Lancashire florist joins Farewell Flowers Directory to eliminate plastic waste in the funeral industry

Clare said: “We wanted to sign up to spread the word that there are alternatives to traditional funeral flowers. We are have taken steps to move away from traditional floral foam, and into more eco friendly alternatives, our aim is to move over to producing entirely compostable designs. While our impact as a small business may not be huge, if everyone in the floral industry took these steps the difference would be massive!

Farewell flowers are the very last gift given to a loved one and we believe they should be thoughtful, personal, individual and representative of their personality and how you feel about them. This offers comfort to grieving families in a way not provided by generic mass produced designs from a standard brochure. We pride ourselves on using British grown flowers as much as we can, as well as incorporating any special mementoes, perhaps a flat cap, their favourite dance shoes or even flowers picked from their own garden."

A positive, practical response to the huge issue of plastic waste in funeral floristry, The Farewell Flowers Directory is on a mission to change the world of funeral flowers one compostable arrangement at a time. By demonstrating just how beautiful naturally designed funeral flowers can be without the use of floral foam or single use plastic, The Farewell Flowers Directory aims to change perceptions of funeral floristry while raising the industry standard to plastic free level.

Every florist listed in The Farewell Flowers Directory commits to offering the option of fully compostable funeral flowers, incorporating an element of British-grown material into their designs. They are transparent about the provenance of their cut material and showcasing their compostable designs on a dedicated funeral flowers page on their website.

Traditional Floral foam has become a significant environmental issue. It is estimated that every year over 14,670m3 of plastic floral foam is sent to landfill from crematoriums across the UK, the equivalent of more than 6 Olympic swimming pools. Plastic floral foam is a single-use plastic and cannot be recycled. It will never biodegrade but breaks down into microplastics which can contaminate the soil and watercourses. The good news is that compostable alternatives to floral foam are available; ranging from creating moss and twig bases to arrangements of flowers or plants designed to be shared after the funeral with family and friends and to be taken home.

Alison understands both the power that well-designed flowers can have and the need for a more sustainable approach. she explained:

“We had a family contact us looking for a wild tribute, their loved one had adored nature and the great outdoors, and spent all their spare time walking in the Lake District. They wanted a tribute that represented this love for the countryside while avoiding single use plastic. We made a beautiful and fitting tribute in two separate parts, using a twig and moss base that could be placed together without looking too neat of formal. All creating using entirely British flowers and foliage at the request of the family. It was an absolute honour to create the spray and the family where delighted, saying that had never seen flowers so beautifully arranged.”

The Institute of Crematorium and Cemetery Management backs The Farewell Flowers Directory initiative, as Julie Dunk, Chief Executive of the ICCM explained:

“We recognise that floral tributes can be an important part of a funeral and beautiful displays can bring great comfort to bereaved families. However, as with everything in life, we need to consider our environmental impact and make choices where possible to minimise this impact. Once the flowers have wilted, cemeteries and crematoria are left with the plastics which can become litter, and which our members have no option but to skip and send to landfill. Reducing the amount of plastic in the form of floral foam and bases for displays, as well as wrappings such as cellophane, will have a positive impact on not only the environment but also on the costs of dealing with these non-biodegradable materials. It is great that there is now a real choice through The Farewell Flowers Directory and people can choose floral displays that reflect their wishes whilst protecting the environment. The ICCM welcomes this excellent initiative and would encourage anyone looking for local florists to help them create a meaningful floral tribute to use The Directory.”