Florists: Essential Links in the Industry's Transformation

Every year during the holiday season, we can’t escape the recurring debate about the globalized flower market, where the bulk of production—centralized in the Netherlands—takes place in other parts of the world, whether in Ecuador, Colombia, Kenya, or Ethiopia. At this time of year, florists are inevitably singled out for criticism, even though they are both dependent on a market they do not control and agents of change in their own right.

However, because of their vital role in local commerce, artisan florists actually play a decisive role in raising their customers’ awareness of the seasonality of flowers and promoting more responsible consumption of plants.

Both a favorite of the French and an essential link

In fact, the French value craftsmanship and local businesses. A 2017 BVA survey shows that 81% of them say they trust artisans. The main reasons for this trust stem primarily from their recognition of the quality of the services provided and the artisans’ training: their professional expertise, craftsmanship, and, of course, the quality of the products they offer for sale. 

Even more telling figures show that artisans are perceived as guardians of traditional craftsmanship (94%), hardworking (93%), and skilled (91%). Furthermore, florists remain the leading sellers of flowers in France today, despite the crises and store closures imposed during the pandemic. 

Given the deep affection shown by the French, florists are undoubtedly in the best position to guide their customers toward better purchasing practices. They are, in fact, well-equipped to recommend the most beautiful seasonal varieties to their customers, thereby gently encouraging more responsible practices. 

Giving a Voice to Artisans and Florists

In fact, artisanal florists are often at the forefront when it comes to devising more sustainable practices. Many florists are making more room for local flowers on their displays, minimizing their water consumption as much as possible, or managing the waste generated by their business. It’s precisely because we know that florists are already actively shaping the changes to come that we wanted to shine a spotlight on them! 

To support them in this effort, the Sessile collective is also working to transform distribution methods in order to change production practices: by enabling florists to break free from the catalog-driven model—which often forces them to carry the same flowers year-round and restricts their inventory choices—Sessile gives florists greater flexibility to offer seasonal flowers and more French-grown flowers. In addition, indicating the origin of the flowers is a good practice adopted by some of the collective’s florists when they list their bouquets online. 

What about you? How do you hope to contribute to the transformation of the industry in your own way? Tell us all about it!