# Gift wrap, bags and tags: research notes

Date: 2026-10-25. Scope: everything a buyer uses to dress a gift: wrapping paper (rolls and flat sheets, including kraft and stone paper), reusable fabric wraps, paper and fabric gift bags, gift tissue, gift tags and adhesive gift labels, and gift ribbon and bows. Taxonomy leaf `supplies > stationery > gift_bags` ("Gift Wrap, Bags & Tags"). One register; the first split divides the bundle.

Overlaps left to siblings:
- Tape (double-sided and invisible tape used for wrapping) belongs to `tapes` (supplies > crafts > tapes).
- Greeting cards and enclosure cards with envelopes belong to `cards` (Envelopes, Cards & Forms). A small tag-sized card sold as a gift tag stays here.
- Rigid shipping cartons and mailers belong to `shipping-boxes`. Decorative gift boxes belong here (corrected 2026-10-25): `shipping-boxes/notes.md` already hands "gift boxes and wrap" to `gift-bags`, and Hallmark and Paper Source both sell gift boxes beside wrap. They are the `gift box` value of product_form, with no box-specific facets yet. A printed mailer box sold for shipping stays in `shipping-boxes`.
- Adhesive gift labels sold for dressing gifts ("Gift Labels", Paper Source) stay here with hang tags; write-on office labels and tabs stay in `labels`.
- Ribbon sold by the yard for sewing and trim belongs to `beads, embellishments, trim & stickers` in crafts. Gift ribbon sold on spools with wrap (satin, curling, wired) stays here.
- Plain kraft paper on long rolls sold for packing overlaps with `paper` (Paper & Cardstock) and `shipping-boxes`. It is in scope only when sold as gift wrap.

Quote labels: **verbatim** = the sentence as it appears in raw text I downloaded with curl and read (tags stripped); **fetched excerpt** = summarised or reworded by a fetch tool; **search excerpt** = from a search-engine summary only. Every quote below is verbatim unless labelled otherwise. The session's web-search budget ran out after three searches, so most sources were reached by fetching known URLs directly; that limited how many independent sources I could find for some claims (noted where it matters).

## Seed

Seed output, verbatim:

```
=== Example entry (from an unrelated category) ===
category: kitchen-knives
what this shows: a numeric spec that only makes sense as one side of a trade-off, and a visual grammar borrowed from the hobbyist community that puts the trade-off on one axis.

<example>
{
  "id": "steel_hardness",
  "label": "Steel hardness",
  "definition": "How hard the blade steel is, measured on the Rockwell C scale, which sets how long an edge stays sharp and how easily it chips.",
  "why_experts_care": "Harder steel holds a thinner, sharper edge for longer but is brittle, so it chips on bones and hard squash and is harder to sharpen at home. Softer steel dulls faster but bends rather than breaks and comes back with a few strokes on a honing rod. Japanese knives cluster at the hard end and German knives at the soft end, which is most of what the Japanese-versus-German debate is actually about.",
  "kind": "numeric",
  "unit": "HRC",
  "range": { "min": 52, "max": 66, "typical": "German-style knives sit around 56 to 58. Japanese-style knives sit around 60 to 63." },
  "roles": ["annotation", "sort_key"],
  "novice_answerable": false,
  "source": "listing",
  "listing_field_hint": "Often in the specs table as HRC or Rockwell. Missing on cheaper knives, which usually means soft.",
  "backfill_cost": "low",
  "backfill_note": "Manufacturer pages carry it for anything mid-range and up. Below that, infer soft from the steel name if given.",
  "visual": { "chartable": true, "grammar": "edge retention versus toughness scale", "encoding": "position on a single horizontal scale, hard on the right, with chip risk shaded in" },
  "priority": { "narrows_set": 3, "cost_to_answer": 4 },
  "evidence": ["knifesteelnerds_hardness", "seriouseats_knives"]
}
</example>

Trade-off entry it belongs to:
{
  "optimise": "steel_hardness",
  "give_up": "toughness and ease of sharpening",
  "plain": "Push hardness up and you get a knife that stays sharp for months but needs a whetstone and care around bones. Push it down and you get a knife you can abuse and hone in the kitchen but will sharpen more often.",
  "see_more_branch": "See more low-maintenance knives"
}

=== Persona ===
A textile conservator, who thinks in fibre, construction and how something ages

Ask yourself two things and write the answers under 'Seed' in notes.md:
  1. What is the gift-bags equivalent of the example above?
  2. What would this persona notice first about gift-bags that a typical buyer would not?
Keep what survives the data check. Drop the rest.
```

1. **Equivalent of steel hardness: paper weight in gsm.** It is a number that only makes sense as one side of a trade-off. Light paper (about 55 gsm) tears and is hard to work; about 80 gsm takes crisp folds; 100 gsm and up resists folding (Daily Wrap, a professional gift-wrapping business, and Nifty Package, which repeats it). Data check: survived as a facet, but marked researched with high backfill cost, because almost no listing carries it (1 of 12 Amazon rolls in the Thomas Acres survey; no gsm on the Hallmark or Paper Source pages read). The scale survives as a proposed visual grammar.
2. **What the textile conservator notices first: what the sheet is made of and what is on its surface, and how it ages through reuse.** A shiny sheet is a laminate of paper, plastic and metal, not paper; stone paper is about 80% calcium carbonate and 18% HDPE plastic; recycled stock is stiffer and its taped seams pop; fabric wraps and fabric bags are reused rather than recycled. Survived as two facets (base_material, surface_finish) and the recyclability split. Dropped: acid-free tissue for wrapping textiles and dye bleed from damp coloured tissue. Both are real conservator concerns, but I could not reach a conservation source (V&A, Library of Congress and NPS pages blocked or moved) or a tissue maker's spec page (Nashville Wraps 403, Seaman Paper no detail), so there is no sourced facet.

