A huge part of the floral and wedding industry is the use of floral foam. For all our non-florist readers, floral foam is dense, lightweight, and porous material that can be cut into any shape. It is a commonly used material for many types of floral arranging, and is used in abundance at many weddings and special events.
However, floral foam is extremely harmful for the environment. It is made from synthetic, non-recyclable plastic, and includes a combination of carbon black, formaldehyde, and phenolic foam — All of which are toxic. Due to floral foam’s composition, its use contributes to the microplastic pollution crisis we are currently facing.
So, what options do we have? Many florists use chicken wire, gravel, rocks, pebbles, vases, and more to avoid the use of floral foam. However, all of these solutions have their pros and cons and sometimes it is still difficult to execute your dream floral arrangement. Agra Wool’s Natural Floral Foam is a great option growing in popularity, made from all-natural ingredients, including Basalt and sucrose from either cane or beet sugar. Leftovers can be used as a replacement for potting soil, and all materials can be composted after use. We absolutely love this innovative product and can’t wait to see more florists utilizing it.
Before choosing a florist, make sure to ask whether or not they use floral foam. Let’s keep the conversation going about floral foam use in the wedding industry.