Consumers are now becoming aware of what quilters and crafters have known for years; that using fabric forwrapping and trimming gifts offers a personal touch that is affordable, visually rich and an eco-sensitive alternative to expensive and often non-recyclable wrapping papers.

"Stripper's Delight," a festive collection of pre-cut fabric strips and remnants available exclusively on-line through http://www.eQuilter.com adds creative, eco-friendly wrapping and embellishing options to traditional packaging ideas. As the consumer conscience is becoming increasingly more concerned about the environment, fabric wrapping is emerging as a valued
gesture.

    "Many cultures have a rich tradition of wrapping gifts in beautiful cloth, which becomes a part of the whole gift-giving ritual," says design and color expert Luana Rubin, founder of eQuilter.com, the leading on-line fabric resource center. "In Asia for instance, the most precious of gifts are wrapped in silk brocade, jacquard or yarn-dyes, to denote the amount of respect for the person receiving the gift."

    Rubin notes that as a universally familiar textile, "Fabric is accessible, recyclable and easy to use, allowing a distinctive opportunity to celebrate the individuality of both gift-giver and receiver."

    Fabric remnants and trimmings come in as many colors, themes and motifs as wrapping paper. Even children's favorite licensed characters, national sport teams and trademark product designs are available. Rubin suggests the following uses:

    -- Line baskets and bags with luscious fabric and attach pompom trim.
    -- Braid rickrack strips to create three-dimensional bows.
    -- Wrap boxes in fabric and tie with complementing fabric strip ribbons.
    -- Twist fabric ribbons around homemade, fabric-wrapped baked goods.
    -- Cluster streamers to brighten gift basket handles.
    -- Add elegant embroidered brocade sleeves to beverage bottles.
   
Pinking shears or an inexpensive pinking-edge rotary cutter allows the user to quickly take fabric strips or scraps and turn them into one-of-a-kind gift ribbons, bows and decorations. "A rotary pinking blade is the wonderful marriage of a pinking shear and a pizza cutter," explains Rubin, who offers over 20,000 products online, writes a weekly e-newsletter to over 90,000 subscribers and donates two percent of all sales to charity.