## Sources and what each supports

### Recycling bodies and councils (the closest thing to a regulator here)

**Recycle Now (WRAP, the UK recycling campaign), Wrapping paper.** Live page blocked curl (18 bytes); read from the Internet Archive snapshot of 2026-03-11.
https://www.recyclenow.com/recycle-an-item/wrapping-paper (snapshot https://web.archive.org/web/20260311114627/https://www.recyclenow.com/recycle-an-item/wrapping-paper)
- verbatim: "Some councils will accept non-foil and non-plastic wrapping paper in their household recycling collections but others will not as wrapping paper is not accepted by some recycled paper mills, so please check with them first."
- verbatim: "Simple paper wrap that passes the 'scrunch test'" (can be recycled); "Any sticky tape and decorations such as ribbons and bows" and "Foil or glitter-decorated paper" (cannot).
- verbatim: "Some wrapping paper is very thin and contains few good quality fibres for recycling." "Wrapping paper is often dyed, laminated and/or contains non-paper additives such as gold and silver coloured shapes, glitter, plastics and so on, which cannot be recycled."
- Supports: scrunch test, foil and glitter out, ribbons and bows out, council acceptance varies. Confidence high.

**London Recycles, Wrapping paper** https://londonrecycles.co.uk/a-to-z/wrapping-paper/
- verbatim: "Shiny, metallic or glittery wrapping paper can't be recycled. This is because it is laminated paper made from mixed materials (often plastic and foil as well as paper) which can't be separated for recycling. Wrapping paper can only be recycled if it passes the 'scrunch test'. If you scrunch the paper and it springs back open, it's made from mixed materials and should go in your rubbish bin."
- Supports: why shiny paper fails (laminate), the scrunch test mechanism. Confidence high.

**Cornwall Council, Wrapping paper** https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/rubbish-recycling-and-waste/recycling/recycling-items/wrapping-paper
- verbatim: "Simple wrapping paper can be recycled but foil or glitter-decorated paper cannot and should be disposed in your rubbish bin." "If you scrunch paper into a ball and it stays scrunched (does not spring back), you can recycle it."
- Supports: third agreeing source for the scrunch test. Confidence high.

**Cornwall Council, Tissue paper** https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/rubbish-recycling-and-waste/recycling/recycling-items/tissue-paper
- verbatim: "Tissue paper used in packaging or gift wrapping is collected as part of your recycling collection."
- Supports: disagreement with Paper Mart on tissue (below). Confidence high for Cornwall only.

**Waimakariri District Council (NZ), Stone Paper, Not as Recyclable as You Might Think, 2018.** Live page moved; read from the Internet Archive snapshot of 2020-02-19.
https://web.archive.org/web/20200219212215/https://www.waimakariri.govt.nz/your-council/news-and-information/2018/05/stone-paper,-not-as-recyclable-as-you-might-think
- verbatim: "Stone paper is a calcium carbonate bonded with HDPE (No. 2 plastic) and is classed as a plastic, not paper, BUT it is mixed-material and we can't accept it for recycling in the kerbside bin or at the transfer station."
- verbatim: "as it is not bio-degradable it cannot be composted."
- Supports: stone paper is not kerbside recyclable. Confidence high.

**European Commission, Microplastics restriction (Regulation (EU) 2023/2055) Q&A** https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/sectors/chemicals/reach/restrictions/commission-regulation-eu-20232055-restriction-microplastics-intentionally-added-products_en
- verbatim: "Loose plastic glitter for uses without a transitional period - such as arts and crafts, toys - is banned as of 17 October 2023"
- verbatim: "Articles with glitter affixed on their surface do not fall within the scope of the restriction."
- Supports: glitter wrap and glitter bags are not banned in the EU; the restriction is about loose glitter. Confidence high (regulator, single source; no number from it is used in the JSON).

**Safety.** I looked for a governing safety standard. None applies to gift wrap as a product. The CPSC holiday page (Internet Archive, 2024-12-31) says only "Once the gifts are open, immediately discard plastic wrappings or other packaging on toys before they become dangerous playthings", which is about toy packaging.

**CPSC, Holiday Decorating Safety (publication 611)** https://www.cpsc.gov/s3fs-public/611.pdf (fetched live with curl 2026-10-25, text via pdftotext; added after the blind check)
- verbatim: "Remove all wrapping papers from tree and fireplace areas immediately after presents are opened."
- verbatim: "Do not burn papers in the fireplace. A flash fire may result as wrappings ignite suddenly and burn intensely."
- verbatim: "Keep candles away from other decorations and wrapping paper."
- Supports: the regulator does warn about gift wrap, as a fire hazard in use, not as a product standard. One regulator source; the NFPA winter-holidays page renders by script (no text in curl) and USFA and Red Cross holiday URLs returned 404 on 2026-10-25, so no second source. Not a number, so it stays in a medium-confidence judgement.

### Professional gift wrappers (the enthusiast and trade voice)

**Daily Wrap (Brisbane and Melbourne gift-wrapping service and workshops), GSM for Gee Whiz Wraps** https://dailywrap.com.au/tag/what-us-the-best-weight-for-wrapping-paper/
- verbatim: "From a gift wrappers perspective we need to understand that most standard copy paper is 80 GSM. Most quality gift wrapping paper is as well, although the weight of the ink is included in that GSM number."
- verbatim: "Very cheap wrapping paper will be around the 55 GSM range. Since it will nearly always be printed, and sometimes given a coating to make it feel smooth, there is only the bare minimum of real paper in the mix."
- verbatim: "Papers around 80 GSM will give the crisp folds and flat sides gift wrappers love. Paper with 100 GSM or greater will be a little more difficult to work with, resisting clean folds and refusing to be worked into position."
- verbatim: "Most importantly GSM is not linked to paper thickness." "by adding foaming compounds or fillers can create quite thick paper with a low GSM."
- verbatim: "wrapping conical or spherical objects such as balls and of course flower pots. In these situations its best to move away from traditional wrapping paper altogether, and move to tissue paper"
- Supports: the 55 / 80 / 100 gsm marks, gsm is not thickness, tissue for round objects. Confidence medium-high (a practitioner, not a lab).

**Nifty Package Co, Why Wrapping Paper Weight Changes Everything (GSM Explained)** https://www.niftypackage.co/blogs/news/wrapping-paper-weight-gsm-guide
- verbatim: "Very cheap wrapping paper sits around the 55 GSM range." "Most quality gift wrapping paper sits at 80 GSM". "Paper at 100 GSM or greater will resist clean folds and refuse to be worked into position."
- verbatim: "Tissue is measured differently — mid-weight tissue sits around 25–30 GSM"
- verbatim: "make sure the base paper is at least 75–80 GSM before factoring in the print."
- Caveat: this page's gsm wording closely follows Daily Wrap's, so it is a second page, not an independent second measurement. The PerkHomy listing (70 gsm, "thicker is not better", via Thomas Acres below) is the independent support for "heavier stops folding". I count the gsm marks as two sources with the dependence stated, and set the matching judgement to medium.

### Specialist reviewers

**one5c, The best recyclable gift wrap: 6 top options, tested** (published 2025-12-10, modified 2026-04-13) https://one5c.com/best-recyclable-gift-wrap-137210508
- verbatim: "Any gift wrap that's glittery, metallic, or high-gloss usually has a plastic coating, which means it's destined for the dump."
- verbatim: "be careful for misleading chasing arrows symbols that might only apply to the inner tube!"
- verbatim: "Stocks like ones with a kraft-paper base or that use recycled materials can be on the stiffer side, which means taped seams have an annoying habit of popping open." Their method: a 1-inch piece of tape on a paper cylinder, checked at 2 hours and 2 days; a shirt box wrapped to count presses per crease.
- verbatim: "the mish-mash of fibers in the recycled stock Wondershop uses caused some hiccups when we tried to layer too many folds on top of one another"
- verbatim: "made from up to 90% recycled content that's certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)" (Target Wondershop).
- verbatim: picked rolls that "cost $0.25 or less per square foot". (Used only to show reviewers price wrap per square foot; the $0.25 is one source and is not in the JSON.)
- Supports: shine means plastic, recycled and kraft stock is stiffer, chasing-arrows caveat, cost per square foot as the reviewer's unit. Confidence high.

**NBC Select, The 11 best wrapping paper for gifts in 2023** (2023-12-07) https://www.nbcnews.com/select/shopping/best-wrapping-paper-rcna128535
- verbatim (Val Studer, senior project designer, Michaels): "The kraft papers and the metallic foils are going to be your stronger papers. The printed papers are pretty but they're probably not…going to be as strong."
- verbatim: "The pack also comes with enough paper to wrap up to 24 shirt boxes, according to American Greetings." (the American Greetings "120 sq. ft." set)
- verbatim: "This specialty, water-resistant option is stone paper, a tree-free material made mostly with calcium carbonate."
- verbatim (re-read 2026-10-25): LeZakaa Floral Wrapping Paper, "$12.99 at Amazon", "three roll set ... grid lines on the back", "Dimensions : 17 x 120 inches"; RUSPEPA Gold Metallic Wrapping Paper, "$22.99 at Amazon", "Dimensions : 30 inches x 32.8 feet"; a kraft roll that "can fit onto a 15-inch paper roll dispenser and can also be used outside of gifting for arts and crafts, protecting floors, painting", "Dimensions : 15 x 450 inches". Sheets: "20 x 29 inches", "27.5 x 19.6 inches", "30 x 40 inches ... 4 sheets per pack".
- Supports: kraft and foil are the strong papers; one brand's boxes-per-roll conversion; Amazon rolls at 17 in (second source with Thomas Acres) and 30 in. Confidence medium (a roundup quoting a retailer's designer).

**Thomas Acres, Choosing Gift Wrap by the Square Foot, Not the Pattern** (published 2026-09-22, modified 2026-10-24) https://thomasacres.com/best-gift-wrap/
- A survey of twelve Amazon roll listings. Reads like a listing-aggregation site rather than a hands-on test, so I use it for what listings carry, not for quality claims.
- verbatim: "Eleven of the twelve rolls surveyed here are seventeen inches wide, and two of them volunteer that seventeen inches is narrower than a normal roll."
- verbatim: "Width sets the longest box you can wrap in one pass: the paper has to span the length of the box plus enough at each end to fold down the sides." "It suits small and medium presents and it will not stretch to a large flat box, whatever the length on the tube says."
- verbatim: "Square footage compares them fairly, and several listings here calculate it."
- verbatim: "Ten of these twelve listings describe their paper as thick, premium, or tear-resistant, and none of them attaches a weight to the word. PerkHomy publishes 70 GSM and then says something the others do not: that thicker is not better, because heavy stock will not take a sharp fold at the corners."
- verbatim: gridlines "appears on exactly one listing of twelve".
- verbatim: "MAYPLUSS publishes 23.4 square feet and calls it roughly ten shirt-sized boxes".
- verbatim: "Measure the longest side of the largest present you need to cover, add a little over half the depth at each end, and if that total comes near seventeen inches then this entire shelf is the wrong shelf".
- Nature of the source (checked 2026-10-25): an affiliate roundup ("If you buy through links on this page we may earn an affiliate commission") on the site of a Pembroke Welsh Corgi breeder in Raymond, Illinois. Kind set to `other`, not `retail_listing`. Its counts (11 of 12 at 17 in, 1 of 12 gsm, 1 of 12 gridlines) are single-source.
- Supports: listing field presence (width × length common, square feet on several, gsm on 1 of 12, gridlines on 1 of 12), narrow 17 in rolls, the width rule. Confidence medium for field presence, high for the quoted listing text.

### Brand spec pages (fields brands publish)

**Hallmark, Blue Quilt Holiday Wrapping Paper Roll, 35 sq. ft.** https://www.hallmark.com/gift-wrap/wrapping-paper/blue-quilt-holiday-wrapping-paper-roll-35-sq.-ft.-1XWR7997.html
- verbatim: "Dimensions: 35 sq. ft. roll; 30" W x 14' L." "Sustainability: This gift wrap is recyclable." "Premium gift wrap rolls include a cutting grid on reverse to ensure straight lines."

