Fresh, Green & Gathered: 7 Sustainable Styling Tips for Early-Summer Entertaining

Courtesy: @carolinefernandesdesigns

Why Eco-Kind Design Matters?

Outdoor parties should celebrate nature, not deplete it. By choosing earth-friendly materials and low-waste practices, you reduce your gathering’s footprint while elevating its story.

 

Swap Single-Use for Timeless Pieces

Trade disposable plates for bamboo, Areca Leaves or stoneware.

Replace plastic straws with metal or better yet home-grown mint sprigs as stirrers.

 

Lean on Local & Seasonal

Styling stems from what’s in bloom. June’s Irish hedgerows offer oxeye daisies, cow parsley and aromatic honeysuckle—no air-freighted roses required.

 

Edible Centrepieces

Fill terracotta pots with living herbs (basil, lemon verbena) down the table’s spine. Guests pinch leaves for their drinks, scenting the air naturally and eliminating floral waste.

 

Candles that Care

Choose slow-burn, sustainable candles free of paraffin; bonus if sourced from responsible handcrafted brands like Rathbornes. They burn cleaner for guests and kinder for the planet.

 

Upcycle & Re-imagine

Old jam jars become tealight holders; wine crates flip into impromptu side tables. A quick sand and a coat of low-VOC paint gives forgotten items a second summer.

 

Send Guests Home Plastic-Free

Offer seed-paper place cards that double as favours—guests plant them for pollinators and remember your soirée long after.

Want to make this summer setups more sustainable? Find out a plethora of choices with Rathbornes