7 Creative Ways to Upcycle Our Signature Burlap Wrap

Hey there,

If you’ve purchased from Farmgirl before, or even just scrolled our socials for .2 seconds, you’ll have quickly noticed a theme amongst oh-so-many of our signature flower bouquets – burlap! How did we start wrapping our daily flower arrangements in burlap, you ask? Well… coffee (which is totally on brand – we love a latte at Farmgirl). Back in the early days when our founder and CEO, Christina, was looking for alternative flower wraps to plastic, she reached out to local coffee roasters in California (which was overflowing with coffee) and behold! Our signature (upcycled) burlap-wrap was born.

At Farmgirl, we're committed to sustainability and reducing waste in every way we can, from our flowers to packaging to everything in between – hence the avoidance of single use plastic to wrap our bouquets! What’s even better? You too can play a part in our sustainability efforts by upcycling the burlap that comes with your fresh flower bouquet into something else! Here are some fun ideas to give your Farmgirl burlap wrap yet another life.

Personalized Mason Jars With Homemade Burlap Covers

One thing about all of us at Farmgirl? We love sugar and don’t need much of an excuse to whip up a yummy treat for ourselves or others (or better yet, both). One of our favorite ways to repurpose the burlap from our flower bouquets is to create cute jar covers! These add such a cute touch when gifting homemade layered hot chocolate jars, homemade jams or butters, mason jar candles, and more!

To make these little cuties, simply cut the burlap to size (we like to to include some extra length to allow the burlap to drape over the sides of the vessel) and center the jar under the burlap piece until you’re happy with the placement. Then use some twine or ribbon to tie and secure your burlap cover to the jar – we like to tie into a bow just under the lip of the lid, but this is totally up to you! Feeling exceptionally crafty? Add a border to your burlap cover with lace, glitter, or anything else you fancy for a little extra somethin’.

Elevate Your Gift Giving With Burlap Gift Tags & Bows

We’re continuing the gift-giving theme for a moment (after all, we send a ton of special moment flower deliveries, so we know a thing or two) with another way to add some pizzazz to your burlap covered jars or other gifts… burlap gift tags! These are fun to make and can be as simple or elaborate as you or your recipient’s style allows.

Start by cutting your burlap into small shapes – anything goes here! Cut into more traditional rectangles or squares for a true gift-tag feel or more intricate shapes to give these little guys a more personalized, custom feel. Pro tip: Use a stencil to create more uniform shapes or free-hand it to create that homemade, imperfect look. Once you have the shape down, use stamps, markers, paint, gems (did someone say glitter?!) and more to add character and design to your gift tags. As a final step, punch out or cut a small hole on the burlap (a single hole puncher is perfect here!) and use twine or ribbon to attach them to gifts for a rustic touch!

Pssssst… a bonus upcycle tip! You can also take a smaller piece of burlap and create a bow to use on the same gift you’ve just tagged. Just cut the burlap into strips, loop them, and secure them in the center with wire, string, or another piece of burlap (or if you’re a bow-making connoisseur, you can totally secure the bow within itself!). Fluff out the loops and walla! You’re good to go.

Add A Rustic Touch To Your Table Setting With Burlap Napkin Rings & Coasters

Elevate your place settings with burlap napkin rings! These are perfect for more rustic design settings (hello modern farmhouse vibes) or to even just add warmth to the space. We especially love this upcycle throughout the fall season and even moreso across a full Thanksgiving table. To make these easy yet impactful napkin rings, simply cut the burlap into strips that are about an inch to two inches wide depending on your vibe and preferences. It’s as easy as that! From there, you can tie the burlap around your napkins (with or without silverware!) in a bow, a simple knot or even secure them with cute buttons, charms, or even a piece of twine. Just be careful not to tie them too tight that you or your guests can’t untie them!

And for our next trick…

For the burlap coasters, we love placing these just about anywhere – the dinner table, side tables, coffee tables, anywhere you need a little protection from water or glass marks. Start by cutting your burlap into small squares and back them with a sturdy fabric or even a piece of cork cut to size to add some weight. Use anything from hot glue to putty pieces to stick the two pieces together and there you have it!

D.I.Y Your Own Home Wall Art and Burlap Bookmarks

Get creative and use your burlap to create custom art that can be affordably created and beautifully displayed around your home! Want the burlap to be the star of the show? Use it as a canvas for paint, a stenciled design, or to even add other fabrics, faux flowers, or other materials over top for something full of character. To leverage the burlap as a supporting role vs main character energy, we love to use the burlap to create a border with something simple in the middle like dried flowers such as garden roses, hydrangeas, or peonies, which is totally a second way to use the flowers you received in your Farmgirl burlap-wrapped bouquet. Frame it, hang it up, and enjoy!

Looking for another way to enjoy burlap in your space? Book lovers, this one’s for you.

Cut your burlap into strips (as long or short as you’d like!) to create the base of your bookmark. From there, the rest is totally up to you! You can leave them as is or add decorative touches like lace, buttons, or embroidery to personalize them - just be careful not to top them with anything too chunky that might prevent your book from closing. These bookmarks make great gifts (hello book club favors!) or additions to your own reading collection!

Now that you’ve got some fun ways to upcycle the burlap from our signature burlap-wrapped flower bouquet, get to D.I.Y.ing and show us how you upcycle! Tag us on Instagram using #FGFlove and so we can see what you create. Don’t have any burlap on hand or want to dry fresh flowers for your next D.I.Y.? We can help with that… shop all burlap-wrapped bouquets and fresh flower arrangements delivered straight to your door!

xx,

Team Farmgirl