**Hallmark, Assorted Ombré Foil 3-Pack Wrapping Paper, 60 sq. ft total** https://www.hallmark.com/gift-wrap/wrapping-paper/assorted-ombre-foil-3-pack-wrapping-paper-60-sq.-ft-total-5EWR2655.html
- verbatim: "Each roll: 20 sq. ft.; 30" W x 8' L" "Material: Heavyweight foil wrapping paper". No Sustainability line on this page (the plain roll has one).
- Supports: Hallmark's fields are Dimensions (square feet, width, length), Material, Count, Sustainability; the recyclable claim sits on the plain roll and is absent on the foil one.

**Hallmark, gift bag listing and one bag page**
https://www.hallmark.com/gift-wrap/gift-bags/ and https://www.hallmark.com/gift-wrap/gift-bags/10.4-white-snowflakes-on-light-blue-large-christmas-gift-bag-with-tissue-paper-1XSR8423.html
- verbatim titles from the listing: "6.5" Cupcake With Flowers Small Gift Bag", "9.6" Penguin Medium Christmas Gift Bag", "13" Bright Balloons on Black Large Birthday Gift Bag", "15" Pink Extra-Deep Gift Bag", "15.5" Peanuts® Snoopy and Charlie Brown Grid Extra-Large Christmas Gift Bag", "20" Electrifying Wishes on Red Jumbo Birthday Gift Bag". Size filter values: "Small, Medium, Bottle, Large, X-Large".
- verbatim from the bag page: "10.4" White Snowflakes on Light Blue Large Christmas Gift Bag With Tissue Paper"; "Bag measures approx. 10.4" W x 10.4" H x 4.7" D." "Paper gift bag with grosgrain ribbon handles." "Bag includes 3 sheets of tissue paper (color may vary)."
- verbatim from the bag page: "Large bags hold gifts like toys, stuffed animals, books, puzzles, clothing items and more."
- Re-tallied 2026-10-25 from the listing titles: Mini 4.6 in (1); Small 5.7 (1) and 6.5 (6); Medium 7.7 (1) and 9.6 (13); Large 10.4 (4, one titled "Large Horizontal"), 11.5 (2), 12 (1), 13 (35); Extra-Deep 15 (11); Extra-Large 15.5 (2); Jumbo 20 (1); Giant 56 (2).
- Supports: bag height leads the title; Hallmark Larges run 10.4 to 13 in, and the 10.4 in ones are square (10.4 W x 10.4 H) or horizontal formats; handle type and included tissue are stated in text. The bag page is now its own reference (`hallmark_bag_page`).

**Paper Source (US stationery chain), product descriptions** read from its Shopify catalogue JSON: https://www.papersource.com/collections/gift-bags, /collections/stone-wrapping-paper, /collections/flat-wrap, /collections/wrap-gift-tags, /collections/gift-wrap-ribbon, /collections/christmas-gift-wrap (each with `/products.json`).
- verbatim: "Roll measures 10' x 30"." (Winter Forest, Elegant Toile, Holiday Plaid Stone and others); "30 inch wide x 10 ft long" (Romantic Greenery Stone).
- verbatim (flat wrap): "Dimensions - 30" x 20"". Re-tallied 2026-10-25 from `/collections/flat-wrap/products.json?limit=250` (250 products, 21 with a stated size): 20" x 28" (7, plus one 28" X 20"), 20" x 30" (4), 19" x 27" (3, plus one 19.5 x 27), 30" x 20" (3), 20" x 29" (2). Mostly 20 x 28 in; 30 x 20 is a minority size.
- verbatim (gift boxes, `/collections/gift-boxes/products.json`, 63 products): "Tile Small Shirt Gift Box ... Measures 10.5" x 7.5" x 2"", "Tile Robe Gift Box ... Measures 14" x 16" x 7"". Hallmark lists gift boxes at https://www.hallmark.com/gift-wrap/gift-boxes/ ("Christmas Gift Boxes", "Windowed Gift Boxes", "Medium Gift Box Bundle").
- verbatim (stone): "this paper is made of stone, not trees ... Stone wrapping paper is eco-friendly, water-resistant, reusable and it cuts like butter!"
- verbatim (bags): "The bag measures 5.5"H x 5.5"W x 2.25"D, has coordinated handles, and includes a blank gift tag" (Textured Purple Small); "Features black ribbon handles and measures 8" x 4" x 9.5"" (Cat in Pumpkin Medium); "Perfect for books, journals, candles, and more! ... Gift bag measures 8" x 4" x 9.5"" (Folk Floral Medium).
- verbatim (tags): "Glitter Pumpkin Halloween Hang Tags"; "The adhesive backing allows you to place your label directly onto wrapped packages, gift bags, or gift tags." (Takes The Cake Animal Gift Labels).
- verbatim (ribbon): "Made from cotton, and easy to curl!" "Size: 3/16" x 50 yds"; "Our satin ribbon is luxurious and is double sided!" ".25" wide x 10 yards long"; "Green Glitter Velvet Wired Ribbon 2.5", 4 Yards"; "Made from high-quality organdy, this ribbon offers a lightweight and sheer texture".
- Supports: 30 in roll width (second brand), flat sheet size, stone paper marketing, bag dimension order varies between brands, medium bag for books, hang tag versus adhesive label, ribbon sold by material and width × length.

### Primers

**Wikipedia, Stone paper** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone_paper
- verbatim: "Stone "paper" consists of roughly 80% calcium carbonate, 18% HDPE and 2% proprietary coating." "It can be recycled into new stone paper, but only if recycled separately at dedicated civic amenity sites or other recycling/waste processing points."
- Supports: stone paper composition and recycling route (second source with Waimakariri). Confidence high for composition as an approximate figure.

**Paper Mart blog, Is Wrapping Paper Recyclable?** (2025-11-21) https://blog.papermart.com/wrapping-paper/is-wrapping-paper-recyclable-your-complete-guide-to-eco-friendly-gift-giving/
- verbatim: "Paper gift bags made entirely of paper are recyclable. But if your gift bag has rope handles, plastic reinforcements, or decorative elements attached, you'll need to remove these non-recyclable parts. Gift bags made from plastic or fabric should be reused rather than recycled."
- verbatim: "Ribbons and bows must go in the trash. They're made of mixed materials and synthetic fibers that tangle machinery at recycling facilities."
- verbatim: "Here's something many people don't realize: tissue paper also cannot be recycled in most areas. The fibers are too short and degraded."
- verbatim: "Fabric gift bags can be used dozens of times before wearing out."
- Supports: bag handles, fabric is reused, ribbons out (second source with Recycle Now), tissue (disputed by Cornwall). Paper Mart sells packaging. Confidence medium.

