Bringing Back Eco-Friendly Festive Confetti
Weddings and June go hand in hand. Although we still have to wait to gather in groups of 10 or more, we don’t have to wait to get a little behind-the-scenes planning. Did you know that traditional confetti is still banned at most churches, hotels and banquet halls? Don’t despair, we’ve discovered a fantastic alternative!
Traditional confetti is made from microplastics or mylar, which when washed away into storm drains can cause unwanted damage to aquatic life. Confetti and glitter can also be harmful to land animals who pick up discarded confetti and ingest it. Birds in particular, are the most susceptible. So naturally, confetti became frowned upon at any celebration.
Looking for an alternative, people turned to uncooked rice to toss, but this too had its problems. Myths about birds eating rice and then having their abdomen’s swell to the point of exploding went viral. But truth be told, it was more the mess and the possible chance that a guest would slide across the rice (now scattered all over the floor) and fall, that really made churches ban throwing it at weddings.
Today’s solution is marvelous – leafetti! Leaves are all-natural, biodegradable, compostable, and free of chemicals, additives, or synthetic sheens, so there’s no need to worry about harming wildlife or cleaning up. Leaf confetti is as natural as you can get! It’s fresh and beautiful and more than that it’s free! All you need is a hole punch and a bunch of fresh leaves. But be smart, only take a few leaves from each tree or from a branch that has been pruned away. Not only good for the tree, using different trees will make your leafetti more colourful with different shades of green, or perhaps a shade of purple!
Using flower petals can also enhance the fragrance of your super sustainable ‘fetti. Grab some colourful tulips for a blast of colour and scent. Just make sure there’s no pollen in your mix as it can stain clothing!
Photo by The HK Photo Company on Unsplash
