With Christmas fast approaching and the gift buying season getting into full swing, it’s always a good idea to pause for a moment to really think about what’s going into everyone’s stockings. If this year, like us, you want to shop a little more consciously, support local businesses and reduce some of the excess waste of the festive season, there are many small changes we can make to enable more eco-conscious gift choices.
It’s no secret that the flower industry is still evolving and trying to improve when it comes to plastic waste - but flower lovers need not despair. There are still ways in which we can all do our bit to reduce, help and lessen our own impact – the smallest of steps are steps in the right direction. As a small independent florist and avid flower lovers, we’re passionate about taking positive steps towards these changes. We might only be one shop but here’s a few blooming good steps we’re taking to help make a difference. They might inspire you too!
WE’RE SUPPORTING SMALL LOCAL BUSINESSES IN OUR GIFTS AND ACCESSORIES RANGE
As a local business ourselves, it’s important that we extend a helping hand to other small local suppliers and artisan businesses. Alongside this we strive to pick companies that are committed to their own environment ethos and that are, of course, simply lovely stuff too! Here’s some of the fab businesses we support:
LOVE COCOA Chocolates - Delicious AND for every product sold LOVE COCOA pledges to plant one tree – part of their climate positive chocolate promise. It tastes good and feels good!
The Naked Candle Company - A fantastic family run business which we adore! Their candles, diffusers and room sprays not only smell amazing, but they are also made from sustainable soy wax candles (so they don’t have any nasty parabens) plus they do some amazing things to raise money for charity.
Charlie Collis Plantable Cards - Simply divine and the perfect (and sustainable way) to send a greeting! These cards are not only beautiful, but they are embedded with seeds. The cards naturally degrade in the soil and leave you with stunning flowers to remember forever.
Norfolk Living Plant Food - A natural plant food harvested from seaweed from their local Norfolk beach. No toxic chemicals just yummy stuff to make your plants super happy.
Calico Collective - Consciously crafted homeware from Manchester based, founder Charlotte. Each small batch of homeware products is mixed and poured by hand, meaning every single product is completely unique. Her plant pots made from jesmonite - a fully recyclable, environmentally conscious alternative to resin - are always a popular choice in the shop.
WE’RE LOOKING TO GIVE GIFTS WITH A LITTLE EXTRA THOUGHT THIS YEAR
If the past few years have taught us anything it’s that time with people you love and making memories count a lot more than stuff. Whilst all the adverts and 2 for 1 offers are encouraging us all to spend even more, there’s a lot to be said for quality over quantity.
Why not add an extra personal touch and sparkle with a gift voucher for a floral workshop that you can enjoy together or maybe a DIY wreath kit to appeal to their crafty side?
There are lots of floral ideas to add to your Christmas stocking that can also tick your eco-conscious box too. Why not try a dried flower gift (super on trend this year) and we have oodles of mood boosting plants for a home, office, or bedroom. These are a brilliant way to, not only have a more sustainable gift, but a gift that (if cared for) can be treasured for years to come.
MADE TO ORDER BLOOMS AND FLORISTS CHOICE BOUQUETS HELP REDUCE OUR FLOWER WASTE
A simple way we strive to cut excess flower waste is by making sure that we make “to order” as much as possible. Selecting our Florist Choice Designs is a brilliant way to make sure you get the freshest, seasonal blooms and foliage, but also helps us to minimise waste and not over order! No florist worth their salt wants to let any gorgeous flowers go to waste so our florist choice bouquets are a great conscious gift choice that not only taps into our floral expertise but gives us the flexibility to source the best in season. You'll get a stunning bouquet that you can feel confident is also doing its part to reduce flower waste.
WE’VE EXTENDED OUR RANGE OF VASE DESIGNS TO MINIMISE PACKAGING
Every little change really does help. Making changes like buying a vase design cuts down on packaging and means the blooms are ready for the lucky recipient to display straight away. Plus, you get to keep and re-use the vase. When you want to order more flowers, simply bring back your vase and we'll create a stunning vase arrangement for you!
There’s a lot to be said about good flower handling to reduce waste too. A top tip to extend the life of your display is to remove any wilted stems and either switch to a smaller vase or split up the bouquet into multiple smaller displays rather than throwing the whole bouquet way. Once the blooms are finished, you can pop them in your compost bin or green waste bin to avoid them going into landfill.
WE’RE LOVING MULTI-TASKING BLOOMS THAT CAN BE RE-PURPOSED AND REUSED
Whatever you buy, aiming to reuse and recycle your purchases is always a good thing and flowers are no different. Making sure you use them cleverly means you can extend their life, their beauty and get that feel good factor too.
Door wreaths can double up as table centres by simply adding candles. Fireplace garlands can be run beautifully down the middle of your festive table - multi-purpose!
Adding cut offs from your bouquets to your Christmas wrapping is a wonderfully stylish touch and a way to add some clever festive flair to your gifts. Go one step further and dry your blooms or wreaths so you can enjoy them for years to come. If you want to start off small, select pretty stems from your winter bouquets and dry them to use as part of next year’s Christmas decorations or Christmas gift wrapping. Have a read of our blog that highlights different ways to preserve flowers too. It’s not just for wedding bouquets!
Whilst there’s always more to be done, we know it’s up to us all to play a role. We’re always looking at ways to be more mindful of the environment, supporting local and adopting sustainable behaviour. After all, looking after nature and the world around us is at the heart of floristry. Have any questions? Please feel free to pop in to the shop, give us a call on 0161 446 2556 or take a look at our range of flowers, plants, gifts and more online.