**Paper Mart blog, What Is Tissue Paper Used For?** (2026-01-14) https://blog.papermart.com/paper/what-is-tissue-paper-used-for-a-complete-guide-to-the-different-types-of-tissue-paper-and-their-uses/
- verbatim: "Most tissue weighs between 10 and 35 GSM, making it one of the lightest paper products available."
- Supports: tissue is a different weight class from wrap (with Nifty's 25–30 gsm mid-weight). Not used as a number in the JSON beyond the vocabulary gloss, which states no figure.

**Paper Mart blog, Is Tissue Paper Recyclable?** (2026-01-21) https://blog.papermart.com/paper/is-tissue-paper-recyclable-the-truth-about-what-happens-to-your-gift-wrap/
- verbatim: "Technically, plain tissue paper is recyclable. ... However, most curbside recycling programs reject it."
- Supports: the tissue disagreement.

**Wikipedia, Furoshiki** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Furoshiki and **Japan Ministry of the Environment, Minister Koike created the "Mottainai Furoshiki", 2006-04-03** (Internet Archive 2017-07-16) https://web.archive.org/web/20170716211534/http://www.env.go.jp/en/focus/060403.html
- verbatim (Wikipedia): "Sizes vary, from 45 by 45 centimetres (18 in × 18 in) and 70 by 70 centimetres (28 in × 28 in) up to 100 by 100 centimetres (39 in × 39 in)." "The gift should fit into one third of a furoshiki."
- verbatim (MoE): "Furoshiki is a Japanese traditional wrapping cloth which is used repeatedly in a stylish way."
- Supports: the fabric-wrap family and its vocabulary entry. The cm sizes and the one-third rule are single-source and kept here, not in the JSON.

**RTÉ, Is wrapping paper recyclable? Only if it passes the scrunch test (2020-12-04)** https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/living/2020/1204/1016924-is-wrapping-paper-recyclable-only-if-it-passes-the-scrunch-test/
- Repeats Recycle Now. Not cited in the JSON.

### Retail listings (what data is already present)

- Amazon, Walmart and Target listing pages were not fetched directly (Target returned a 1 KB shell; the search budget was gone before I could find Amazon URLs). Field presence for marketplace rolls comes from the Thomas Acres survey of twelve Amazon listings: titles carry width × length nearly always, square feet on several, "thick / premium / tear-resistant" on ten of twelve, gsm on one, gridlines on one.
- Brand pages (Hallmark, Paper Source) carry width × length and square feet for rolls; W × H × D for bags with the height in the Hallmark title; handle type and included tissue or tag in the description; ribbon width × length and material. Neither brand publishes gsm.

### Could not reach
- Recycle Now gift bags and tissue pages (no such archived pages; live site blocks curl).
- NFPA and USFA holiday fire pages (empty or 404).
- Conservation sources on acid-free tissue (V&A 502, Library of Congress and NPS 1 KB stubs).
- Nashville Wraps tissue and bag size pages (403).
- American Greetings and Target (shells only).
- No trade body for gift wrap was found in the time; the closest expert voices are the professional wrappers and the recycling bodies.

## Data points used for derived metrics

| Product | Width | Length | Stated area | Stated boxes | Area per box implied | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hallmark Blue Quilt roll | 30 in | 14 ft | 35 sq ft | n/a | n/a | Hallmark page (30 × 168 / 144 = 35.0, checks) |
| Hallmark Ombré Foil, each roll | 30 in | 8 ft | 20 sq ft | n/a | n/a | Hallmark page (30 × 96 / 144 = 20.0, checks) |
| Paper Source rolls | 30 in | 10 ft | not stated | n/a | 25 sq ft by arithmetic | Paper Source JSON |
| MAYPLUSS roll (Amazon) | 17 in | 16.4 ft | 23.4 sq ft | about 10 shirt boxes | 2.34 sq ft | Thomas Acres (17 × 16.4 × 12 / 144 = 23.2; the brand's 23.4 is close) |
| American Greetings 3-pack | n/a | n/a | 120 sq ft | up to 24 shirt boxes | 5.0 sq ft | NBC Select |
| NESCCI roll (Amazon) | 17 in | 32.8 ft | 46.5 sq ft | n/a | n/a | Thomas Acres (17 × 32.8 × 12 / 144 = 46.5, checks) |

Two brands' boxes-per-roll claims imply 2.34 and 5.0 sq ft per shirt box, a factor of about 2.1. That is the basis of the judgement that boxes-per-roll is not comparable across brands; the two figures are each single-source and stay here.

Bag heights by size name:

| Name | Hallmark height | Paper Source |
|---|---|---|
| Small | 5.7 and 6.5 in | 5.5 in H, also 4.5 x 4.5 x 5.5 and 4.5 x 2.5 x 6 |
| Medium | 9.6 in | 9.5 in (8 × 4 × 9.5) |
| Large | 13 in mostly; also 12, 11.5 and 10.4 in (square or horizontal) | n/a |
| Extra-Deep | 15 in | n/a |
| X-Large | 15.5 in | n/a |
| Jumbo | 20 in | n/a |

## Against the existing add-on schema

Add-on read: `supplies/stationery/add-ons/gift_bag.jsonc` has only `sizing.wrap_length_raw` and `sizing.wrap_area_raw`. It composes with `stationery-standard.jsonc` (empty) and `supplies-standard.jsonc` (`high_signal_markdown`; `sizing.size_stated`, `pack_count`, `pieces_included_text`, `dimensions` {length, width, height, depth, unit}, `capacity`, `weight`, `measurements_text`). Proposals only; nothing in zamana-expertise was edited. Kinds use the AGENTS.md vocabulary (vertical anchor, quality currency, hard filter, sizing, high_signal_markdown, cut).

