Arena Flowers: World first closed-loop waste system

With the current focus on sustainability, it was interesting to read that Arena Flowers are the first florist in the world to create a closed-loop waste system. What is a closed-loop waste system? Well put simply it means that absolutely nothing goes to landfill.

You might thing that if any business was inherently sustainable that it would be a florist. What could be more sustainable than plants that grow, bloom, and then are hopefully composted by the recipient? The problem is all the paraphenalia that comes with plants from packaging, cellophane wrap, bows, plastic plant food sachets and any number of other bits and bobs used in the flower trade.

Sustainable packaging is still relatively more costly than regular packaging and that’s a problem. Not only that, but even if a consumer receives recyclable bubblewrap and the like, they often don’t actually have a means of recycling it and that’s what makes Arena Flowers closed-loop waste system so impressive. As an online florist, not only do they have cellophane to deal with but also a delivery box, but the box, paper, ribbon and flowerfood sachet can be popped in your recycling bin and the paperwrap and cellophone will completely compost in about two weeks. All that remains is the flowers which are also naturally compostable.

“When our flowers are prepared, all the off-cuts and stray leaves are salvaged and sent to processing plants and paper mills. Once there, our partners use the collected green waste to produce our packing materials without the need for new resources. From the box to the cellophane and even the food sachet, everything which arrives at your door is sustainable, recyclable or compostable.

It wasn’t easy being the first, but the creation of this system enables us to take huge steps in decreasing our environmental impact.”
– Arena Flowers

Arena Flowers and their closed-loop waste system are an inspiration to all businesses that claim they simply can’t make their business sustainable. They use zero single-use plastic (and that’s been the case since 2017) and are committed to being carbon neutral by the end of 2021.

If you’d like to find out more about what makes Arena Flowers the world’s most ethical florist, read their 2020 Sustainability Report here.