How to Make a DIY Sustainable Christmas Wreath

I love making DIY wreaths. I’ve made a homemade wreath in the past, when I lived with my parents, and it was a lot of fun! I like to forage the materials, or use whatever I have on hand (like Christmas tree branches). Last time, I foraged some pine, tied on some dried orange slices, and made a bow using some upcycled ribbon. The base was a coat hanger! This time, I also used a coat hanger as base, but I wanted something a little simpler in design. I used pine that had fallen off my Christmas tree, some dried citrus, and some twine to bring it all together. What I love most is that it’s all compostable at the end of its life, so nothing goes to waste. I hope this inspires you to play around and make a wreath that brings you joy!

How to Make a DIY Sustainable Christmas Wreath

How do you make a wreath environmentally friendly?

The trick to making a wreath environmentally friendly is sourcing the materials consciously. You can forage the pine from local pine trees/shrubs. Or, you can do what I did this year and use pine branches from your Christmas tree that had already fallen off.

For decor, using natural elements, like dried citrus, foraged pinecones, cinnamon sticks, winter berries/mistletoe, or even salt dough ornaments is the more sustainable choice. All of these can be composted at the end of their life, just like the pine itself.

You can also use upcycled ribbon you saved from last year’s gifts for decoration. Just make sure you save and reuse it again!

The base can be from a coat hanger (which is what I used) – you just have to bend it a little bit to form more of a circle.

Truly, the most sustainable way to make a wreath is by using what you have, and choosing compostable materials. I try to avoid using glue, as this cannot be composted. Instead, I tie everything onto my wreath using twine, which is compostable.

How to make a Christmas wreath for free?

You can make a Christmas wreath for free by just using what you have or foraging! Go out and forage for items to make your wreath extra special. Pinecones, sticks, pine sprigs, and winter berries you find on the ground are all free.

You can also just use what you have, such a coat hanger for the base, pine sprigs from your Christmas tree, and ribbon from your Christmas decor stash. Just get creative and have fun with it – there’s no right or wrong way to make a wreath!

DIY Sustainable Christmas Wreath

Materials:

• Coat hanger
• Twine
• Pine
• Natural decor: I used dried citrus (here’s how I make them) and winter berries this year, but you can also use pinecones, cinnamon sticks, upcycled ribbon, and even salt dough ornaments.

Directions:

1. On a clean surface, lay down all the materials you’ll be working with. If you’re using a metal clothing hanger for a base like me, take the time to bend it into the shape of a circle as best you can.
2. Now, think about the design of your wreath. How do you want it to look? How much pine do you have to work with? I wanted a more minimalist approach, plus I didn’t have an abundance of pine. Do you want a full, big, bushy wreath instead? Whatever you choose, start laying out your pine on the base and decor elements to see where you’d like everything to go. This will help you visualize the final look!
3. Now it’s time to secure the pine in place. Grab your twine and start tying the pine onto your base. You can snip off any loose ends after it’s secured in place. If you don’t have twine, you can also try using string, or even those twisty ties used to keep bread fresh. I tried my best to make the pine look even on both sides.
4. Now, add your decorations. I tied a big dried orange slice into the bottom center, then two smaller dried lemon slices next to it. I also tucked in some winter berry under the pine. I snipped off small branches from an arrangement I bought at Trader Joes, but you may be able to forage some.
5. Then, because I wasn’t filling the whole wreath with pine, I wrapped a long piece of twine around the top part of my base on both sides. I tied it on and it was ready to be hung up! But you can double layer this if you’d like the twine to look a little bulkier.

Left is the wreath I made a few years back, right is the wreath I made this year. I love both so much for different reasons! Which is your favorite? There’s no wrong answer – let me know in the comments!

For more Christmas content, be sure to check out my ultimate guide to a zero waste Christmas. Also, check out these unique holiday decoration ideas for more sustainable options.

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