| Facet in this register | In add-on today | Proposed kind | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| product_form | no | vertical anchor (enum) | `gift_wrap_type` [roll, flat_sheet, fabric_wrap, gift_bag, tissue, tag_label, ribbon_bow]. The leaf bundles seven product types; nothing tells them apart today. |
| kerbside_recyclable | no | derived at query time | From surface_finish and base_material, or Hallmark's "Sustainability" line. Not stored. |
| surface_finish | no | hard filter (enum) | [uncoated, glossy_coated, metallic_foil, glitter, not_applicable]. Partly visible in photos, but "foil" and "glitter" are in titles and gloss is not reliably visible, so it is a text field. |
| base_material | no | hard filter (enum) | [wood_pulp_paper, recycled_paper, kraft, stone_paper, fabric, plastic_film]. Stone paper is the trap: looks like paper, recycles as plastic. |
| wrap_width | no (only `wrap_length_raw`) | sizing (number + unit) | The bought-by-number dimension for rolls: 17 in rolls versus 30 in rolls decide the largest box. Must live in `sizing` because a design can come in several roll sizes. |
| wrap_area_sq_ft | yes, `wrap_area_raw` | quality currency (number, sq ft) | Normalise to a number. Derivable from width × length when missing, and printed on many titles. |
| (wrap length) | yes, `wrap_length_raw` | cut | Derivable from area ÷ width; keep only if area is missing on a row. |
| paper_weight_gsm | no | high_signal_markdown | Too rarely stated to augment, so under AGENTS.md rule 4 it is not currency. Keep the number in the markdown when a listing gives one. |
| reverse_side | no | high_signal_markdown | Cutting grid or reversible print. Text fact, low narrowing. |
| bag_size | partly: `sizing.size_stated` and `sizing.dimensions` | sizing (already present) | Use `dimensions.height` as the filter and `size_stated` only as the brand's label; names are not a standard. |
| bag_handles | no | high_signal_markdown | Photo mostly shows it; the recycling consequence (rope handles must come off) is a markdown line. |
| occasion | no | hard filter (enum) | [christmas_winter, birthday, baby, wedding, halloween, graduation, all_occasion]. Borderline under the "curated vocabularies" rule; it is in nearly every title and is the first thing a query carries, so it may be better left to search than stored. |
| tag_attachment | no | high_signal_markdown | Hang tag versus adhesive label; text in the title ("hang tags", "adhesive labels"). |
| ribbon_material | no | hard filter (enum), ribbon rows only | [curling, satin, grosgrain, cotton_twine, wired, sheer, tinsel_metallic]. Ribbon width and length belong in `sizing` (width as `dimensions.width`, length as a length field). |

Add-on fields this register considers noise for this leaf: `sizing.capacity` (no volume or count capacity applies to wrap, bags or tags; bag fit is by dimensions), `sizing.weight` (shipping weight tells the buyer nothing; it is not paper weight), and `wrap_length_raw` once area and width are stored. `pack_count` and `pieces_included_text` are useful (3-roll sets, 6-bag sets, bag with tissue and tag).

## Branches

Split 1, product_form ("Wrapping paper, a gift bag, tags, or ribbon?", changed 2026-10-25). Answer mapping (stated in the split rationale and product_form why_experts_care): "wrapping paper" maps to `wrapping paper roll` unless they name sheets or flat wrap (`flat wrap sheet`) or cloth (`fabric wrap`); "gift bag" maps to `gift bag`, with `tissue paper` as its filler; "tags" maps to `tags and labels`; "ribbon" maps to `ribbon and bows`. `tissue paper` and `gift box` are reached only when the query names them (skip_if_known), so they are not offered in the question.

- when `wrapping paper roll`: then_ask wrap_width, wrap_area_sq_ft; makes_irrelevant bag_size, bag_handles.
  - wrap_width: "Width sets the longest box you can wrap in one pass" (Thomas Acres, verbatim) and the wrap_width why_experts_care. It is now asked through its cold-start question, "How long and how tall is the biggest box?", and box_fits_roll turns the answer into a minimum width (box_length + box_height + margin), filtering out rolls that are too narrow.
  - wrap_area_sq_ft: "Square footage compares them fairly" (Thomas Acres) and the wrap_area_sq_ft why_experts_care. Shown as a sort key.
  - paper_weight_gsm removed from then_ask 2026-10-25: annotation only, not novice-answerable, and stated on about 1 of 12 listings, so showing it means showing unknown on nearly every row.
  - bag_size and bag_handles irrelevant: both facets are defined as properties of a gift bag (their definitions).
- when `flat wrap sheet`: makes_irrelevant wrap_width, bag_size, bag_handles (paper_weight_gsm removed from then_ask 2026-10-25, same reason as the roll leg).
  - wrap_width irrelevant: wrap_width is defined as the width of a roll; a flat sheet has one fixed size given as both sides (mostly 20" x 28" at Paper Source). The sheet size still caps the box; no facet carries it yet (gap, recorded).
- when `gift bag`: then_ask bag_size, bag_handles; makes_irrelevant wrap_width, wrap_area_sq_ft, paper_weight_gsm, reverse_side.
  - bag_size: "size names are not a standard" (bag_size why_experts_care; Hallmark 13 in and 10.4 in Larges).
  - bag_handles: rope handles and plastic reinforcements must be removed before recycling (Paper Mart, verbatim), in bag_handles why_experts_care.
  - wrap facets irrelevant: wrap_width, wrap_area_sq_ft and reverse_side are defined on wrapping paper; the gsm guidance in paper_weight_gsm is about folding wrap ("crisp folds", Daily Wrap), and a bag is not folded.
- when `ribbon and bows`: then_ask ribbon_material; makes_irrelevant kerbside_recyclable, paper_weight_gsm, wrap_width, bag_size.
  - kerbside_recyclable irrelevant, a two-fact chain: Recycle Now lists "decorations such as ribbons and bows" among things that can't be recycled; Paper Mart says "Ribbons and bows must go in the trash". So every ribbon is `no`, and the recycling question cannot narrow the set.
  - ribbon_material: ribbon_material why_experts_care (material decides whether it curls, holds a bow, or is double-sided).
- when `fabric wrap`: makes_irrelevant kerbside_recyclable, paper_weight_gsm, wrap_width.
  - kerbside_recyclable irrelevant (re-sourced 2026-10-25): the kerbside_recyclable backfill rule now lists fabric as `no`, since the facet is defined as household paper recycling and fabric is not paper, so every fabric wrap is `no` and the question cannot narrow. The Japan Ministry of the Environment describes furoshiki as a cloth "used repeatedly". The Paper Mart sentence about fabric gift bags is no longer the support. paper_weight_gsm and wrap_width are defined on paper and rolls.
- when `tags and labels`: then_ask tag_attachment; makes_irrelevant wrap_width, bag_size, paper_weight_gsm.
  - tag_attachment: tag_attachment why_experts_care (a tie-on tag needs a hole, ribbon or handle; a label sticks to any flat face).
- when `gift box` (added 2026-10-25): makes_irrelevant wrap_width, wrap_area_sq_ft, paper_weight_gsm, reverse_side, bag_size, bag_handles. All six are defined on wrapping paper or gift bags; a box is neither folded from a roll nor carried by handles.
- No branch for `tissue paper`: nothing in the register changes downstream for tissue.

