best fair and ethical bouquets

If you want to send a surprise to your loved one for Valentine’s Day, a bouquet of blooming flowers is always a surefire choice.
A quick search online reveals many pretty options, but if you’re concerned about durability, there are a number of things to consider before ordering your flowers.
Where do they come from? The vast majority of cut flowers we enjoy in the UK come from overseas, meaning your bouquet has often come a long way to your front door. It’s not necessarily worse than choosing British stems, as they’re sometimes grown in energy-intensive greenhouses, but if buying local or cutting air miles is important to you, stick with English bunches.
What are the working conditions? We all want to support safe and supportive work practices. Look for flower brands that display Fair trade, Florverde or other recognized ethical certifications on their websites, so you know staff are treated fairly and earn a living wage. Essentially, brands should be happy to shout about it. If they aren’t, there’s probably a reason for it.
How were they grown? Chemical pesticides can negatively affect surrounding wildlife and eventually seep into the water supply, so look for organic fertilization methods. Naturally, flowers need a lot of water, but the most environmentally friendly flowers will be grown in a way that keeps an eye on water usage and carbon emissions. Brands must also dispose of their waste responsibly.
How are they packaged? Committed to reducing single-use plastics? Many bunches are still packaged in non-recyclable cellophane. Fortunately, some companies have started using a new biodegradable alternative. Or better yet, none. We have described these brands below.
How we test flower delivery services
We tested 20 flower delivery services to find the most reliable online florists. We sent bouquets from each brand to a panel of 190 people, who reported on their experience. They told us how the flowers arrived, what they thought of the packaging and how long they bloomed. We also ordered a bouquet from each company to assess the online ordering experience ourselves.
Below, we’ve rounded up the best ethical and sustainable flowers you can buy, taking into account packaging, environmental impact, labor conditions and transportation methods.
If in doubt, contact the brands themselves. Most of the companies below have a live chat feature for quick answers to your questions.
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