How to Wrap Clothes for Gifting

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Learn the best way to gift wrap shirts, sweaters, and other clothing without a box

Co-authored by Annabelle Reyes Reviewed by Melissa Young

Last Updated: December 12, 2024 Fact Checked

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• Using Wrapping Paper
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• Using Tissue Paper
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• Using a Gift Bag
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• Video

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If you’re giving a piece of clothing to someone as a gift for the holidays or their birthday, you may be wondering how to wrap it if you don’t have a gift box. If you’re in this situation, you've come to the right place! We’ve compiled a helpful step-by-step guide to make this tricky task easier. We’ve also included some helpful wrapping tips from arts and crafts specialist Amy Guerrero, so keep reading!

Wrapping Clothes Without a Box: Quick Tips

Fold the item neatly and place it on top of wrapping paper. Cut the paper so there's a 2-finger width on either side, a bottom flap that can fold over the entire item, and a top flap that can fold halfway over the item. Fold the top flap over the item, then the bottom, then secure with tape.

Steps

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using Wrapping Paper

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1. 1
   Fold the item of clothing into a neat rectangle. This method works for T-shirts, pants, dresses, skirts, scarves, or any other piece of clothing that can be folded into a square or rectangle. If you just purchased the item and it came already folded or wrapped in plastic, you can leave it as is.

   • If you’re wrapping a T-shirt, lay it upside down on a flat surface and fold in both sleeves. Then, grab the collar and fold back so it lines up with the hem of the shirt.
   • If you’re gifting a pair of pants, fold them in half along the crotch so the pant legs line up. Then, fold in half so the waistband lines up with the hem, then fold in half one more time.
2. 
   2
   Measure the width of your wrapping paper and trim. Unroll a large piece of wrapping paper on a flat surface. Place the folded piece of clothing in the center. Measure two fingers’ worth of space on the right and left sides of the clothing item, then trim the excess paper using scissors.

   • “When you want to cut a straight line with scissors, it’s best to have a guide,” explains Guerrero. She recommends using a ruler to lightly draw a line on the inside of the paper to cut over.
   • Or, if your wrapping paper has a repeating pattern, Guerrero suggests finding a part of the pattern that you can follow to create your straight line.
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3. 
   3
   Cut your wrapping paper to the correct length. The bottom flap should be long enough to fold over and cover the entire clothing item, and the top flap should be long enough to fold halfway across the item. When you’ve determined the correct measurements, trim the wrapping paper with a pair of scissors.

   • When folded, the bottom edge of the wrapping paper should be flush with the top edge of the folded piece of clothing.
4. 
   4
   Secure the top and bottom flaps with double-stick tape. First, fold the top flap over the piece of clothing and smooth it down. Next, apply a strip of double-stick tape to the inside edge of the bottom flap. Then, fold the bottom flap over the top flap, securing the tape in place by pressing down with your fingers.

   • If you don’t have double-stick tape, you can use regular tape instead. Just apply the tape after you’ve folded the bottom flap over the top flap.
   • At this point, the top and bottom of the wrapping paper should be sealed. The right and left sides remain open.
5. 
   5
   Fold in the left flap to create a crease, then cut off the corners. Fold in the flap of wrapping paper on the left side, then press down with your hand to make a crease. Using scissors, snip off a small right triangle of wrapping paper at each corner of the flap.

   • The crease should be aligned with the edge of the clothing item.
6. 
   6
   Cut along the crease to remove the inside piece of the flap. The left flap is made up of two layers of wrapping paper. Use scissors to cut off the inner layer, following the line of the crease.
7. 
   7
   Apply double-sided tape to the remaining flap and fold to seal. Cut a piece of double-sided tape and stick it to the inner, non-patterned edge of the remaining layer of the left flap. Fold in the flap and smooth the patterned side with your hand to seal the left side of the gift.

   • It should close like the flap of an envelope.
8. 8
   Repeat the process with the right side. Begin by folding in the extra paper on the right side to create a crease and trimming off the corners. Then, cut off the inner layer of the flap, apply double-sided tape, and seal.
9. 9
   Add some decorative finishing touches. “Finishing off a wrapped present with an extra ribbon, a tag, or a fun decor element will ensure a beautiful result,” explains Guerrero. “Consider tucking foraged plant foliage under the ribbon, adding a pom pom or tassel, or a handmade clay tag,” she says.

   • If you’re giving someone a gift for the holiday season, a faux holly branch, a tiny sleigh bell, or some mistletoe make excellent festive touches!
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using Tissue Paper

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1. 1
   Roll your item of clothing tightly. You’ll need to roll the piece of clothing into a long, skinny cylinder, so this option works best for clothing items like T-shirts, thinner scarves, and jeans. Begin rolling from one end of the item until you’ve run out of fabric.

