Sustainability in The Flower Industry

Despite its beauty and artistic value, floristry has heavily contributed to the planet’s environmental damage due to its massive utilisation of plastic-based materials.

Photograph taken by Sasha Mus, 2021.

Although our common interest in flowers has brought us here together on my website, the connection that we share lies in our commitment to creating a better future for our planet by sharing tips on a sustainable approach to flower arrangements and care.

So when we are considering sustainable floristry, we must first be aware of the non-degradable substances used in flower arrangement; it exists on every level, from the production to consumption by end consumers, for instance when buying a flower bouquet wrapped with plastic packaging.

Obviously, environmental action is an urgent matter where industries are required to take the same step towards a sustainable future. According to a research by Global Industry Analyst, the flower market’s estimated worth will reach US$43.8 billion by 2027, proving this industry to have an undeniable impact on the global environment as more assets sold from the industry would mean more waste in the landfill and our oceans.

Therefore, we need to evaluate the existing unsustainable practices in the flower industry. For instance, the use of pesticides in growing flowers in Ecuador has been shown to cause brain damage to the children in the surrounding area of the plantation from water and soil contamination.

But this one is technically out of my control and anyone else who does not obtain authority to create a change in the plantation system. Therefore, other compromises should be made instead.

The next example is the use of flower foams, ribbons, plastic containers; tools made with plastics in the florist practice. These kinds of plastics produce microplastic (small fragments of plastic found in plastic waste), which eventually end up in the ocean.

As a florist, I realise whatever I act upon and choose contributes directly to the environment. I believe that any little effort for the planet is still a valuable effort that will create an impact, no matter how small.

Therefore, the higher the awareness of florists and flower buyers towards producing less plastic waste, the more producers will eventually see the demand for sustainable flower practices. Hence, slowly improving the industry as a whole.

A Wildflower,

Sasha Mus