I love a party and can’t help myself going a little OTT with all the little touches and finishes! However, sadly children’s parties have become synonymous with a lot of single-use plastic tat.
So, if you’d like to do your bit to take care of the planet, you may want to adopt a few of the ideas below. If we can all make one or two simple and manageable changes in the right direction, it will have more impact than just a few of us trying to do everything.
Party bags are often the biggest culprit, yet there are so many great options that children will love, that won’t break the bank and are eco-friendly; it’s never been so easy. For the bag itself, you could opt for a paper bag or cone that could be recycled or a fabric bag (drawstring or tote) that could be reused again or again. As for the fillers, there are so many choices, it’s hard to know where to begin!
I love the wonderful shapes of handmade crayons from ‘The Natural Crayon Company’ and ‘The Crayon Bug’. You can also find some great seed bombs at Peedie Pals or a copy of this planet-friendly magazine at Twigs. If you would like to buy ready-made party bags, then you could buy these gorgeous potion packs from ‘Youth and Wild’ or more traditional eco-friendly party bags from ‘Eco-Friendly Party Bags’.
When it comes to tableware, a super easy option is to hire it! This way you don’t need to find a way to recycle the disposable tableware, nor store reusable tableware year after year. You can choose a set that matches your theme, use it for the party and then return it to be washed – job done! The Party Kit Network has a growing number of small businesses in its network that hire out reusable tableware for parties – there is currently one in Putney and one in Battersea.
You can also hire really pretty partyware from Little Lulubel, who covers the Kensington area. If you’d like to purchase some unique themed tableware that you can recycle after the event, then you may like to take a look at the lovely sustainable sets from Pico Party.
I was going to say decorations have come a long way, but in actual fact, we seem to be doing a full circle and are going back to decorations that were more in fashion decades ago; fabric bunting, pop-pom garlands and paper chains.
If you are feeling creative and have the time, then making decorations can be fun and very satisfying, and the great thing is that many of them can be used again; year after year. If you are not feeling inspired or just don’t have the time, then there are some very talented people selling beautiful fabric bunting on Etsy and Not on the High Street, and I love this gorgeous bunting (which can be personalised) made from up-cycled saris by Pri Pri.
Gift Wrapping is another area where we can make some easy and impactful changes, by using recycled and recyclable paper, such as this beautiful gift wrap from Planet Wrap It. The major things to look out for when trying to choose a paper that you can recycle, is to avoid anything metallic or with glitter on it.
You could also make or buy some fabric drawstring bags that could be used time after time, or upcycle some flat pieces of fabric (old bedding or clothes that are beyond repair) to wrap gifts; this is a traditional Japanese method of wrapping in fabric, called Furoshiki.
Fancy Dress Costumes are often only lightly used before they are grown out of, so you can usually find secondhand ones in really good condition. Not only is this kinder to our planet, but it also saves you money too, so it’s a win-win! I like to finish off a secondhand costume by making the accessories and finishing touches, which gives the outfit a unique and personal touch. Facebook Marketplace and Vinted have some great bargains.
For more ideas on Eco-friendly parties and everything else party-related, please check out my blog ice cream and jelly.
Article written by Tammy Ryan, Blogger and Creator
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