We can all appreciate the incredible beauty of a fresh bouquet, and the floristry industry really can be a gorgeous one to be part of. Yet sustainable floristry practices are rarely discussed. So is the increasingly worrying impact that producing and buying fresh cut flowers can have on the environment.
As we’re all aware, environmental issues are extremely pressing. They are at the forefront of many business owners’ minds across several industries. At Fig & Bloom, we believe that floristry should be no different. While we are certainly not perfect in our sustainable floristry practices, we want to contribute to the conversation about how to make our industry more environmentally friendly.
By sharing some of the environmental concerns that we’ve been working on, we hope that you as a customer, or florist yourself, can make smarter choices to help make the industry better so that the world remains a wonderful place to grow the flowers and plants that we all love so much.
Steps Fig & Bloom are taking to become more sustainable
We definitely have a long way to go in becoming a sustainable florist. But we’re taking one step at a time to make sure that we get there. We’re constantly trying to find ways to improve our processes and minimise waste. We also try and be more efficient in our usage of materials, as well as researching new innovative processes. Eventually, that will lead us to becoming more environmentally friendly.
We’ve outlined the top 5 ways that we are currently transitioning to become a more sustainable company and to adapt more and more to sustainable floristry practices.
1. We only source from ethical farmers
At Fig & Bloom, we will only work with ethical farmers. All of the flowers that we source are 100% organic. That means that no pesticides or herbicides are used during farming. These sprays have catastrophic effects on the environment, diffusing harmful chemicals into the earth’s atmosphere which also make their way back into our bodies through the food and water we consume.
Not only do we have a moral responsibility to our planet, but also to the people who are working on this produce. That means that the farmers we choose to work with also take care of their workers, paying them a fair wage and protecting them from exploitative working environments. This is a huge issue in the floristry industry currently, so make sure you dive deeper into your research when choosing a provider.
2. We rotate our designs each season
Not only do we shop from ethical farmers, but we try to ensure that we use seasonal blooms produced by local farms for all of our bouquets. We avoid importing from other countries so that we can help to reduce the emissions generated in transport. It’s also a great way to give back to our local communities around the studios in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.
There are times where we’re unable to source local flowers. That is if there has been a drastic change in weather conditions, such as a drought or a heavy wet season. If we can’t source locally, we will still continue to work with ethical farmers from slightly further afield.
3. We’re picky about our waste
Our motto is to recycle everything for more sustainable floristry practices! We use several different bins to ensure the right way of waste disposal. It might seem simple, but you’d be surprised to find out how many companies still mix up their waste.
We aim to stick to more sustainable materials such as paper and cardboard. If we do need to use plastics we’ll ensure to recycle. Sadly, delivering from the farm to the studio can sometimes put the flowers in danger. To prevent damaging the flowers in transit, a lot of the farmers will put soft plastic coats on the flower heads or buds. We make sure to separate them from other waste, so that they can be processed and recycled, and ultimately don’t end up in landfill.
We aim to keep our flower and organic waste minimal. If we need to trim any ends, or any flowers or leaves don’t make it through to sale, we ensure to sort those so that we can compost and repurpose them for another use.
Similarly, we try to reuse products where possible. When our beautiful fresh cut flowers are delivered, for example, they are often bound by an elastic band. Rather than disposing of these, we repurpose them for our own bouquets! While many florists opt for new ribbons or bows, we think it’s better to repurpose an old, fully-functioning product rather than use a brand new one purely for aesthetic purposes.
4. We offer more sustainable products
While we adore fresh cut flowers, we have expanded our offerings to include other more sustainable options for our customers to gift to their loved ones, or even buy as a treat for themselves! That’s why you’ll find indoor plants and dried flowers in our ranges. Lasting much longer than fresh cut flowers, they make for a great, more eco-friendly gift option.
5. Educating Clients & Shaping Expectations
We understand that one florist only cannot solve these industry-wide issues! However every small contribution and change towards sustainable floristry practices adds up. And, we are passionate about doing whatever we can to contribute as positively as possible to the environment. This is why we aim to educate our customers on making more sustainable choices.
Alongside sharing information on the sustainable practices they should look out for in their choice of florist. We can also inform them on flower seasonality. As a florist, we know exactly when their favourite blooms are in season, and when they’re at their peak. So, with each sale, we take the extra step of ensuring that our customers are making, and continue to make, seasonal choices. Not only can our customers walk away with a beautiful bouquet guilt-free, but seasonal blooms are also a great way of updating your flower décor year-round.
Go forward and make sustainable choices!
We hope that with this new knowledge you feel more prepared to make changes in your flower choices, or to your floristry company as a whole! At Fig & Bloom, we believe that focusing on the effect that we all have on the planet is essential to any company in this day and age, and is one of the things that sets us apart in the floristry industry.
That said, we’re always open to new ways we can improve, so if you have any ideas or questions, please don’t hesitate to get in contact with our lovely Customer Service team. In the meantime, grab yourself or your friend a sustainable bloom now, by shopping our ranges!
