Julie Finn
If you’re looking for an environmentally-friendly supply for paper crafting, tissue paper is a reasonable choice.
Buy a brand of tissue paper that’s made from recycled paper pulp, compost the scraps when you’re finished, and if you do both, you’ll find that tissue paper is a craft supply that doesn’t contribute to deforestation or add anything to the waste stream.
Curious about what kinds of crafts you can actually DO with tissue paper?
Check out my list of favorite tissue paper crafts below and get inspired!
1. Tissue paper decoupaged glass bottle. This is a really nice way to make over any glass jar, particularly a plain jar that could make a lovely vase, if only it wasn’t so plain!
2. Bow. Tissue paper is fun for kid crafts, but this bow turns tissue paper into something that even adults will love to receive on top of their presents.
3. Decoupaged pencils. You’ll find a lot of decoupage projects in this tissue paper crafts round-up, and that’s because tissue paper is AMAZING for decoupage! Here, it’s just about the only thing you’ll find that’s thin enough to decoupage onto a pencil without increasing its bulk enough to make it impossible to sharpen.
4. Edible Olympic torch. An ice cream cone, fun snacks, and some tissue paper make for an Olympic torch that’s fun to carry–and even more, fun to eat!
5. Flower bracelet. It wouldn’t be hard to add this tissue paper flower to any existing bracelet, or even to wire it onto a garland or wreath.
6. Stained glass stars. These stained glass stars are SO beautiful, but the best thing about them is that unlike pretty much every other tissue paper stained glass craft on the internet, these stars do NOT utilize contact paper. They’re so much more eco-friendly!
7. Stained glass trees. These trees look harder to make than they are–the secret is that you embellish with tissue paper BEFORE you cut out the tree shapes.
8. Upcycled cardboard and tissue paper tree. Tissue paper is an extremely kid-friendly craft supply, as you can tell from all of the kid crafts in this round-up. This particular craft is a good way to use up that extra corrugated cardboard in the recycling bin, as well as your green tissue paper scraps.
9. Wreath. This tutorial is my favorite of all the ones I’ve seen because this one doesn’t call for a paper plate as the wreath form. I know paper plates are quick and easy, but that’s not an eco-friendly way to craft. Instead, cut your form from some recycled food packaging or shipping box. It’s just the same but repurposed instead of unnecessarily wasting new materials.
10. Sew knit fabric with tissue paper. Did you know that tissue paper makes an easy fabric stabilizer? It’s quicker than spray starch and more eco-friendly than store-bought polyester interfacing, and if there’s been a holiday in your recent past, you probably even have some tissue paper hanging out in the house still!
11. Decoupaged votive candle holder. You can upcycle any small glass container into a votive candle holder, and when you decoupage it with tissue paper, nobody will be able to tell that it used to be a salsa jar.
12. Mini koinobori wind sock. If you don’t have a traditional carp wind sock to fly, don’t worry–you can make your own miniature version out of a toilet paper tube and tissue paper scraps.
13. Miniature tissue paper flowers. These flowers are made simpler than you might think, thanks to the wide variety of lovely hole punches that you can use to easily pop out your basic flower template.
14. Pom pom. You’d be surprised at how handy this basic pom pom tutorial is. Now you will ALWAYS have a way to decorate for parties!
15. Pineapple pom poms. Tissue paper is perfect for making paper pom poms. But don’t stop at spheres, because there’s a whole world of novelty pom pom tutorials out there! This pineapple pom pom, for instance, is just the thing for decorating your late summer barbecue.
16. Sparklers. Make sparklers or cheerleader pom poms with this easy tute. To make it even more eco-friendly, upcycle a chopstick or find a smooth stick from the yard to use as the handle.
17. Tissue paper and pipe cleaner butterflies. These little butterflies are an easy kid craft, but they come out so nicely that they’re also suitable for a party decoration.
18. Tissue paper decoupaged Easter eggs. I HATE plastic Easter eggs, and so I’m always on the lookout for fun, colorful, non-plastic Easter eggs. Tissue paper decoupaged on a wooden or cardboard egg form makes for a project that’s just as colorful as any plastic egg could be.
19. Upcycled glass jar and tissue paper luminaries. Tissue paper is so thin that it’s perfect for crafting luminaries. Even little kids can make tissue paper Jack-o-lantern luminaries, and the more artistic of us can make amazing, layered, translucent creations.
20. Decoupaged glass plates. The next time you see a boring clear glass plate at the thrift shop, snag it and then remake it with tissue paper and Mod Podge.
21. Painted tissue paper leaves. NOBODY is going to know that these leaves are made from tissue paper. They look WAY too fancy!
22. Snowy day bleeding tissue paper art. I’ve found that most tissue paper bleeds when damp. It makes it a pain if you’re not super careful while doing decoupage, but it’s perfect for this kid-friendly art project!
23. Tassel garland. Mimic those high-priced home decor pieces by DIYing your own tissue paper tassel garland.
24. Fringe garland. Here’s another type of garland that you can make with tissue paper. This one is fringed!
25. Tissue paper ladybug. This sweet little project is a terrific fine motor activity for preschoolers– they’ll enjoy the sensory experience of crumpling tissue paper, and you’ll enjoy knowing that they’re strengthening their handwriting muscles.
26. Tissue paper dinosaur. Is your kid not into insects? A tissue paper dinosaur is just as fun to make!
27. Toilet paper tube dragon. I don’t know what it is about toilet paper tubes plus tissue paper, but there are loads of projects combining the two here in this round-up–including this tutorial, which lets you make a fire-breathing dragon.
28. Toilet paper tube valentine. It’s the toilet paper tubes that star in this treat-filled valentine project, but they wouldn’t be cute at all if they weren’t wrapped in tissue paper!
29. Christmas tree. You won’t be ashamed to compost this particular holiday kid craft after Christmas, not when it’s already made of a toilet paper tube and tissue paper that’s itself made from recycled paper.
30. Gel print with tissue paper. I wasn’t expecting that tissue paper was so versatile, but check out this quite sophisticated artistic technique that works perfectly with it.
31. Paper lei. I’ve seen plenty of paper leis, but I had NO idea how to make them–until I read this tutorial!
32. Print onto tissue paper. If you have an inkjet printer, you can print right onto tissue paper.
33. Ruffled tissue paper garland. The technique for this is similar to the one for the paper lei, but this one results in a long garland that’s perfect for party decorations.
34. Temporary faux stained glass. Here is such a fun project to keep kids busy on a blustery day. The tissue paper falls right off later and can be re-used for the same project on another blustery day.
35. Tissue paper flowers. These are not the dusty, faded tissue paper flowers sitting on your grandma’s dresser! Check out how vivid and beautiful the flowers in this tutorial are–gorgeous enough for a wedding centerpiece!
36. Tissue paper printing onto a candle. You’re going to LOVE this tutorial. Start with a store-bought or homemade pillar candle, then use tissue paper to transfer your original artwork or text right to the candle’s surface.
Do YOU have a favorite tissue paper craft? Tell me about it in the Comments below!
