How to Make Seed Paper Boxes

Want to wrap a gift in an eco-friendly way? Then this origami-style seed paper box tutorial is for you.

Whether you’re packing a gift for a drive-by birthday, care package drop-off for a loved one, or thank-you gifts for employees, these boxes double as wrapping and a gardening gift.

We drew inspiration for this craft from this paper origami boxes craft by gatheringbeauty.com. Instead of regular paper, we used seed paper which is a thick and sturdy paper that grows when planted. 

These colorful seed paper gift boxes give what they hold inside, plus wildflowers once they’re planted in some soil. No waste is left behind, and the wildflowers are relatively low-maintenance plants, perfect for beginner gardeners.

Here’s what you’ll need 

• 2 sheets of 11” x 17” seed paper
• 1 pair of scissors or a paper cutter
• 1 pencil
• Ribbons, bows, pine, twine, or other decorative pieces (optional)

Note: We used pastel blue, pastel green, emerald green, white, and lime green seed paper. This tutorial will make a box that is 4.5 x 4.5-inches long.

Step 1: Measure and cut out an 11×11 inch our of the 11 x 17 piece of seed paper.

Step 2: Fold the square in half, turn the paper by 90 degrees and then fold in half the other way so the paper is divided into 4 squares.

Step 3: Now fold the paper diagonally, corner to corner. Open the paper, rotate, and repeat with the other corners of the square.

Step 4: Open the paper back up and now fold the tip of a corner into the middle of the square. Repeat this with the other three corners.

Step 5: Keep the corners folded into the centre. Now fold two opposite sides of the square into the middle of the square.

Step 6: Open the paper back up, keeping the corners from step 4 folded down. Repeat step 5 on the other two sides of the paper.

Step 7: Open the paper up in the same way as step 6. Now open two opposite sides of the square completely. Fold the sides of the two parts of the paper that you just opened up into the centre of the paper to create one side of the box.

Step 8: Repeat step 7 on the other side. And voila! You have a seed paper box!

Step 9: To create a lid for your box, cut out a larger square of paper that is 11 ¾ x 11 ¾ inches and repeat steps 2-8.

Tip: Make your box and lid two-toned for some variation and a pop of color. If you’re making several of these, you could create a color scheme to coordinate your packaging. For smaller items, try smaller-sized squares of seed paper.

Once you’ve crafted your seed paper box, don’t be afraid to get creative with extra wrapping! We suggest reused ribbons or fabric bows, or eco-friendly twine, leaves, or pine branches to add more pizzazz to your creation or create a fun color scheme to coordinate your gift packaging.

You can buy seed paper sheets for eco-friendly papercraft projects from Botanical PaperWorks. We have a variety of seed options, including wildflower, herb and veggie, and over 25 seed paper colors. Join our mailing list to receive emails with freebies, projects, coupons, green living tips, and decor ideas and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest