Forever Flowers: Artificial Flowers and Sustainability
We’ve noticed that an increasing number of couples are incorporating artificial flowers into their DIY wedding décor. Venues and stylists are also offering artificial flower arrangements and backdrops as part of wedding packages. This is in addition to the increasing number of ‘faux flower’ florists marketing cheap flowers to those on a budget. As a sustainable florist – and environmentalist – this poses a practical and ethical challenge, which I thought I would consider in this blog.
What are artificial flowers?
Artifical flowers are flowers made from fabric or paper on a wire or plastic stem. Traditionally they were made from silk so may be called ‘silk flowers’. They are now commonly called ‘faux flowers’ (faux sounded considerably better than 'fake’) or ‘life like’ flowers, and their popularity has quite literally blossomed in the last 5 years. It is now possible to get artificial trees, houseplants, flowering plants, foliage and flowers.
What are artificial flowers made from?
Most artificial flowers are now made from plastic based fabrics, like polyester.
Polyester is a synthetic fabric called polyethylene terephthalate (PET) manufactured from petrochemicals. It is cheap to produce, is hard wearing, can be made to mimic the qualities of more expensive fabrics like silk, and takes dyes easily.
Nylon is a synthetic fabric, made from a polymer made from petroleum. Nylon is tough, more elastic than polyester, and shiny.
The development of ‘Real Touch’ polyether polyurethane foam technology has led to high quality, realistic artificial flowers. The surface of the fabric is textured to feel like a real flower.
All these synthetic fabrics are plastics.
Are silk flowers made with real silk?
Artificial flowers used to be made from silk. The first artificial flowers were made by the Chinese 1500 years ago, and flowers have been made from expensive fabrics like silk to adorn dresses and hats ever since. They were particularly popular in Victorian Britain.
According to my research, though, only 12% of artificial flowers now sold in the world are made from silk (and even then it may be polyester silk). Plastic is cheaper and manufacturing advancements making it look extremely realistic.
(Research into the market projections suggest that more sustainable, paper based flowers are considered a growth area for artificial manufacturers, which is good news!)
This reliance on synthetic plastic fabrics is the problem.
Faux flowers and microplastics
If something decomposes it will break down into other materials over time, many of which are beneficial to soil, plants and animals. We compost all our weeds, plant waste, waste cardboard and recovered flowers and foliage. Plastic isn’t decomposable, it just breaks down into smaller and smaller bits of plastic. Once you no longer want to use them, or are tired of trying to keep the dust off them, artificial flowers are thrown in the bin where they break up into microplastics that get into our soil, food systems and ourselves. Artificial flowers are quite literally ‘forever flowers’.
Plastic pollution is now so catastrophic that plastic is found in 1 in 3 fish caught for human consumption, and microplastics are found in every organ of the human body. Surfers Against Sewage have some really enlightening information on plastic pollution in our waterways.
An article in The Guardian covers the microplastic levels in the human brain and the health issues this causes. We’ve all seen the images of sea birds and turtles caught in plastic waste… plastic is quite literally everywhere.
[Oct 2025 Edit: New Article in The Guardian: The Plastic Inside Us: how microplastics may be shaping our bodies and minds
Read what the United Nations has to say about the plastic problem.
Facts about increasing plastic pollution
Despite our awareness of the problems it poses as a fossil fuel-derived product (emitting CO2e into the atmosphere when it is made) and a ‘polluter’ (with a lifespan that far exceeds us humans who made it!), and despite our attempts to recycle, more plastic is made year on year. We currently make 400 million tons more plastic each year. The below graph shows the increase in plastic production over the last 50 years:
Every year we create 400 million tons MORE PLASTIC. I can’t say it enough: every year we make MORE plastic!
Only 9% of the the plastic ever made has been recycled (9%)! Only around 15% is now recycled and the rest gets burned or buried, or becomes environmental pollution.
80% of ocean pollution is plastic. By 2050 there could be more plastic in our seas than fish!
Although plastic won’t decompose, it releases volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are thought to lead to health complications. Breathing, headaches. Possibly cancer. Read more about VOCs and their effects.
Are plastic flowers recyclable?
My research couldn’t find any recyclable artificial flowers. There is a new range of artificial flowers available that are made from recycled materials, but it doesn’t say that these can be recycled afterwards. Some artificial plants appear to be made from different materials - wire, plastic and synthetic fabrics - which makes recycling very difficult.
One of the requirements of our Sustainable Wedding Alliance Accreditation is to do a Supply Chain Audit. When I was looking for information on what artificial flowers are made from I looked at over 10 websites retailing them, and not one included any product information on what they’re made from. Manufacturing wholesaler websites didn’t provide clarity either. It is impossible to recycle something if you don’t know what it’s made from.
Are artificial flowers sustainable?
When Cumberland Flower Farm has previously done research into the carbon footprint of plastic pots and plastic weed suppressant, we have found that by reusing the plastic over and over again its carbon footprint is less than a one use ‘non plastic’ alternative. However, unlike one-use non-plastic alternatives, they create waste that will not decompose. I suspect the same is true for these artificial flowers.
That means that artificial flowers are most sustainable when they are being used over and over again.
If a venue has some faux flowers already, or you can hire existing (not newly bought) pieces from a stylist, this isn’t additionally impacting the environment.
But where couples are buying new faux flowers and arrangements for one day, this is extremely unsustainable and adding to the plastic and environmental crises.
To be clear:
Buying new artificial flowers is not sustainable.
Buying new artificial flowers to resell afterwards is not sustainable.
So what are the advantages of using artificial flowers?
Easy to maintain
Faux Flowers are easy! These flowers don’t require water and will not die - they will last indefinitely and with little care or maintenance their appearance will remain ok. This makes them extremely popular in commercial and corporate settings.
Weatherproof and versatlie
Faux Flowers are very functional: they are light in weight, so can adorn structures safely, and will withstand adverse weather. Preparation can also be done ahead of time, the opposite of real flowers that are delicate and impermanent, and therefore last-minute! They are made in flame retardant, colour fast fabric, so that they are safe and weather proof.
Variety of design and colour
Artificial flowers come in a broad range of varieties and colours, which means you can have (the appearance of) your favourite flower at any time of the year, regardless of its season.
If your favourite flowers are peonies, your wedding needs to be in May or June in the UK for the real thing, but faux peonies can be used at any time of the year. Similarly, if you are very particular and want to see your bridal bouquet in advance of your wedding, leaving nothing to chance, faux flowers can be used to give you peace of mind and design control. For some brides the fact that they will stay the same forever makes them an attractive wedding keepsake.
We’re going to look at how to preseve your real bouquet in another blog, so that you get to enjoy exquisite real flowers AND have them forever too.
Value for money
High quality artificial flowers are expensive, but due to their longevity there is a cost benefit over time. Some people think they can resell them after their event, to recoup their initial cost. This is misguided as the resale of faux flowers isn’t popular or lucrative.
Cheap faux flowers (from Chinese import companies) look cheap and have a very low resale value, but for those on a budget offer a tempting opportunity to ‘bulk out’ florals or add an arch without huge expense.
HOWEVER, although they are practical, they do not compare with the beauty of real flowers. Many of these functional advantages aren’t relevant for a wedding - a one day event - when you’re working with an experienced sustainable florist either.
How to reduce plastic at your wedding
So what can you do when you’re planning your wedding to make sure you have beautiful displays without the plastic pollution?
Choose British grown flowers either from a local flower-farmer-florist who can ensure you have flowers in your colour scheme with the lowest carbon footprint or from a sustainable florist. All florists should be able to source British grown flowers in the spring, summer and autumn, (but especially the summer!) and use plastic free floristry techniques. British flowers have the lowest carbon footprint, some imported flowers now have strong sustainable credentials (far more superior to a lot of alternatives) so be sure to ask what they use, how they source, what informs their decision making. Obviously in Cumbria we are very happy to help you!
