Joy to the World!

The Rockefeller tree has been lit. Saks' display features singing snowflakes. Black Friday and Cyber Monday came, and we conquered. The first sight of snow fell upon us this Monday morning. It's cold but knowing Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Latte is sticking around for a bit makes it all gravy. Holiday cheer is everywhere and we foresee an exciting year for PTI Packaging.

In the spirit of gift-giving, our gift to you is some great gift wrapping ideas for the presents going under the Christmas tree. Did you know that wrapping paper and shopping bags alone account for about 4 million tons of trash annually in the U.S. (source)? Furthermore, according to Eco-Chick.com, if every American family wrapped just three presents in reused materials, it would save enough paper to cover 45,000 football fields.

Translation: That's a lot of unnecessary paper wasted and contributing to landfills.

So instead of heading to the store this year to pick up wrapping paper, think about entertaining these ideas below:

1. Don't have a bow? Ez & Marichelle at Nice Package found the solution. Inspired by J.Crew's November 2010 e-newsletter, the girls quickly got to work with their silver sharpies! It doesn't get easier/quicker than this!

2. Remember those dusty newspapers that you promised you'd get around to or outdated MTA subway maps at home? They finally have a use because a) you will never read the newspapers and b) Broadway-nassau ceases to exist. If anyone asks, tell them it's vintage...and it's in!

3. Who hasn't cut out snowflakes before as a child? Laura at Bugs and Fishes shows us how easy it is to jazz up paperbag wrapping with customized snowflakes because Starbucks says that "friends are like snowflakes, all are different".

4. And if snowflakes aren't your thing, try playing with some bold fonts. Use the above-mentioned newspapers and maps as well as music sheet, last year's left-over wrapping paper scraps, cereal boxes, you name it!

We hope you see that there are many money and earth-saving ways to celebrate the holiday season. AFter all, it's what's on the inside that counts! Have a green Christmas everyone and Happy Holidays!

Gobble Gobble Gobble!!

We hope everyone's Thanksgiving was a joyous one with filled stomachs and good company!

As we flooded the markets in rush of finding the perfect-sized turkey and last minute stuffing this past week, we came across something that we have overlooked for so many years. Did you every realize what great packaging those horn-shaped containers placed throughout stores for decoration are?? The cornucopia, also known as the "horn of plenty" has been an iconic symbol associated with Thanksgiving for as long as anyone can remember. Constructed like a basket to hold fresh flowers, fruits, nuts and vegetables, it serves an excellent container for Thanksgiving foods. Not only is the cornucopia a sign of gratitude and a symbol of all we have to share, it is once again, sustainable packaging at its most elemental state. Our ancestors too, were all great packaging pioneers.