Parties are a time for celebration, but they can create lots of waste as a byproduct. Luckily, with some advance planning, it’s easy to plan a more sustainable party — and it may even save you money along the way!

The most important thing to remember when planning your sustainable party is to avoid buying new items wherever possible. Instead, try to use items you already own, can responsibly forage, can borrow from a friend or neighbor, or can buy second-hand. For example, you could create a beautiful table centerpiece using wildflowers foraged from your local park and the cups you already own. Or, instead of buying a new garland or bunting, you could upcycle fabric scraps into your own custom piece. By not buying new, you’re minimizing the need to extract new materials from the environment and therefore contributing to the conservation of our natural resources. And, as an added bonus, this will usually save you money, too! 

If you do decide to buy new, look for reusable options. Consider the durability of the materials and the timelessness of the design, and be sure to choose items you will be happy to use for many future celebrations! It’s also best to look for options made from natural, recycled, recyclable, and/or compostable materials. Here are some of our favorites:

• Instead of typical disposable plates and cups, look for reusable and/or compostable options. Meri Meri’s Reusable Or Compostable Party Collection includes stylish partyware in a range of colors and styles. Most importantly, they can all be reused and/or commercially composted.
• Typical candles are made from oil-based paraffin wax, so look for candles made from natural waxes, such as beeswax. Knot & Bow offers a collection of 100% beeswax candles in a range of attractive colors. As an added bonus, they have a 10-15 minute burn time, meaning that you can usually get several uses out of each candle.
• Typical confetti is often made out of plastic, which just ends up polluting our environment. Instead, try making your own natural confetti from pressed flower petals, dried lavender, or bird seeds. If you’re in the true DIY spirit, collect leaves and use a hole puncher to make confetti in your preferred colors and shapes. No time for a DIY project? Check out Ecofetti’s biodegradable, water-soluble confetti.