Be creative to make your budget go further
Ask us (or your own sustainable florist) how you can make a small budget go further without resorting to ‘forever flowers’. When done right, one bucket of flowers is enough to decorate all your reception tables! You can even hire the vases from us for a small fee.
Some hotel wedding coordinators will help you arrange your flowers into vases on the morning of the wedding, and very often there is an aunt or creative friend who would love to feel important and do it for you.
We are obviously happy to style your venue for you and we design arrangements that can be used in the ceremony and reception to make your budget work hard for you.
Reduce. Reuse. Recyle has never been more important, and a sustainable florist will be reducing the number of arrangements you need by reusing them, and then recycling the mechanics afterwards. We will offer you the arrangement stems in bunches or a bucket to be gifted to family and friends, and all flower and foliage waste will be composted by a sustainable florist. But check!
Real flowers are beautiful and ours are great for the environment, so consider them a luxury. We frequently get told “We’ve never seen flowers like them, they’re so special” and surpass a mass of plastic. Even the most luxury weddings are embracing bud vases and single stem vases. Scent, beauty and feel (the plastic ones FEEL awful, especially when I know how soft and comforting grasses and ferns are!) will enhance your day. Less can be best! I absolutely promise that a simple bud vase arrangement will get more comments and be more memorable than a table of plastic…
Think ahead
Think about the whole life of your purchases: a cheap arrangement on Shein might solve one problem, but it creates another problem: waste. If you consider the day after the wedding and the question ‘what do we do with this now?’ before you buy, it will help you buy more sustainably.
Reselling second hand wedding things requires time, storage and the possibility that it won’t sell… design this out of your married life. After all, there are better ways to spend your honeymoon and start your future together!
Reuse
If you really feel that artificial flowers are for you, go with what’s already here; reuse what’s already at the venue, owned by the stylist, or in your friend’s loft. Leaving these products in shops stops them ordering more. If you buy it you feed the demand. Reusing what has already been bought doesn’t ADD to the problem, whilst avoiding buying it stops the problem increasing.
Consider dried flowers and choose your supplier wisely
Consider dried flowers as an alternative to fresh or plastic. Dried flowers can be arranged in advance, come in a range of colours, shapes and styles, can be kept or gifted afterwards, and ultimately composted.
As with all flowers, buy from trusted suppliers who can tell you the provenance of the flowers. China produces (and sprays, dyes and glitters) an awful lot of this stuff too… some of these dyes, sprays and glitters are pollutants.
If you fancy drying your own, look at our DIY dry flower options.
How are we becoming a more sustainable business?
By writing this blog I hope that it will help people understand the problems posed by ‘just’ another faux flower arrangement. We need to stop producing and consuming this sort of plastic product. The plastic crisis is very serious to our own health and that of future generations.
We will promote our DIY Wedding Flowers and some simple and effective design tips so that you can feel confident in arranging your own venue decoration if you’re on a budget. This is a low cost option and sustainable, as our flowers have a tiny carbon footprint and we can even loan you the bottles and vases! You can read about the carbon footprint of flowers in this blog:
We will sell flowers that our customers can dry for future use, and provide information on how to do that.
In our T&Cs we ask that couples don’t use other flowers alongside ours, but we accept that we can’t police this. We will ask to be untagged in photographs and films on social media that show our flowers alongside those that are artificial, and will never share or promote any that have a mix either.
Our plastic use and the resulting pollution is out of control and we need to take action to reduce the plastic we consume.
What can the Government do?
Take inspiration from Nepal! In July 2022 the Nepal Government banned the import and production of artificial flowers to control plastic pollution and support local flower growers and florists in their domestic economy. Hear Hear!
We have beautiful environmentally kind flowers for your special day. Together we can create flowers that will remain in your memory forever, without adding to any of the problems we face in the future.