Preserving fresh flowers into sustainable art

Reevein studios in Copenhagen Denmark, is on a mission to turn save fresh flowers and turn them into sustainable art pieces.

Reevein Studios based in central Copenhagen Denmark, wants to give fresh-cut flowers a sustainable second incarnation.

It's a global story. Yes, 2020 will be forever that year which world turned our world upside down due to Covid 19 and continues to do so. However, out of its many challenges, adversities and just plain chaos, many genius ideas and new businesses have emerged.

In March 2020 at the height of the global lockdown, Reevein Studios founders, Sara Rosa Oppermann and Alice Soro Cillara found themselves both isolated from their respective mothers as Mother's Day approached in Denmark. Unable to send fresh flowers due to 'high covid risks factors' - the pair turned love and longing into beautiful flower art pieces, which give the gift of flower longevity to any receiver.

As we leave Valentine's Day 2021 behind with an estimated 250 million roses produced for that day alone and head straight into the cut flower market's second biggest annual consumption PR day - Mother's Day soon the dilemma of the fresh cut flower industry's waste looms ahead. I love fresh cut flowers, I buy them and I'm lucky they are also bought for me, so this is not a fresh flower bashing article. Flowers symbolise appreciation, love, and often words and hugs not expressed.

So how do we balance our love of fresh flowers, the beauty and important life-stage meanings of association they bring, when the life-span of a fresh-cut flower from field to bin is just 15 days?

Copenhagen: Reevein Studio's flower art and co-founder Sara Rosa Oppermann_Photos Reevein Studios

I put this question to Sara Rosa Oppermann co-founder of REEVIEN STUDIOS, a new conscious floral studio based in Copenhagen, Denmark on a mission to turn the beloved fresh-cut flower symbol into a sustainable art piece.

"It's a very interesting question. What is the golden path between a damaging mass overconsumption and the beautiful natural symbolism of buying fresh flowers represent? First of all, we at Reevein truly love fresh flowers and we do not intending to facilitate a movement against the industry. Instead it's our ambition is to spur a reflection about the importance of flowers in our society and most crucially, an understanding of the toll it's taking on our planet to mass produce it."

The cut flower industry is a billion-dollar market and with millions of tons of flowers being transported across long-distances increasing harmful CO2 whilst only having a short-shelf life. As an alternative, Sara believes a more conscious approach is needed. "As flower lovers we can purchase more locally sourced and harvested flowers" she says.

This has been a very successful mindset and sustainabilty lifestyle change for millions, as a result of the pandemic, as we have seen everywhere, with the increase consumption of locally sourced, produced and grown food.

Photos: Reevein Studios

Reevein want to make the clear distinction, they are not creating paper flowers or dried flowers, but defining an entirely new product category of art. The flowers are produced from surplus material and developed by hand. Therefore, production time from order to delivery is considered. Every flower is hand-crafted ,so no two flowers are identical.

"Reevein is created on a Slow Flower philosophy" says co-founder Alice Soro Cillara "our production is dictated with respect for the creative process, rather than letting the classic commercial agendas speed up the production and impacting the product or environment."

LR: Reevein Studio's interpretation of the Nordic plant Lungelav and co-founder Alice Soro Cillara

" Our mission was and continues to be, to create an alternative and a beautiful symbol, which provides life and joy in people's lives, while at the same time creates value for local companies' surplus materials." Alice Soro Cillara

In terms of symbolism, the founders believe that the flower art pieces they create can represent long-lasting memories shared with loved ones on special occasions, and as art in the home.

For more information and to order visit www.reevein.dk

The shop and showroom is scheduled to open up after the danish Covid- lockdown in March 2021.