A confetti toss is a fun way to celebrate a special day. Unfortunately, we’re now beginning to realize the impact confetti can have on the environment. That’s why a lot of people are looking for the best eco-friendly confetti alternatives.
The good news is that there are plenty of sustainable confetti options that will make you and Mother Nature very happy. Whether it’s for a zero waste backyard cookout, birthday parties, a gender reveal, or your wedding day, you can make your event even more exciting when you select one of these different types of biodegradable confetti.
Is Confetti Bad for the Environment?
Even though confetti is small, it can have some big consequences on our environment. Traditional confetti is typically made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and other types of plastic materials.
As we all know, plastic can take forever to break down, and confetti is no exception. In fact, some types of plastic can take thousands of years to start decomposing. That means a confetti toss that only lasts a few seconds can keep impacting the environment for a loooong time.
Related: The Best Eco-Friendly Disposable Plates for a More Sustainable Party
Plus, confetti is already so small it’s basically like throwing microplastics straight into the environment. Microplastics have been found everywhere — deep in the ocean, in Arctic snow, in marine life, and even in our own bloodstreams.
To make matters worse, microplastics can bind with other harmful chemicals before they’re ingested.
However, it’s not just the pollution of the environment that’s the problem. Just like balloons, confetti can also harm wildlife. Some animals are attracted to shiny confetti and end up eating it. Sadly, these pieces of plastic can accumulate in an animal’s stomach, and they die of starvation.
The Best Eco-Friendly Alternatives to Confetti
Now that you know why confetti is so bad for the environment, you’re probably ready to make the switch to biodegradable confetti products. Fortunately, no matter what type of celebration you’re planning, you can find a sustainable solution that will work perfectly when you choose one of these best eco-friendly confetti alternatives.
Important Note: If you’re thinking about doing a sustainable confetti toss, you should first make sure it’s permitted at your party or wedding venue. Keep in mind that some venues don’t allow the use of any type of confetti because of how difficult it is to clean up.
1. Biodegradable Confetti
Biodegradable paper confetti is a great option if you’re looking for something that has the classic look and feel of conventional confetti. This tissue paper confetti is ideal for tossing, putting in confetti poppers or cones, scattering on tables, and more.
Related: Biodegradable vs Compostable- Which Is More Eco-Friendly?
Along with the lovely cream and ivory color, you can also get this biodegradable wedding confetti in a bright, multicolored mix.
If you’re feeling crafty, you could even make your own tissue paper confetti by using some of this eco-friendly tissue paper.
2. Dried Flowers
Dried flowers look absolutely lovely when they’re tossed in the air at a wedding or celebration. Plus, since they’re completely natural, you know they’re biodegradable and better for the natural environment.
This dried flower confetti mix includes rose petals, lavender grain, and marigold petals, which will all bring a gorgeous splash of color to your confetti toss.
Related: How to Make Your Yard a Bee-Friendly Sanctuary
You can even DIY dried flower confetti in the months leading up to your event. If you store dried flowers in a cool, dry place, they can last for up to a year. This means you can easily make your own confetti a little bit at a time until your big day arrives.
3. Fresh Flower Petals
If you don’t like the look of dried flowers, consider tossing fresh flower petals. Just like dried flowers, fresh flower petals will bring a lovely pop of color to your confetti toss and they’re completely biodegradable.
You can choose this assortment of freeze-dried fresh flower petals, or you can ask your local florist what they have available.
4. Leaves
At first thought, you might not believe that leaves are a good alternative to confetti, but they’re actually ideal for a variety of reasons. First, like other options on this list, leaves are completely natural and will eventually biodegrade.
Depending on the season, you can find leaves in a variety of colors. Plus, leaves make an incredibly affordable DIY confetti.
Simply choose some strong leaves and use a hole punch to make plenty of biodegradable confetti pieces. You can get a good amount of confetti pieces from just one leaf.
Plus, you can make your confetti pieces in all types of different shapes, including classic circles, hearts, and stars.
5. Birdseed
Long before plastic confetti became popular, birdseed was originally used in a wedding toss. In fact, the tradition was started in Roman times when wheat was thrown on the newlywed couple as a symbol of fertility.
If you decide to use bird seed for confetti, try to choose something that’s suitable for birds in your area. This way, you know they’ll actually eat the seeds after you’ve done the toss. Also, you know that any seeds the birds don’t eat will grow into flowers that can help support biodiversity even more.
