When you are planning an event, especially one as large as a wedding, there are many things to consider: budget, theme, comfort and, hopefully, sustainability. When it comes to party favors, I’m a big fan of gifting homemade things that are clean, green, and most importantly, useful!
From a practical perspective, I look for ideas that are both affordable and that are easy and fast to make in mass. With all of the planning and time it takes to throw a party, you will also want something error-proof.
These are some creative zero-waste party favors that fit the bill. Suitable for weddings, baby and bridal showers, graduations parties, or any other festivity, you will be sure to spoil your guests with your DIY crafts.
Live plants make wonderful gifts, but they can become a bit complicated to care for before your big day. This is why I think seeds are a better alternative for wedding favors. They are easy for your guests to travel with, you don’t have to worry about keeping them alive between when you receive them and the big day, and you don’t have to consider seasonality. I especially love the idea of giving seeds that are beneficial to pollinators! These butterfly garden seed sets, for example, yield beautiful plants and offer variety that your guests will love. Add a card that includes the types of seeds enclosed, and a little event-specific signature, and you have a unique, zero-waste gift that will help support the local ecosystems wherever your guests call home.
Everyone gets chapped lips, so gifting lip care sets can appeal to people with varying interests. Make several types of unique lip balms like coffee cardamom or ginger cookie, and include a non-scented variety so your guests can choose an option that fits their style. Pair it with a homemade lip scrub and tie it together with rustic twine as a “Kiss Magnet Starter Set.” This will be a nice tie-in to the occasion and make a fun conversation piece as well. Note that this may not be the best choice if you have an outdoor wedding in the summer, as they can melt in high heat.
Herbal tea blends are easy to make in large batches and are very esthetically pleasing. Keep in mind that loose-leaf tea is not something that every household is prepared to use, so you may want to include a few compostable tea filters and instructions for them with the package. You can find some tasty herbal tea blends on our blog, or you can craft your own!
We’re all familiar with vanilla extract, but there are so many other botanicals that you can craft into tasty cocktails or baking ingredients. Rose, cacao, cardamom, lemon balm, and ginger root all make excellent herbal liquors. You can even create a “love potion” blend for this purpose. Keep in mind you will need several weeks for the infusion process, but once infused, the pouring is easy! You can learn how to make tinctures on our blog.
Herb-infused honey makes a lovely gift! It can be made with a variety of different herbal ingredients to suit your preferences and the season of the occasion. We have a cinnamon spice and sleepy-time blend with lavender and chamomile on our blog, but the possibilities are truly limitless! Herbal honey is quite error-proof and once strained, it will be quick and easy to put together in a lovely package.
Herbal bath salts are beautiful and when put in upcycled clear glass jars, they make for an aesthetically pleasing party favor. With just a couple of key ingredients and a million possibilities for essential oils and herbs, they are highly customizable, and you can easily make several variations.
Herbal sachets are a wonderful option because you can have them pre-made, or offer bowls of beautiful herbs and cotton muslin bags for your guests to fill themselves. I prefer the latter because having your guests create their own adds a fun activity to the day’s events and makes for lighter work for the planners.
Simple to make and a gift that can be crafted with many ingredients you already have on hand, these delightful little fire starters add fun decorative elements to the function. I recommend making these in mini muffin pans to cut down cost and make it easier to transport in bulk. Note that these may not be ideal for outdoor summer weddings, as they can melt in high heat.
Gifting edible favors is one of the most sustainable offerings because they are consumable! Keep in mind that you might want to offer some variety for those with food allergies or sensitivities. Here are some tasty recipe inspirations:
One of the most challenging aspects of party favors is choosing something that everyone will enjoy. No matter how sustainable or inexpensive a party favor is, if your guest won’t use it, it’s still wasteful! Consider offering a sampling that people can choose from so that they can select something that more aligns with their lifestyle and interests. That is truly a zero-waste way to go and will provide depth and personal choice to your party favor table.
Pro Tip: While some of these recipes do contain some degree of packaging, you can add a few ways to up-cycle the packaging on each of the labels or cards. You can even include a recipe so they can refill their container!
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