Most traditional glitter is made out of plastic, which turns into microplastic litter and causes significant harm to the environment. Fortunately for those of us who love sparkly things, there are eco-friendly glitter alternatives that will break down into the dirt or ocean instead of sticking around forever and hurting the ecosystem.
There are a few different types of eco-friendly glitter, each with differing levels of eco-friendliness and different Best Practices for Disposal. In general, eco-friendly glitter is made from layers of plant cellulose, colorant, and sometimes a small amount of aluminum (more on that here). Just like anything that decomposes, eco-friendly glitter needs to be in an environment with a healthy balance of microbes, moisture, heat, and oxygen in order to break down -- he good part about that is that it means the glitter will not break down if kept tightly sealed on a cool, dry shelf.
Compostable glitter doesn't mean it can be tossed in your compost bin, unfortunately. This type of glitter needs a significant amount of heat, which is why it's best to send compostable glitter down the drain when you dispose of it. Natural environments with enough water won't have enough heat, but if the glitter gets flushed down the drain they'll end up in a wastewater treatment facility, which has the industrial composting environment it needs.
The best and type of glitter that's safest for the environment is fully ocean-safe biodegradable glitter. It is made to biodegrade easily when introduced to most environments, including the ocean. Studies and tests have determined that this type of glitter will usually biodegrade within 2 weeks to a month. Biodegradable glitter left in more arid environments like deserts will take a little longer because it still needs moisture, but bottom line is, the glitter won't be here forever, as opposed to microplastics which last for thousands of years. That's pretty innovative technology, and it's being improved on all the time.
GLITLICKER stocks a selection of each type sourced from multiple small businesses, labeled with a clear color-code so you can determine which options work best with your use. Green lips means compostable, blue lips means biodegradable. We're not affiliated with any manufacturers, but I do as much research as I can to make sure I know exactly what I'm getting, and the goal is to help cut down on microplastics (not to get rich, ha) so I'll just focus on sustainable sourcing for now and communicate any updates as well as I can.
Nothing is perfect yet, but the technology is rapidly evolving and being led by innovative eco-friendly glitter company Bioglitter--we are not affiliated with them, I just think they're up there with backyard beekepers in People I Think Are Saving The World. This article is only meant to scratch the surface with a simplified explanation that applies to GLITLICKER eco-friendly glitter product FAQs, so if you'd like the most in-depth and updated info, check out the Bioglitter education website at www.discoverbioglitter.com
Happy sparkling!
