The holidays bring gatherings, gifts, and a lot of stuff. We usually think about the plastic we can see, like packaging and disposable tableware. But some of the season's plastic is much smaller, and it ends up in our homes, our food, and our waterways.

The good news: most microplastics come from things we can skip, reuse, or swap.

The Sparkle Problem

Conventional glitter is built from a plastic core, usually polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the plastic that usually makes up clothing and bottles, and has a thin metal layer and a plastic coating. Because these glitter particles are smaller than 5 mm, researchers classify glitter as a primary microplastic. It has been found in rivers, wastewater sludge, and street dust.

Lab studies on algae, mussels, and small invertebrates have reported harmful effects, although research on glitter is still limited and mostly done under controlled conditions. In 2023 the European Union restricted the sale of loose plastic glitter for many uses.

"Eco" glitter isn't a free pass either. In one lab study, two commercial "biodegradable" glitters kept their shape after 96 days in water and seawater. The certifications behind those labels are tested under conditions very different from the ocean. Much of today's tinsel and many ornaments are plastic too.

Following the zero waste hierarchy, the best swap is to use less, then reuse what you already own.

Wrapping without the Plastic

Glitter, foil, metallic finishes, and plastic coatings can't be recycled with paper and can contaminate it. Try the scrunch test. If wrapping paper holds its shape when crushed, it's likely recyclable paper. If it springs back, it isn't. Even better, skip the paper. Fabric wraps made from scarves or old shirts, paper bags, and saved ribbons can be used year after year, and wrapping a gift in a new scarf is a two in one gift! See our video for the Japanese art of fabric wrapping, furoshiki.

Holiday Textiles

Synthetic holiday "ugly" sweaters, stockings, table linens, and faux garlands shed microfibers as they are worn, washed, and dried. Studies of household dust, including one I conducted myself at the University of Rochester, find that most indoor microplastics are fibers and fragments from textiles and carpets.

Additionally, in our Sodus BayWatch hands on plastic research with local K-12 students, we found microfibers in every sample we analyzed, from Sodus Bay water and sand to fish guts (this work is currently under review in the Journal of Emerging Investigators).

A few easy habits help reduce the microplastics during your holidaze. Thrift or swap your holiday clothes, wash full loads, and avoid the delicate cycle, since research shows the higher water volume releases more fibers. Hang drying helps too.

The Holiday Kitchen

More cooking means more contact between food and plastic. A 2023 study estimated that plastic cutting boards can shed grams of plastic per year in a heavy-use household.

Wood boards are a simple swap, and secondhand or homemade ones keep the cost low. A 2023 lab study of plastic food containers found that any change in temperature such as microwaving or refrigerating released far more particles than other storage conditions or left at room temperatures.

For leftovers, store in glass or stainless steel and move food to a plate before reheating in the microwave.

A Quick Holiday Checklist

Choose plain paper, fabric, or reused wrap over glitter and foil.
Decorate with natural materials or secondhand pieces.
Thrift or swap holiday clothing and wash it less.
Use a wood cutting board for holiday prep.
Store and reheat leftovers in glass, not plastic.

You don't have to do it all at once. Pick one swap this season, like fabric wrap instead of glitter paper, and build from there. This habit can be applied to other holidays and celebrations year round.

Small habits that stick add up to less plastic in our homes and waterways.

Sources:

AI Transparency Statement: Samantha used AI to help find studies on the topic. It was not used for writing, editing, or publishing. Affirmed 27 October 2026.

Laura McKaughan is an environmental consultant with 20 years' experience in planning and implementing recycling and zero waste programs. She has extensive experience working on projects throughout Northern California providing technical assistance to assist customers with AB 341, AB 1826 and SB 1383 compliance.