Split 2, kerbside_recyclable ("Must it go in the recycling, or is foil fine?"). Answer mapping: "must go in the recycling" maps to `yes` (filter to yes; rows with unknown recyclability are shown flagged, not dropped, which keeps tissue and unstated rows visible); "foil is fine" maps to no filter (both values stay), stated in the split rationale.

- when `yes`: then_ask base_material (makes_irrelevant surface_finish removed 2026-10-25).
  - base_material: stone paper "is classed as a plastic, not paper" and can't go in the kerbside bin (Waimakariri), while Paper Source sells it as "eco-friendly" and "reusable": a buyer who asked for recyclable needs the material checked. In base_material why_experts_care.
  - surface_finish no longer made irrelevant: a yes can come from a page's own recyclable claim as well as from an uncoated finish, and `textured or embossed` stays open, so finish can still narrow.
- No branch for `no`: a "foil is fine" answer filters nothing and changes nothing downstream.

## Numbers in category.json and how many sources stand behind each

| Number | Where | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| about 55 gsm cheap, about 80 gsm quality, 100 gsm and up stiff | paper_weight_gsm, mechanism, trade-off, judgement, grammar | Daily Wrap; Nifty Package (dependent wording); PerkHomy via Thomas Acres for "heavier stops folding" only |
| 30 in roll width | wrap_width, mechanism | Hallmark (two pages); Paper Source (several products) |
| 17 in roll width on many budget marketplace rolls | wrap_width, mechanism | Thomas Acres (11 of 12 rolls; single source for the count); NBC Select's LeZakaa Amazon roll at "17 x 120 inches". "Most" dropped 2026-10-25. |
| marketplace rolls from 17 to 30 in | wrap_width typical | 17 in: Thomas Acres and NBC; 30 in: NBC's RUSPEPA Amazon roll ("30 inches x 32.8 feet"), and brand rolls at Hallmark and Paper Source. The 17.5 in figure (PerkHomy 100 ft packing kraft; NBC's ambiguous "17.5 x 30" pack) and NBC's 15 in craft kraft roll are not used. |
| flat sheets mostly 20 by 28 in, 19 by 27 to 20 by 30 | paper_source_catalog supports line only | Paper Source flat-wrap feed (one retailer, product fact); not used in facet or mechanism text |
| Hallmark bag heights (4.6 to 56 in; Larges 10.4 to 13 in; Smalls 5.7 and 6.5 in) | bag_size, hallmark_bags | Hallmark listing and bag page (one brand, product facts) |
| about 80% calcium carbonate and 18% HDPE | base_material, vocabulary | Wikipedia; Waimakariri gives the two components without percentages, so the percentages are one source. In the JSON I write "mostly chalk bonded with polyethylene plastic" and keep the percentages here. |

Removed for being single-source: the $0.25 per square foot cutoff (one5c), the boxes-per-roll ratios (2.34 and 5.0 sq ft per box), furoshiki cm sizes and the one-third rule, the tissue gsm bands (10–35 and 25–30), and the EU restriction date.

## Trimmed detail

- **summary**: "The leaf bundles seven product types; the first question divides them." Moved to the split rationale.
- **mechanism.plain**: "Daily Wrap notes that gsm is not thickness: fillers and foaming agents can make a thick, low-gsm sheet." Kept in the gsm vocabulary entry. "Hallmark's premium rolls print a cutting grid on the reverse." Kept in reverse_side.
- **paper_weight_gsm.why_experts_care**: "Daily Wrap advises tissue rather than wrap for round objects such as balls and flower pots." Kept here only.
- **base_material.why_experts_care**: "one5c found recycled stock's mixed fibres balloon when many folds stack up." Kept in the recycled-stock trade-off.
- **bag_size.why_experts_care**: the full height ladder (table above).
- **judgements, stone paper**: "Wikipedia says it can be recycled into new stone paper at dedicated sites." Kept in the reference supports.

## Corrections

1. 2026-10-25, `vertical`: set to `supplies` as the brief requires. The skill's schema.json limits `vertical` to formulations, machines, fashion, furnishing, other, so validate.py reports exactly one schema error, on that field. An identical copy with `vertical: other` validates clean (13 facets, 2 splits, 20 references). Render and viewer were run separately because the brief's `&&` chain stops at the validator. Not fixed, because the brief forbids editing the skill; reported. Other Supplies leaves written at the same time split between `supplies` and `other`.
2. 2026-10-25, source classes: bag_size, bag_handles, reverse_side, tag_attachment and ribbon_material moved from `listing` to `researched` with low backfill cost. Their fields are confirmed on Hallmark and Paper Source pages only; marketplace listings were not fetched, which is the failure checkers found on earlier runs. product_form, occasion, wrap_width and surface_finish stay `listing` because the Thomas Acres survey shows them in Amazon titles.
3. 2026-10-25, removed before publishing: a "48 labels to a pack" figure (one product), a "mini rolls to 100 ft" range in cost_per_sq_ft (one source), a fireplace-burning safety judgement (no fetchable source), a claim that recycled stock is strong for heavy gifts (only kraft is sourced as strong), and "origin" text on the three proposed grammars (the schema says leave it empty for proposals).
4. 2026-10-25, viewer: the skill's `tests/viewer-browser.py` passed 6 of 6 (1380, 768, 390 px; light and dark; offline) on a scratch copy, before and after the last rebuild. First screen at 1380 light read by the author: tree labels full size, the wide first split scrolls horizontally inside its box as designed, map chips legible.

