Revolutionising Floristry: The Quest for Sustainable Solutions with Stephanie Gillespie

Text Agony Aunt Roz with your Cutflower Questions. In this episode, Roz sits down with Stephanie Gillespie, a seasoned professional at Waste Flow Products, to delve into the fascinating world of sustainability in the floral industry. Stephanie brings over six years of experience in the field and a passion for sustainable practices. Discover how Oasis Floral Products UK is leading the charge with their "big green plan," aimed at educating and revolutionising the floral industry's approach to sustainability. Stephanie sheds light on the challenges faced, including the importance of educating about concepts like biodegradability. Join us as we explore Stephanie's inspiration, drawn from the vibrant community of florists she collaborates with. Their creativity and resourcefulness are driving forces behind Stephanie's dedication to providing them with the ultimate sustainable materials. 1. Oasis Floral Products and Sustainability: Oasis is a global company known for its floral foam. The inventor of floral foam, born in Smithers, set up the company, hence the name Smithers Oasis. While Oasis foam is a widely recognised product, it's important to note that imitations exist, but they may not have the same quality. 2. Sustainability Efforts: Oasis has been working on sustainability in floral design. They offer options like Oasis Bio Floral Foam, which has an additive allowing it to be broken down by microbes. Another option is Mr. Fibre Floral Design Media, made of rock wool fibre, a natural and recyclable material. 3. Compostable Options: Oasis has introduced the Oasis Tara Brick Floral Foam, which is fully certified home and industrial compostable. It's made from natural materials like coconut coir and a compostable binder. This product is particularly suitable for green burials and woodland burials. 4. Focus on Education: Oasis is actively engaging with floristry colleges to educate students about sustainable floral design alternatives. They're working to introduce students to new products beyond traditional floral foam. 5. Future Innovation: Oasis is investing in research and development to create a truly sustainable floral design medium. They're dedicated to finding alternatives to traditional floral foam and are excited about future developments in this area. 6. Sustainability in Floristry: There's a growing awareness of sustainability in the floristry industry. Growers are being asked to provide British-grown, sustainable flowers, and consumers are becoming more conscious of the environmental impact of floral arrangements. 7. Plastic Trays and Film: Oasis also offers environmentally friendly options like violet trays made from recycled cardboard, which are fully certified compostable. They're also developing a biodegradable wrap (bio film) to provide an alternative to plastic film. https://fieldgateflowers.kartra.com/page/newsletters The Growth Club: https://fieldgateflowers.kartra.com/page/thegrowthclub Lots of free resources on our website: https://thecutflowercollective.co.uk/cut-flower-resources/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fieldgateflowers Facebook Group 'Cut Flower Farming - Growth and Profit in your business' https://www.facebook.com/groups/449543639411874 Facebook Group 'The Cut Flower Collection' https://www.facebook.com/groups/cutflowercollection