She&He Friend: Green Dinnerware

By Annette Hoegner, LA Division Manager, Firefly Occasions Inc.

Another trend becoming more popular with our eco-friendly brides is to use biodegradable plates, cups and utensils. It can be a great way to implement some great products like Verterra Dinnerware. I recently saw this product at a business fair and was really impressed. VerTerra, a new eco-friendly servingware line, features dishes, plates, bowls, and cups made entirely from fallen leaves and water—no plastics or chemicals. The pieces have a wood-grain look and are oven, refrigerator, and microwave friendly. They are sturdy enough to be hand washed and reused, but will naturally compost in under six weeks. If you would like to learn more about it you can visit http://www.verterra.com/.

Another type of product that can be used for your “green wedding” are utensils made of corn startch and sugar cane fiber. They are suitable for foods up to 200 degrees F. Unlike petroleum based plastics, these are made from annually renewable resources and depending on composting conditions can take up to 24 months to biodegrade in a composting system. A great source for these products is  www.worldcentric.org.

If these options are not as elegant as you would like for your wedding don’t despair. You can opt for reusable china, stemware, and silverware from local rental places. You can always feel good about using products that won’t end up in our local landfills.