Biodegradable glitter is must have for adding much needed eco sparkle for that special occasion! This sparkly, magic dust was first used a staggering 30,000 years ago when flakes of mica were used to give cave paintings a more glittery appearance. Prehistoric humans even used powdered hematite, a sparkling mineral to give their faces a bit more sparkle. Nowadays we use biodegradable glitter on our faces, bodies, hair, nails, and on fabric, paper, and even wood and metal.Â
Once used by glam rockers like David Bowie and Iggy Pop, now it has come back into mainstream fashion and is used in a variety of colours and sizes, as well as at festivals and music concerts.
So what’s the problem? The problem is that most commercial glitter is made from polyethylene terephthalate and aluminium, the former which breaks down into microplastics, which then pose the risk of hormone disruption in humans and animals. According to some sources, these particles could take as long as 1000 years to biodegrade.
While the particles are indeed tiny and you might think that the damage they cause is somewhat negligible when compared to plastic bags and bottles, we should still do what we can to reduce the amount of plastic we use. Several UK festivals have indeed proposed to ban all single use plastics by 2021 and the proposed ban includes plastic glitter.
But don’t panic, there is an eco friendly, sustainable alternative. On the market to meet the demands of biodegradable glitter fans worldwide are a range of eco, biodegradable glitters made from 100% biodegradable, recyclable ingredients and vegan plant products. Just as colourful, just as sparkly, and just as fun, but better for the environment, these eco, biodegradable glitters do the job and allow you to feel good without knowing you are contributing to the global plastic crisis.