Giving
Back
COMMUNITY
Nobody likes to see beautiful flowers going to waste
We work hard to make sure waste is limited and we are working as ethically as possible. We actively encourage sustainable design ideas and clients often ask for options that can be taken home by guests. For anything that comes back to us, we have a few ways to make sure the flowers continue to spread happiness beyond their event life!
The
Floral
Angels
We are the largest donor to The Floral Angels and we work closely alongside them by providing space for them to work from our studio twice a week, on our work benches next to our own florists.
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Run entirely by volunteers, the Floral Angels repurpose flowers from weddings and events into smaller arrangements to take to hospices, care homes, women’s shelters and other outstanding organisations who might need a little sunshine in their day.
Ruari McCulloch, Pinstripes and Peonies’ Founder and Creative Director, has been a Trustee and Board Member of the charity since 2016. 90% of flowers that come back from our events are repurposed in this way, and we are immensely proud that our flowers contribute to 65% of their annual donations.
Schools
Gardens
for
Since January 2023, Pinstripes & Peonies have been sponsoring the local Herbert Morrison Primary School in Vauxhall, to create a Natural Thinkers Garden for their children to enjoy.
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Previously unkept, with no resources for its maintenance, the space is gradually becoming abundant with thriving plants and grasses that were once used at our events and weddings, thanks to our team of Pinstripes & Peonies gardeners who visit every Tuesday throughout the year.
Whilst ensuring we are working more sustainably and giving back to the community, the project is educating the children about nature, wildlife and wellbeing in otherwise urbanised surroundings.
This is an ongoing project and we look forward to sharing news of its development in the years to come.
Sustainability
Sustainability is entwined in every element of our work at Pinstripes & Peonies. Our designers are passionate about showcasing seasonality in their proposals and our florists buy British-grown flowers where possible and ensure our suppliers source flowers from sustainable growers.
We only work with suppliers whose environmental ethos matches our own. This is one of the reasons we choose to be based at New Covent Garden Flower Market and purchase the majority of our flowers and foliage direct from those suppliers each morning.
We try to avoid using floral foam (Oasis) as it is so harmful to our environment. Our florists are trained in a variety of techniques that creatively avoid its use, and where necessary we only use biodegradable alternatives. In venues where no water is allowed for flowers, we have taken time to discuss the impact floral foam has on the environment, and the difference just a few millimetres of water in the bottom of a vase can have.
We are always looking for new ideas and products to make Pinstripes & Peonies more sustainable. We are currently trialing plastic free bubble wrap, trolley wrap, cable ties and tapes in the warehouse. Watch this space to find out more about how these are going and what we're up to next!
