Wildflower Favours is a vegan-run environmentally-conscious company. We want to help protect our beautiful planet in any way we can – and save a few butterflies and bees on the way!
We have produced this quick guide to our use of plastic as we felt it an important issue to clarify with our customers.
Seed Packets
Our paper seed packets are 100% recycled (except the pale blue, which are FSC certified paper), and the company that makes them assures us that the glue that seals the sides is vegetable-based. When we come to seal down the flaps after putting in the seeds, we use a similar glue with no nasties in it. Within the packet, the seeds are either loose (sunflowers) or in a glassine paper sachet.
Glassine paper has a slight sheen to it and can be mistaken for being plastic-coated – it most certainly is not! Glassine is smooth, very flat and resistant to water and air so is perfect for packaging seeds! It is made via a process called supercalendering whereby the paper is passed many times through hot rollers which make the paper fibres lay flat and in the same direction.
We pack the seeds into the glassine paper sachets and then fold over the top to keep the seeds inside (peg is for photo decoration use only!)
And what does FSC certified paper mean? The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) logo on a wood or wood based product is the assurance that the paper is made with, or contains, wood that comes from FSC certified forests.
Packaging
Any plastic in our packaging has been recycled or re-used. If the bubble-wrap has a green hue it is biodegradable; if it doesn’t, then this is bubblewrap we have received in packaging and we are re-using it. We never buy in plastic packaging and use biodegradable bubblewrap sparingly as a last resort.
Plastic outer envelopes are are re-used or, in the case of DHL delivery company, provided by them for their deliveries. Their plastic bags are 100% recyclable so please do recycle/re-use if your order arrives via that means. Unfortunately, we can’t avoid the occasional use of plastic wallets on parcels which contain delivery info for the delivery company.
We no longer use cellophane for packaging our seed papers (not even biodegradable cello), they will be wrapped in recycled or FSC paper instead.
Sellotape is basically sticky plastic – a good enough reason not to use it. As it sticks well to paper and board or may leave a sticky residue when removed, so hindering the recycling of the paper – another good reason not to use it. A third reason – it is made from plastic, which is made from petroleum fossil fuels – which are non-renewable. We use paper parcel tape for sealing boxes – 100% brown recycled paper and a rubber-based adhesive. It is biodegradable and compostable.
We also use washi tape for decorating or sticking – this too is biodegradable. Washi tape is made from the bark of various Japanese shrubs and overprinted with pretty designs.