The problem with glitter…

Actually, I don’t have a problem with glitter, in principle, but a LOT of people hate it. It’s something you either love or loathe. My husband cannot stand glitter and he gets pale and shaky at the thought of it entering our house.

I think most people hate it because it is hard to clean up and gets blooming everywhere.  It seems to creep into places that you wouldn’t expect to find it, and if you have been sent a glittery greetings card, you will probably be finding glitter on your clothes for days and days after you have opened it.

I happen to love glitter, and it’s well known that I am a fan. We use it at work for crafts and creative play, and I have been known to get excited at a glittery card arriving in the post.

However, there is a REAL problem with most glitter. As pretty and sparkly as it is, it’s not actually a good thing, if you are using conventional glitter you pick up in the shops or online, or glitter that is used commercially.

Glitter is really bad for the environment. 

• Most glitter products are made from plastic, which contributes to the growing problem of microplastics in the environment.
• Microplastics are consumed by plankton, fish, and birds, and have a detrimental impact. Animals often die because of the build-up in their systems.
• Some research has also found that PET, the plastic most glitter is made from, can break down and release chemicals that can disrupt human and animal hormones.

(Source info The Insider)

YIKES.

Image by rawpixel 

There is a call to ban glitter, but given that it is widely used for many things, and many businesses and craft companies use it, as well as people like me, the makeup artist industry, and other glitter users, that poses a problem.

I love glitter, I am all for glitter, but not if it is bad for our planet.

So what to do?

I decided that we would only use glitter that was biodegradable. So for at home, when we use it for crafts, or at work, or for glitter tattoos or in face masks, I will only use glitter that is made from products that break down, naturally and don’t cause a contamination problem in our environment.

This is more expensive. Biodegradable glitter is made from materials that cost more to source. I am ok with that.

You can get glitter that has been made from plant fibers, that naturally breaks down. This is, I have found the best kind to use, both for crafts and on skin.

However, you also need to make sure that the company you are buying your glitter from is sourcing what it uses to make the glitter in a way that isn’t damaging to the environment. You need to check, and not just buy random glitter from Amazon without checking.

So, it’s a bit more hard work. It will cost you more, but if you want glitter in your life, then it is worth making the effort to use the stuff that isn’t damaging to plant and water life.

I don’t want glitter banned, I would like to see it used with more care and thought, and made in an eco-friendly way. That’s a pipe dream, for now.

If you are looking for sources of glitter, for skin and makeup use Dust & Dance  works well.

If you are looking for craft glitter, Eco Glitter Fun has a range that can be safely used on skin but also works really well for crafts and creativity too.

I know, I know, if you hate glitter, this post is not for you, but if like me, you love glitter, but want to do better, then at least you know you can. That isn’t a bad thing.

Making glitter less of a problem but keeping the sparkle is just a little thing I am trying to do to make a difference.