Glass, in its simplest form, is made from a fusion of silica (sand), soda and lime, this fusion can be achieved merely by lightning striking in a place where the right ingredients happen to be adjacent to each other. However, when man makes glass other ingredients are added, the point being there is considerable science in making your clear, coloured and frosted glass. 
Today we see glass as a normal part of day-to-day life, but it has a long history. It was made by potters in Egypt as early as 12,000 B.C. with the first ‘vase’ produced as early as 300 to 200 B.C. – so hopefully, as a florist using Glass, you appreciate the road of discovery glass has come along.
Today, the UK glass industry produces an estimated 3.7 million tonnes of glass per year, the majority of production is for containers and 90% of the containers produced are for the food and drinks industry, glazing in construction and the automotive industry. So whilst florists don’t get a mention in the glassware usage stats, we are using it more and more to create a splash!
At Workbox we believe creativity in design is critical so we work hard to source glassware with fresh and unique features – something new for your collections in 2009! It is important that we find suppliers who design their own collections, this differentiates their product , yet still allows them to source quality manufacturers from across the world to provide a competitively priced product. So hopefully you can see how to use the shapes shown in your artistry.
An innovative range of glassware is important. We believe it is a great platform from which florists can build their masterpieces. There are many sundries which compliment glass perfectly, gels, coloured waters, sand and even coloured cellophane to give that ‘iced’ feel to a centre-piece
It is also nice to know that traditional florist sundries such as raffia, sisal abacca ribbon, organza still have a role in stunning creations. Glass can be viewed as expensive unless it can be used on a number of occasions, wedding themes, rotation of corporate works etc – it can be an economic way of differentiating you and your brand.
Glass design continues to push the boundaries and hopefully inspires new uses and adventurous design in our industry. Florists artistry will be the key to a sustainable market, here at Workbox will try and do our bit to find something inspirational for you to work with!
Good luck in creating new adoration from your customers.
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