Easy To Make Eco-Friendly Birthday Decorations

We love to celebrate birthdays! But, we always want to make our celebrations as green as possible. So, we’ve put together a guide on easy-to-make eco-friendly birthday decorations to make your next birthday party a bash to remember. Don’t forget to check our Panda Joy range ofeco-friendly birthday cards while you’re here.

Eco-friendly Birthday Decorations to make at home

Part of a birthday party is undoubtedly about the decorations you use. They set the mood and make the occasion. We love a themed party and think it can help you decorate with style. So, think about what the overall vibe of the party is. You might choose a particular colour palette, a season or something more fun like cartoons or safari! If this is a kid’s party, you can certainly get creative and make it all about their favourite hobby or toys. But don’t be afraid to pick a theme for a more grownup party. We love a bit of dress-up! 

Use What You Have

The most eco-friendly birthday decorations are the ones you don’t buy. Party decorations are often used just once, so they can easily be wasted. So, our alternative is to reuse what you already have and hopefully reuse it for years to come. Explore any decorations you have stored in cupboards, the loft or the garage. Christmas decorations are great even if it’s for a birthday party. Fairy lights, candles, wreaths and baubles can all add a little sparkle. Using what you already have is definitely the most eco-friendly option to adorn your party location. 

Paper & Fabric Decorations

Paper and natural fabric decorations are great options for eco-friendly birthday decorations. Most party paraphernalia is made of plastic, which can pollute the planet in their manufacture. They are also difficult to recycle or upcycle, so they are often used only once and thrown in landfill. Instead, paper decorations can be made from natural materials like bamboo, which is better for the earth. Choose FSC-certified paper decorations and look for tree-free or recycled options. Plus, paper decorations are easy to recycle at home. Though we hope you keep them to reuse for the next party! There are plenty of tutorials online to make paper pom poms, streamers and lanterns.

Fabric decorations like bunting or streamers are also more eco-friendly. They can be reused countless times and will really brighten up the party. Look for natural fabrics like cotton, bamboo and hemp over plastic polyester or nylon.  Make sure you take care to store them properly, and you can keep them as part of your party pack for years to come. Bunting and banners are very easy to make if you have a sewing machine. But, fabric strips can easily be hand-sewn or even tied to rope or ribbon for an easy photo backdrop. 

Plants, Veg and Natural Elements

We love nature in all its beauty and think it can make the perfect eco-friendly birthday decorations for a green party. Flowers and plants can be used to decorate throughout the party. They are a fantastic natural way to bring colour to the soiree! 

But, we think we can be a bit more creative. Why not make a wreath out of natural elements? You can buy wreath bases and some floral wire relatively cheaply, but you might want to use what you already have at home. We’ve found hula hoops a great way to make beautiful wreaths. Collect your plant materials from your garden, neighbours or friends, or ask people at allotments for cuttings. Start with a green foliage base to bulk it out, and then get creative. Flowers, pine cones, spices like cinnamon sticks, ribbons, baubles and anything decorative can be used. Use your imagination and go wild! 

Another way to add some natural elements to your birthday party (especially good for adults) is to use fresh fruits and veg. Think about harvest parties, where people decorate the table with produce, candles and flowers. We hungry pandas love food, and it usually’s centre stage at birthday parties, so why not make it part of the decorations too? At the end of the party, you’ve got your food shop sorted for the week too!

Cardboard Creations

We’ve already mentioned paper decorations, but cardboard needs its own section. You can make literally anything from cardboard. Plus, it’s easy to find for free and completely recyclable. Just make sure to remove any plastic tape, staples or plasticky labels.  

We’ve seen some unbelievable creations in cardboard. Use the cardboard to create the basic shape and plastic-free tape to secure it together. Then you can use paper mache to cover the shape in several layers of paper. This strengthens what you’ve made but also gives you an excellent base to paint on. To ensure you keep this decoration as eco-friendly as possible, look for natural paints, use natural glue (you can make your own from flour!) and don’t add glitter or other plastic elements. Check outPinterest, it is a great website to start building inspiration and finding tutorials to craft cardboard.  

We hope you’ve found some fun inspiration for your eco-friendly birthday decorations. Check out our blog for more eco-friendly ways to celebrate birthdays and other occasions.