The hypocritical language of Sustainable Floristry

I Feel hypocritical with the Language of Sustainable Floristry

...but we're trying our best (and getting better every day).

Let’s be REAL for a second — using words like sustainable, ethical, and eco-friendly in the world of floristry can feel... a little sticky.

On one hand, we love nature! We literally work with flowers every day. But on the other hand? The floristry industry can be surprisingly unsustainable. Imported flowers. Plastic wrap. Foam that lives longer than we do.... Yikes.

So yeah, sometimes I feel a bit hypocritical throwing around the word “sustainability.”

But here’s the thing: We do care. A lot. And we’re making conscious choices to move in the right direction — even when it's not the easiest, cheapest, or most convenient path.

At The Real Florist, we're approaching sustainability from three angles:

1. Environmental Sustainability

We’re cutting back on plastic, using the plastics out flowers are delivered in as repackage. We are rethinking our materials, choosing vases with natural stems over foam-based arrangements, buying local blooms whenever we can. Teaching foam free alternatives with our educational courses.

Foam free installation made by The Real Florist Intermediate Floristry Course students. 📷 @rachelemmilly

Is it perfect? Nope. But is it better than doing nothing? Absolutely.

2. Ethical Sustainability

We want to know who grew our flowers, how they were treated, and whether they were paid fairly. We’re choosing suppliers and growers who share those values — even if it means saying no to cheaper options.

3. Economical Sustainability

Let’s not sugarcoat it — doing the right thing can cost more. And we’re a small business trying to keep the lights on and our flowers cold.

We’re finding ways to make ethical choices that also allow us to stay in business and support our team.

It’s Not About Perfection — It’s About Progress

We choose ethics over convenience as often as we can. We reuse. We recycle. We talk to our growers. We offer sustainable alternatives to our community like our Nude Blooms -the option for unwrapped flowers with a DISCOUNT #NUDEBOOMS for being a reduce, reuse, recycle legend, locally grown Market Bunches or foam free installations at our weddings.

Foam free wedding of Caitlin and James using reused milk creates and chicken wire

But let's be honest, we haven’t figured it all out yet. Because sustainability isn’t a destination — it’s a direction.

So yes, sometimes we feel a bit hypocritical using the “s-word.” But we’d rather be awkwardly honest about it than greenwash our way through it.

Thanks for sticking with us, cheering us on, and choosing and trusting us at The Real Florist whist we design your flowers with our best conscience in mind flower lovers.

Custom designed foam free arrangements by 'The Real Florist Albury'