Kaytee is a good brand for this because they offer regional blends for the Northeast, South, and Midwest.
6. Seed Paper
Seed paper is a very unique way of adding some sustainability to your confetti toss. These mini hearts are created with handmade paper and embedded with wildflower seeds.
Once the paper is planted and starts to decompose, the seeds will sprout and grow.
In addition to cute hearts that you can find in a variety of colors, you can also get different shapes, such as birds, butterflies, flowers, and stars.
Another great thing about seed paper is that you have almost endless opportunities to use it instead of other paper items, including sustainable greeting cards and eco-friendly Christmas cards.
7. Lavender
Lavender is another type of flower that makes beautiful confetti. Not only do the dried buds have the look of rice, but they also smell absolutely fantastic.
You can purchase lavender buds online, or you can grow your own lavender plants and harvest the buds yourself.
Related: The Best Medicinal Herbs to Grow in Your Garden (And How to Use Them!)
Just be warned that because the buds are smaller, they’re not as easy to clean up. Therefore, this might be an option you choose to use outside where they can naturally biodegrade.
8. Baby’s Breath
The white, fluffy buds of gypsophila — better known as baby’s breath — are outstanding flowers to use for a confetti toss. Whether your celebration is modern or rustic, baby’s breath will fit right in.
You can easily find baby’s breath online or at your local florist shop. Once you get some, simply snip the buds from the stems to create a soft, natural, and biodegradable confetti.
9. Herbs
Just like lavender, herbs are another eco-friendly confetti alternative that offer an aromatic send-off. Simply imagine the smell of mint, oregano, or rosemary wafting through the air after your confetti toss.
You can create your own personalized confetti cones and fill them up with the herbs of your choice. Or you can set up a confetti station where your guests can put together their own unique herb blends.
Related: How to Easily Start an Indoor Herb Garden
10. Biodegradable Artificial Snow
Biodegradable artificial snow is an outstanding confetti alternative for a winter wedding or party. The great thing about artificial snowflakes is that they immediately dissolve as soon as they come into contact with water.
Related: The Best Eco-Friendly and Pet-Safe Sidewalk Ice Melt
This biodegradable snow is made with edible food-grade products and is completely water soluble, which means it won’t harm birds or animals. It also looks absolutely beautiful when tossed in the air and can make some pretty stunning photo ops as well!
11. Bubbles
If you’re having your party or wedding at a venue that doesn’t allow any type of confetti toss, you’re not completely out of luck. Instead, you simply need to think outside of the box when it comes to confetti alternatives.
Bubbles are an affordable and eco-friendly alternative to confetti. They also look so beautiful when they shimmer in the sunlight!
You can easily find small, individual bottles of bubbles, but they typically come in plastic bottles. If you’re trying to reduce your single-use plastic waste as much as possible, you might want to consider making your own homemade bubble mixture.
Related: Natural Homemade Crafts That Kids Will Have a Blast Making
Also, keep in mind that certain fabrics (such as silk) will immediately stain if they get wet. If there’s any chance someone at your event could be wearing silk, you might want to think about the next eco-friendly confetti alternative instead.
12. Bells
Bells make an excellent alternative to confetti because they create absolutely no waste. Plus, the lovely sound of ringing bells is quite literally music to everyone’s ears!
To keep this option as sustainable as possible, try to purchase secondhand bells instead of buying new ones. You can also consider asking your guests to bring a bell from home that they can ring during your event.
Enjoy a Sustainable Celebration With the Best Eco-Friendly Confetti
Conventional confetti is made from plastic that’s absolutely terrible for the environment. Fortunately, there are a variety of sustainable alternatives that can easily match your aesthetic and work within your budget.
No matter what type of sustainable celebration you plan on hosting, you know you can make it better for the environment when you choose one of these eco-friendly wedding confetti options.
More Helpful Eco-Friendly Tips
Did you enjoy learning more about the best eco-friendly confetti? Are you interested in discovering additional tips that can help you live a more sustainable life? Then please be sure to take a look at some of our other popular posts:
- Eco-Friendly Summer Activities Kids Will Love
- The Best Biodegradable Trash Bags for Your Low Waste Lifestyle
- Important Information You Need to Know About Biodegradable Dog Poop Bags
- How to Make Your Cup of Coffee More Eco-Friendly With Compostable Coffee Pods