   • For a T-shirt, lay it upside down and flat on a hard surface. Fold in both sleeves, then start from the hem and roll it up.
   • To secure the rolled-up clothing, consider tying a piece of ribbon or twine around the middle and knotting it. This will keep the clothing from unrolling during the wrapping process.
2. 
   2
   Lay three sheets of tissue paper flat on top of each other. Select three sheets of tissue paper, preferably in three different colors. Consider picking shades that reflect the occasion—reds and greens for Christmas, for example, or orange and black for Halloween.

   • You should be working on a flat, hard surface like a table or countertop.
   • Make sure your workspace is free of grease or dirt, which will stain the tissue paper.
3. 
   3
   Roll up the clothing item gently inside the tissue paper. Center the rolled-up piece of clothing along the top edge of the tissue paper. Grasp the top edge of the paper gently with your fingers, and roll it up and around the piece of clothing. Continue rolling until there are a few inches of tissue paper sticking out at the bottom.

   • The tissue paper should be positioned vertically, so the shorter sides are at the top and bottom.
4. 
   4
   Fold up the bottom edge of the tissue paper and secure with tape. Cut a small strip of double-sided tape and place it vertically across the top of the fold to secure it. One side of the tape will be unattached and facing up. Then, wrap the end piece of tissue paper up and around into the rest of the roll. The tape will secure the end piece in place.

   • Smooth the tissue paper gently with your fingers to seal the tape.
   • You should end up with a tube of tissue paper that’s open at both ends.
5. 
   5
   Cinch the ends and tie them with ribbons. Cut two equally-sized pieces of ribbon, each about 1 foot (0.30 m) long. Using your fingers, cinch the right side of the tissue paper tube where the edge of the clothing item is. Wrap the ribbon around this spot and knot it.

   • Repeat with the left side.
   • If possible, try to use wire-edged ribbon, which is easier to shape.
6. 6
   Fold each ribbon in half and cut diagonally for extra flair. To add a bit of polish to the ends of your ribbons, fold the end of each ribbon in half. Using scissors, cut a straight diagonal line starting from the wire end and slanting down towards the center of the fold. Then, unfold to reveal a V-shaped edge.

   • Repeat with the other three ends to complete the effect.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Using a Gift Bag

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1. 1
   Fold the piece of clothing neatly. You can wrap almost any item of clothing in a gift bag: pants, T-shirts, dresses, scarves, skirts, and more. If you’re gifting a T-shirt, for example, lay it facing down on a flat surface and fold in both sleeves. Then, fold the collar back so it aligns up with the hem of the shirt.

   • If you’re putting multiple clothing items in one gift bag, you can also roll each of them up and secure each roll with a piece of ribbon or twine, instead of folding.
   • Make sure to remove price tags or cover up the price with a marker. Recipients shouldn’t know the price of any gift-related item.
2. 
   2
   Lay 3 or 4 overlapping sheets of tissue paper on a flat surface. Position each piece of tissue paper so its left edge is 2 inches (5.1 cm)-3 inches (7.6 cm) to the right from the sheet directly below. Use more tissue paper for a larger clothing item and less for a smaller one.

   • If your piece of clothing is quite small, like a tie or thin tank top, consider using half-size sheets of tissue paper.
   • You can alternate colors of tissue paper or use the same color throughout.
3. 
   3
   Place the gift on top of the tissue paper and gather the paper around it. Make sure the clothing item is centered on the top sheet of tissue paper. Grab two opposite corners of the tissue paper and pull them up and over the item. Hold the corners together with one hand, then pull the other two corners in. Gently cinch the paper together directly above the piece of clothing.

   • At this point the tissue paper should be pulled around the clothing like a small drawstring bag.
4. 
   4
   Place the tissue-wrapped clothing into the gift bag. Pick the clothing item up from the bottom to prevent the fragile tissue paper from ripping. The gift bag you’ve chosen should be at least 3 times the size of your clothing item.

   • You may need to adjust the tissue paper that’s now sticking out the top of the bag. Make sure not to overwork the tissue paper, which will make it look old and wrinkly.
5. 5
   Add an extra sheet of tissue paper for more volume. Lay a sheet of tissue paper flat on a hard surface, pinch the middle with your thumb and forefinger, then lift and flick your wrist to create an upside-down cone shape. Flip it and place it in the bag, adjusting the corners slightly so it fits in with the other layers of tissue paper.

   • You can also attach a gift tag with ribbon to one of the handles.
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