A few years back, I was asked by a bride what the difference was between sola wood flowers and paper flowers. While they may seem similar, there are a few key differences between the two.
Sola Wood Flowers
Eco-friendly
Sola wood comes from a marshy plant that naturally grows in Southeast Asia. Because this plant grows so readily, no pesticides or chemical fertilizers are needed like natural flowers. The plant is harvested and processed entirely by hand and can withstand being transported by ship rather than airplane due to its stability. Sola wood flowers also can be preserved after your event, or even re-used for a baby shower or other celebration. If you decide you don't want to keep them, they are even compostable! For a more rigorous breakdown of how small sola wood flowers' carbon footprint is, check out this article by The Silk Stem Collective.
DIY-able
If you are so inclined, you could DIY your own bouquet. Sola wood can be shaped into most flowers, and due to being naturally white, can be dyed in a variety of colors. There are plenty of Youtube tutorials out there on how, and with its growing popularity, more dyes are specifically made for it. You can even buy kits that come complete with dyes and stems for about.
Somewhat Cost-saving
A large pre-made bridal bouquet from Sola Wood Flowers costs about $92, or you could buy a kit with everything you need for $70. According to Brides, the average cost of a comparable bouquet of real flowers is $250. There are a lot of factors that go into the cost of using real flowers, so the prices may vary throughout the year. Sola wood, on the other hand, will have mostly stable pricing no matter the time of year.
Paper Flowers
Somewhat Eco-friendly
Depending on how you source the material, paper flowers can be more eco-friendly than real flowers. If you are using recycled paper or re-purposing paper you already have, then your bouquet will have a very low carbon footprint. If you want to be almost entirely neutral, consider seed paper:
Seed paper is a special eco-friendly paper made from post-consumer materials embedded with wildflower, herb or vegetable seeds. When you plant the paper in a pot of soil or outside in a garden, the seeds in the paper germinate and grow into plants.
-Botanical Paperworks
DIY-able
Depending on what you want to make, a paper bouquet will be much more labor-intensive than a sola wood bouquet. That being said, paper flowers are much more customizable and the only limits are your crafting skills, imagination, and budget. You don't even have to stick with a single texture, or traditional flower shapes and sizes!
Variable Cost
If you were to search "paper flower bouquet" on Etsy, you'd see prices ranging from $37-$170, with the average being around $70. Just like with real flowers, the cost is dependent on what you want and how much of it. One thing to consider is that paper is not as durable and long-lasting as sola wood, so this is likely going to be a single-use on the day of the event unless you are very careful.
Summary
If you are going for a more eco-friendly, boho-style wedding, I would suggest sola wood flowers. If you want something really unique and definitely non-floral, paper flowers might be for you. Either way, both options are a cost-saving, environmentally-conscious alternative to real flowers.
Comments