Party On and Be Plastic Free

The Plastic Free Communities campaign is seeing a growing wave of eco-minded party event businesses moving towards plastic free alternatives and sustainable ways to deliver parties and events, and becoming Plastic Free Champions with Surfers Against Sewage.

For years party shops and event hire companies have faced a massive challenge with suppliers only offering single-use plastic decorations, tableware, packaging and gifts. So it’s incredibly inspiring to see many businesses now changing their products, their ways of working, and creating inclusive networks of plastic free party champions.

Party Kit Network (CIC)

One example of this shift is the creation of the Party Kit Network (CIC), a global hub for plastic free hire initiatives, community volunteer groups, and businesses. It started accidentally, when its founder Isabel Mack saw a friend post about plastic free loo roll which then sent her on a rabbit hole researching alternatives and solutions to be part of a circular economy. That was when Isabel came across the plastic free party kit idea and then looked for local kit hires. She decided their needed to be a network and more visibility around party hire schemes and groups. She used her background in e-commerce to create a map and hub for local independents. The network now has an amazing 400 members in the UK.

New members are added to the networks listing and onto their map. The hub works as open-source model by sharing free accessible online resources, guides, and members areas from their website.

The network works alongside ‘No Crap Parties’ who have created the ‘Kids Party Pact.’ The asks people to sign a pledge to do more thoughtful invites, and committing to reducing single use plastic in party bags. They also share resources and guidance on approaching the social awkwardness of plastic free kid’s parties and how to be the first to do it.

Isabel says half of their new party kit hires come from parents who have been to parties where a plastic free party kit was being used, and this made them decide to do the same. Their network is creating a growing plastic free movement in local communities across the UK.

Isabel found out about Plastic Free Communities through members of their network. She connected with her Plastic Free Community in Seaford, and then achieved the Plastic Free Champion Award for her CIC.

Her favourite moments have been seeing the confidence of the network’s members grow, by empowering and encouraging them to start their own plastic free hire schemes. The challenge is changing people’s mindsets towards single-use party kits.

Party Without Plastic®

Lorraine Allman, founder of business Party Without Plastic®, saw several small businesses sharing their Plastic Free Champion awards in her local community and it sparked her curiosity to find out more. She then found the Plastic Free Communities campaign and realised it was exactly the kind of credible, action-led recognition she wanted to work towards. Since signing up her business has achieved all three awards and is now a Gold awarded Plastic Free Champion.

Her biggest challenge has been finding alternatives that are genuinely single-use plastic free, and not just ‘eco-looking’, so ideally not single-use at all.  Lorraine explained it takes extra time to verify materials and packaging properly, because so many options still hide plastic in coatings, laminates or ‘compostable’ claims. Instead, she focuses on solutions that use refill and reus

4YaParty Weddings and Events

The 4YaParty business in Kent offer plastic free sustainable setups for weddings, birthdays, baby showers, and other celebratory events. Their business model has managed to avoid using any single-use plastic products and materials, such as party balloons. Their business is now a Gold awarded Plastic Free Champion supporting the Plastic Free Communities campaign.

Business owner Mercedes Gale signed up to the award journey after seeing Plastic Free Communities featured in a news article. For our Plastic Free Communities, local press is a great way to spread the message and get new businesses on board. Mercedes’ business had been plastic free for years before applying but they had never documented it. Collecting the evidence was her biggest challenge as she was already plastic free. She used a method of ‘retro-fitting’ her changes and reductions to measure the business’ success.

Mercedes’ biggest success has been the positive impact their business ethos has had on other people, inspiring them to make changes in their own businesses, in their lives and for their events.

It’s inspiring to see more and more businesses and networks in the UK looking to challenge old models and find genuine plastic free solutions. These examples show how by making changes within their own business or hire schemes, they’re also creating a wave of change that is influencing their wider communities.

Sign up your business to become a Plastic Free Champion >> https://plasticfree.org.uk/get-involved/business/

Find your local community >> https://plasticfree.org.uk/get-involved/find-your-community/

Get an action plan >> https://plasticfree.org.uk/get-involved/individuals/