Are faux flowers sustainable?

The stamp of approval for me was when I first noticed faux floristry businesses and venue stylists achieving sustainability certifications. These accreditations ask you to jump through a few hoops before you can get their stamp of approval so of course this piqued my interest. So, here are a few ways faux florals are sustainable:

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They are NOT single use

Fundamentally faux flowers are not designed to be only used once. The first arrangement I ever made was back in August 2020 and is still going strong, happily displayed on a close friend's kitchen table. Seasonal wreaths are designed to be displayed year after year. I highly recommend my wedding bouquets be popped in a vase to be enjoyed for many years after the big day.

Faux flowers can be hired

The joy of faux florals is that they do not wilt or die, meaning they can be used multiple times for different things. My decor by default is available to hire because i'm keen to minimise waste and don't want any florals to end up in the back of the loft.

Last year I used my white hydrangeas in 2 different archways, 4 garlands, 1 urn arrangement and a couple of centrepieces - i've checked them over and they're still perfect, ready for another year of weddings - not bad eh!?

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Faux flowers travel light...

Faux florals typically get shipped to the UK rather than flown in. They are closely packaged so don't take up much room and then take a usual lorry to the warehouse where all lovely florists purchase our stock. So far, every time I've had a delivery of faux florals it's been packaged in cardboard which is easy to recycle.

Comparatively; imported fresh flowers are often flown across the world (depending on the season and the florals, many come from South Africa, Colombia, Ecuador, Australia and Holland) this will be very quickly after they are harvested to ensure they stay fresh. Once they arrive to the UK they will then be transported in refrigerated lorries, with lots of water to keep them happy. Often, chemicals will need to be applied to fresh flowers to keep them fresh. So although they are naturally grown, there is a lot of processing that goes into keeping them looking their best.

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Any surprises in here?

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