Eco Friendly Party Bags!
Are you looking to make your children’s party bags a bit more eco-friendly? If so, check out the following sustainable ideas…
Things to think about
Aim to be as plastic free as possible - swap plastic for paper, card and fabric.
Go for party bag fillers the children will use - crayons, jewellery, mini toy cars.
Ditch the plastic bag - choose paper, or even fabric if your budget allows.
Party bags on a budget
It’s more of a challenge to create eco-friendly party bags on a limited budget - but it is do-able. It just takes a bit more search and planning.
One budget option is to look out for party bag fillers in charity shops. As you never know what you’ll find, this works best if you can shop for suitable toys throughout the year.
It’s also worth doing an eBay search for ‘pre-owned party bag toys’. There will be a lot of plastic, but buying secondhand is always a sustainable strategy. And the longer we can keep plastic in use, the better.
Remember also that the sustainability of your party bag doesn’t have to be perfect. Even a couple of eco-friendly swaps will make a difference.
Ready-filled party bags
Making up your own sustainable party bags is fun, but time consuming. If you are looking for quick and easy, go for ready-filled party bags.
Cotton Twist is a company who have ditched the plastic in favour of eco-friendly products. Their ready-filled party bags cover all the favourite themes - including unicorns, superheroes, animals and mermaids.
Another brilliant sustainable party bag company is the Somerset-based Eco Party Bag. They offer a good range of affordable ready-filled party bags. Themes include space, fantasy and jungle. They also offer delightful Read & Grow party bags with a book and equipment to grow seeds of your choice. Books can be selected to suit ages from 3 to 11, with options for confident readers in the older age groups.
For something a bit different, check out Little Cherry’s eco-friendly cookie making party bags. The bags can be personalised with children’s names. Bear in mind that the cookie ingredients are not nut, wheat or dairy free. They also need butter and eggs - so avoid if you have vegan guests or guests with allergies.
Must I give party bags?
The answer to this is - no, of course not. But being an eco-conscious parent brings with it a dilemma. How do we balance children’s expectations against needless purchases and unnecessary waste? Party bags have become a birthday party staple - and will be expected. If you decide not to give them, be prepared to field comments from disappointed children.
It’s also worth considering whether an older birthday host will be embarrassed by an absence of party bags. Coming up with useful and sustainable party bags makes for a good compromise.
Read on for some suggestions as to how …
Eco-friendly party bag ideas
Source multi packs of mini notebooks and pop one in each party bag. Look out for recycled paper and card. Ideally, new paper/card will be FSC certified. This means it comes from responsibly managed forests.
Add a colourful crayon to go with the notebook. A novelty crayon is even better! OkoNorm’s crayons have a high beeswax content, making them more eco-friendly than regular crayons. Their gorgeous bunny crayons make perfect party bag fillers.
If you are vegan or have vegan guests, check out The Natural Crayon Company’s cute, plant-based novelty crayons. They can be bought singly or in batches - perfect for eco-friendly party bags!
Things to grow make an ideal (and cheap) eco-friendly filler. To make your own cress head kits, follow these steps…
Save up well washed half eggshells.
Cut egg boxes into separate sections to hold each shell.
Put teaspoons of cress seeds into twists of tin foil, one for each shell.
Draw faces on the eggshells with a permanent marker pen.
Fill the eggshells with pure cotton cottonwool.
Add instructions - soak cottonwool, sprinkle on seeds and put in a sunny spot until the ‘hair’ has sprouted.
If giving something to grow appeals but you want quick and easy, go for seed bombs. Little Cherry stock five different choices, including butterfly friendly and pollinators for bees.
As well as selling ready-filled party bags (see above), Cotton Twist stocks eco-friendly creative kits designed for party bags. Options include making your own wands, masks, peg dolls, aeroplanes and bracelets. Like the ready-filled party bags, several themes are available.
No party bag is complete without a balloon! For a more eco-friendly product, source balloons made from natural rubber. FairKind Child sell affordable mini balloons - and crucially for the eco-friendly party bag, they are compostable.
Small wooden toys make fun party bag fillers. The challenge is to find something affordable. At under £2 each, Lanka Kade’s gorgeous brightly painted wooden spinning tops fit the bill perfectly.
Slipping hair clips or hair ties into a party bag definitely meets the ‘useful’ criteria. Unfortunately, it’s not easy to find hair accessories that are both sustainable and cute. The Mimi and Lula range is beautiful and has better eco credentials than many.
With sustainability in mind, you may want to avoid the glittered options.
A party bag slice of birthday cake is a must, of course. But you can also add other edible treats to your list of party bag fillers. Something homemade will be healthier, and probably cheaper. Try cookies cut into novelty shapes and decorated, or strawberries dipped in melted chocolate.
If your child’s birthday coincides with Easter, Hallowe’en or Christmas, you automatically have a useful source of party bag ideas. How about fabric Christmas tree decorations, small chocolate eggs or home baked Hallowe’en biscuits?
The bag
Last, but definitely not least, don’t forget to make the party bag itself as eco-friendly as possible…
Swap plastic for paper. The Paper Party Bag Shop has a good choice of paper party bags. Eco Party Bag has a selection of rainbow colours with sturdy string handles. At 50p each, they are more affordable than many paper options. Both companies also stock a range of budget friendly and sustainable party bag gifts.
If you have a generous budget or a small guest list, check out RAPPU’s recycled fabric furoshiki to use in place of a bag. They make a striking way to create eco-friendly party bags with a difference. The RAPPU furoshiki comes with a recycled card instruction booklet - so the party guest’s family can make the most of their furoshiki. Furoshiki gift wrapping is also a fun and hands on way for children to learn about green living. Useful, reusable and a swap for plastic. They’re the last word in sustainability!
Happy eco partying!
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