## Split checks (generic test and novice test)

- Split 1, "Wrapping paper, a gift bag, or tags and ribbon?": answerable in one word by anyone holding a gift. Generic test: the options are this leaf's own product types and would not read unchanged for an unrelated category. It is product type rather than deep expertise, but the leaf bundles seven types with almost no shared facets, so it is the split that makes every later question possible.
- Split 2, "Must it go in the recycling, or is foil fine?": answerable by anyone. Generic test: a bare "recyclable?" would be generic, so the question names foil, which is the line the recycling bodies draw for this category (scrunch test, laminate). Passes.
- Occasion was considered as a split and kept as a filter: it narrows hard but usually arrives in the query, and "Christmas or birthday?" reads the same for cards and party goods.

## Corrections after the blind check (2026-10-25)

Against `check.md` (13 required fixes). Sources re-fetched with curl into the scratch folder and read as text.

1. Safety (fix 1, CONTRADICTED): fetched CPSC publication 611 live and confirmed both quotes. Added reference `cpsc_611`; rewrote the safety judgement to keep "no product safety standard" and add the regulator's advice to clear used wrap from fireplaces and never burn it (flash fire). cpsc_holiday kept for the toy-packaging line. Confidence medium: one regulator source, no second reachable (NFPA script-only, USFA and Red Cross 404).
2. Roll width (fix 2): "most marketplace rolls are 17 in" became "many budget marketplace rolls are 17 in" in mechanism and wrap_width; range now "marketplace rolls run from 17 to 30 in", backed by NBC (LeZakaa 17 x 120 in, RUSPEPA 30 in x 32.8 ft) plus Thomas Acres and the brand pages. nbc_select_wrap added to wrap_width evidence. Partly rejected: the checker's "15 to 30 in" lower bound rests on one NBC craft kraft roll ("arts and crafts, protecting floors, painting"), one source and arguably out of scope, so 15 in is not used. thomas_acres_rolls relabelled kind `other`, titled as an affiliate roundup on a dog breeder's site, and its 17 in, gsm and gridline counts marked single-source.
3. box_fits_roll (fix 3): formula now `box_length + box_height + margin <= wrap_width` with margin > 0, from Thomas Acres "add a little over half the depth at each end"; no number invented for the margin.
4. Split 1 resolution (fix 4): question changed to "Wrapping paper, a gift bag, tags, or ribbon?" so tags and ribbon are separate answers; "wrapping paper" defaults to roll unless sheets or cloth are named; tissue (and gift boxes) reached when the query names them. Rationale and product_form why_experts_care updated.
5. Box-size question (fix 5): wrap_width is now novice_answerable with cold-start question "How long and how tall is the biggest box?", mapped to a minimum width through box_fits_roll; cost_to_answer 3 to 2.
6. kerbside_recyclable (fix 6): backfill rule now lists fabric as no, makes textured or embossed unknown, requires rope or cord handles and plastic reinforcement to come off, defaults to unknown (never yes), and yes needs a stated material or a page claim. why_experts_care notes very thin wrap (Recycle Now). Source `derived` to `researched`, backfill low to medium. Split 2 rationale: unknown rows flagged, not dropped, so tissue is not silently removed. base_material's "default to wood-pulp" backfill note removed. WEAK leg "yes makes surface_finish irrelevant" removed; WEAK fabric-wrap leg re-sourced to the derivation rule (Branches trace updated).
7. Gift boxes (fix 7): gift-bags now owns decorative gift boxes, matching shipping-boxes/notes.md, which already assigns "gift boxes and wrap" to gift-bags; nothing outside this folder edited. Added `gift box` to product_form values, a Gift boxes family, a gift-box branch, and reference `hallmark_gift_boxes`; Paper Source supports a gift-box line. Overlap note on adhesive gift labels added.
8. Bag sizing (fix 8): bag_size and its judgement now say Hallmark Larges run 10.4 in (square or horizontal) to 13 in, Smalls differ by 0.2 to 1 in, and the brands put books in different sizes ("book-sized" maps to about 9.5 to 13 in). hallmark_bags supports corrected (4.6 in Mini to 20 in Jumbo and 56 in Giant; Smalls 5.7 and 6.5 in); bag page added as reference `hallmark_bag_page`. Dimension-order rule added to the hint (labelled H; unlabelled, smallest is depth).
9. paper_weight_gsm removed from then_ask on the roll and flat-sheet legs (fix 9); Branches trace updated.
10. wrap_area_sq_ft source `listing` to `derived`; surface_finish `listing` to `researched`, backfill low to medium, hint says gloss is not a listing field (fix 10).
11. Wording (fix 11): 100 gsm now "a little harder to work, resisting clean folds" in mechanism, facet, range, trade-off, grammar and judgement; "bulks at corners" removed; "professional wrappers" now "one professional wrapping service, repeated by a second"; gsm judgement note says one origin.
12. Flat sheets (fix 12): "such as 30 by 20 in" removed from the family line; Paper Source supports line now gives mostly 20 by 28 in, 19 by 27 to 20 by 30.
13. vertical (fix 13): set to `other`, as the labels, cards and binders registers did, so validate passes and the register can publish; catalog.json still records the leaf as supplies and publish.py groups by the catalog. The schema enum still lacks `supplies`; that remains an owner decision for the skill.
14. Judgement on box counts: note now says each figure is single-source, one second-hand, so the ratio is indicative.