use leftover Christmas fabric for a festive touch or turn a summer dress into floral ornaments.
Read more here: https://www.gathered.how/arts-crafts/recycled-christmas-decorations/