Sustainable Eco Floristry Mechanics Workshop
We were delighted to attend a fabulous inspiring day with the gorgeous knowledgeable practical and commercial florist Sabine Darrell yesterday in Dublin. Attended by over 70 florists ( many of them past students of Kays Flower School) the energy in the room was electric. Everyone there was looking to learn and also looking to share their knowledge and experience, which is how we as an industry can grow and learn constantly.
A special thanks to Sharon, Jean & Leah who put together the fabulous day.
Sabine who runs the fabulous subscription platform Blossom & Prosper demonstrated Foam Free Deconstructed Arches, Vases of Flowers using a Flora Guppy and Large Urn arrangements using Chicken Wire and Moss. Sabine combines many different mechanics to create a top table / altar arrangments using Floral Fibre Design Media, Moss & Chicken Wire and gave honest pros and cons of all mechanics.
Sabine discussed foliage and flowers that lasted well without using a water source and also answered so many questions from all attending.
Sustainability within the Floristry Industry is HOT TOPIC right now and within the industry we see more and more negivite jabs at those trying their best to run a sustainable business and pay their staff and feed their children. Yesterday proved discussion is key and there is absolutley no need for anyone whether they are newly trained, self taught, working for many years in the industry to knock and dismiss or judge anyone’s skills and techniques in how they run their own business.
It is of course important to encourage change in techniques and find what works for your business, in your location with the resources you have to work with. And every small change anyone (florist or not) makes is a step in the right direction and should be applauded.
Yesterday Sabine was encouraging to all, and everyone we spoke to left with a new insight, some new skills and techniques to help them move their business to be more eco friendly and more sustainable.
As a Floristry School training Commercial Florists we have embraced Sustainable Designs and included them into our Professional Floristry Modules. 95% of our Module 3 Bridal Floristry Program is Completely Foam Free.
On our Module 4 Program we are constantly adding and teaching alternatives to foam and using products that can be reused time and time again. 60% of our Module 4 is Foam Free.
On our Module 1 & Module 2 program we have included sustainable mechanic and techniques to both programmes and we are working on adding more and more ideas particularly to our Module 2 where foam plays a huge part in Sympathy Flowers.
We do and will always still teach using Floral Foam and where possible we use the Bio Foam from Oasis. As a training school our aim here is to train florists to work in every aspect of the Flower Industry, Retail, Funeral, Wedding and Events, and florists need to be trained on all mechanics to enable them to work commercially and to be educated in all to make informed choices as to where suitable mechanics will work best for their business.
We were absolutely thrilled to see so many Florists some who have come through our Floristry School at the start of their careers who are now successfully running amazing Flower Businesses.
These are just a few:
