Our “Clean Blooms Commitment”: Sustainable & Non-Toxic Practices
Beyond sounding trendy - what does it actually look like run a floral design business with sustainable & non-toxic practices?
Well, to answer that question, we first had to understand and recognize how, as a whole, the floral industry generally does not abide by these practices. Our next step was to research alternatives that would not hinder quality design or unrealistically skyrocket prices, and then ultimately commit to incorporate them into daily use.
When we made this commitment, it was not to shame or criticize others - and we admittedly had a long way to go - but as our awareness grew, so did the shifts we made (and continue to make) as a business - regardless of profit margin - simply because stewarding the earth is an ethic we care deeply about.
It might seem like a drop in the bucket, but whether you are a fellow florist or just enjoy flowers, we hope these simple shifts are applicable and inspire the way you operate as well.
1. Floral Arrangement Mechanics:
• Industry Standard: Single-Use Floral Foam
• Our Alternative : Re-Useable Metal Chicken Wire (Floral Gauge) + Floral Frogs / Water Trough
Why this matters: Floral foam bricks were invented to soak up water & easily hold flowers in place in order to create impressive & longer-lasting installations. However, they are made of single-use micro-plastic and standard florists use thousands every year. In recent years, they’ve discovered that the dry dust from these bricks is toxic to inhale, and the wet version is non-biodegradable, causing harm to waterways and soil or filling up landfills.
What we do: Ironically, chicken-wire & floral frogs are what are actually what grandmothers used when they floral arranged. Sometimes newer is not better. :)
Floral Chicken-Wire Ball
Foam-Free Installation
2. Floral Installation Mechanics:
• Industry Standard: Plastic Cages + Single-Use Floral Foam
• Our Alternative : Re-Useable Metal Chicken Wire + Compostable Coconut Core Oshun Packs / Water Trough
Why this matters: (See “floral foam” above)
What we do: The new & sustainable alternatives now available on the market are more expensive, but are better for the environment and the flowers thrive because they too drink cleaner water (as opposed to toxic water). Our favorite alternative is Oshun Packs by NewAge Floral , and we are currently experimenting with their compostable zip-ties as well.
We substitute the plastic cages by wrapping re-usable chicken wire around the Oshun Packs, or simply use re-usable metal water troughs wherever applicable.
Non-Toxic Candles
3. Candles:
• Industry Standard: Paraffin Wax Candles + Metal-Core Wicks (lead/zinc/tin)
• Our Alternative : Beeswax (Responsible-Sourced) / Soy / Coconut Wax + Wood / Cotton Wicks
Why this matters:
1. Toxic Chemicals: Paraffin Wax is widely considered the worst wax for candles due to its petroleum-based composition, which releases toxic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) like benzene and toluene when burned. Additionally, they are often paired with metal-core wicks which release more toxic chemicals. These emissions can contribute to respiratory issues, soot buildup, and poor indoor air quality. Now, imagine burning hundreds of these together in a room with all of your loved ones at your wedding. Yikes.
2. Waste: It is industry standard to use fresh candles for every event. However, with the burn-time of many hours, this leaves many half-burned candles to waste.
What we do: There are so many clean alternatives here! Yes, they are more expensive, but at what cost compared to good health?
We love using *responsibly-sourced beeswax as it not only burns clean, but there is research that it may also emit negative ions to neutralize pollutants. (*Responsibly-sourced means that bee-keepers respect & take good care of their bees)
To reduce waste, we have switched our standard pillar candles to plant-based bio-degradable wax pearls, allowing for the leftover wax to be recycled easily and used with a fresh, clean-burning wick for each event.
4. Waste:
• Industry Standard: Landfill
• Our Alternative : Reduce > Re-Use > Compost > Recycle
Why this matters:
It’s no secret that events & weddings produce a lot of waste. However, we also understand that special moments deserve celebration.
How do we find the balance?
What we do:
We don’t oversell. If you don’t want it, we aren’t going to push you.
We re-use as much as we can - chicken wire, water troughs, dried florals, etc. Not only is this gentler on the environment, it also helps to balance out the added cost of the eco-friendly items above ^. We also love to give guests / donate the leftover flowers to the community…Kirstin’s neighborhood nick-named her the “flower lady” ;)
We (painstakingly) separate the trash leftovers into compost / recycle / trash bins.
5. Sourcing:
• Industry Standard: Imported Flowers
• Our Alternative : 1. Local & Seasonal Blooms, 2. Client Education, 3. Organic Whenever Possible, 4. Import Last Resort
Why this matters:
Not only is the carbon footprint on imported blooms very high, but too often, so are the PESTICIDES. Flowers in general, but especially imported flowers, are less regulated when it comes to pesticides since they are not considered an “edible” item. While this might seem ‘harmless’ for an occasional bouquet, this can become lethal for florists who are working with thousands of stems every day.
What we do:
While there are some beautiful imported flowers, we love to source locally because fresh-cut is best! And seasonal is just realistic - we can’t do magic unfortunately. Additionally, your flowers will be happier & healthier (how would you feel after an 18-hour flight covered in pesticides with no water?), plus you’ll be supporting local farmers who abide by non-toxic farm practices - for the sake of your health, your florists’ health, farmers’ health & the future of our soil.
(To help educate, we are working on creating a FREE MONTHLY FLORAL GUIDE to download & enjoy… Coming soon!)
Shout out to our favorite local grower where we also volunteer - The Ecology Center!
The Ecology Center Organic Farm
Our studio! :)