The Environmental Impact of Confetti—Plus Sustainable Alternatives to Try

Written by

Kristine Nguyen

Published

It's easy to see why confetti has become such a staple at birthday parties, gender reveals, weddings, and just about every other celebration you can think of. But, how eco-friendly is it?

While popping a confetti canon and watching those colorful flakes fly through the sky might spark joy, there are so many reasons why to opt for a more sustainable alternative instead.

The Environmental Impact of Confetti

Confetti may be small, but using it can have big consequences. Traditional confetti—the kind you'll find at most stores and online—is made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and other plastics. According to experts, it can take 1,000 years to break down, meaning that quick burst of fun can leave an impact on the planet for a really long time.

Confetti isn't just polluting the environment—it's also harming wildlife. Animals may be attracted to the shine that comes off the plastic pieces and wind up eating it. It can also end up in rivers and oceans, putting fish and other marine life at risk. According to National Geographic, when these little pieces of plastic collect in an animal's stomach, it can cause them to die of starvation.

So every time someone is using traditional confetti at an event, they're really just throwing microplastics into the environment. Yikes.

A Sustainable Alternative to Plastic Confetti

One of our TikTok videos went viral, where we showcased an eco-friendly alternative to regular confetti.

Unlike traditional confetti cannons, the Wildflower Seed Paper Cannon leaves no plastic waste behind. Instead, it "pops" out seed paper cannons that grow into beautiful wildflowers that can benefit the pollinators in your area. Each includes three different types: Black-eyed Susans, cockscomb, and sesame flowers.

Or, if you'd rather make your own eco-friendly confetti, we have a DIY project to try below using something you already have in your backyard: leaves.

Leaf confetti is super easy to make, inexpensive, and totally planet-friendly. If you have a big event coming up, you could even invite some friends over to help speed up the process.

How to Make DIY Confetti Using Leaves

What You'll Need:
Leaves
Hole punch

Instructions:

1. Collect your leaves off the ground. Try to find many different colors.
2. Use a hole punch to punch confetti out of your leaves.
3. Collect your confetti in a container.
4. Use it whenever the opportunity strikes!