Sharing what moves and inspires us.

Composting has always been an integral part of the Phoam Labs journey—a baked-in aim that has guided our decision-making from the very beginning. We’ve taken a pragmatic approach to tackling the complex and often inconsistent issue of florist business waste, recognising that composting standards can vary greatly around the world. Achieving our TÜV industrial composting certification was a major milestone, but it was only the first step on a much longer road. As we’ve progressed, we’ve become even more committed to understanding the composting infrastructure and how our product fits into it.

Taking on a challenge of this scale is no small feat, and no single person or organisation holds all the answers. What we do know is that we’re part of a growing community of like-minded individuals across the floristry industry, all committed to meaningful change. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution, but each of us plays a vital role—and together, we can make a real difference.

What began as a mission to reduce plastic waste in floristry has evolved into something broader: helping to divert more green waste to composting facilities, sharing knowledge, and learning as we go. That’s why we’re proud to partner with Com:post, who are making rapid progress in redirecting floral waste away from landfill and into a growing network of UK composting sites. It’s a win–win solution—tackling methane emissions while producing nutrient-rich compost, and closing the loop in spectacular style.

Hannah Martin, co-founder of COM:POST, brings a florist’s perspective with over 20 years in the industry. Understanding the scale of green waste generated by the floristry industry, she has made it her mission to ensure that this waste is handled responsibly. Com:post’s approach is rooted in transparency, education, and quality control—partnering only with composting sites that maintain rigorous standards and a hands-on process.

One of the most common questions florists ask is: what actually happens to green waste after it leaves the studio? That’s why we teamed up with our friends at COM:POST to visit one of their composting partners, Shorts Agricultural Services, near Bracknell, to see the full composting process in action—and understand how products like Phoam play a part in a cleaner, closed-loop system.

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Bryony Morten-Short is part of the third generation behind Short Agricultural Services Ltd, a family-run business founded in the late 1950s. Originally rooted in farming, the Shorts expanded into composting in the 1990s, building one of the UK’s most trusted green waste facilities. Bryony speaks with warmth and clarity about the craft of composting—sharing her deep knowledge of the process with passion and purpose. During our visit, she demystified each stage of the 13-week cycle, showing how the balance of green and brown materials, oxygen, moisture and time come together to create nutrient-rich compost. In a world that often values speed, Bryony champions the slow, natural, and sustainable rhythm of composting in scale.

For Bryony, the decontamination stage is absolutely fundamental to the success of the composting process. She emphasises that removing plastics and other contaminants at the very beginning is critical—because once shredded and mixed, even small pieces become difficult to extract. That’s why she’s been so impressed by the florists using the Com:post bag system, who consistently take care to remove rubber bands, wires, and plastic before sending their green waste. “If everything came contaminant-free, it would be great—but we know that’s not real life. That’s why we put a lot of effort into sorting at the front end. It’s key to ensuring quality compost at the back end. We love that florists are doing their part”

Bryony  shares the stages of composting—a natural process that’s been relied on for decades to return organic matter back to the earth. While the machinery and monitoring equipment have evolved to become more efficient, the core principles remain unchanged. It’s a slow, steady method that mirrors nature’s own cycles, breaking down green and brown waste into nutrient-rich compost without the need for artificial additives or high energy input.

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A successful composting process relies on getting the right balance of materials—particularly the ratio of green (nitrogen-rich) and brown (carbon-rich) waste. Too much of one and not enough of the other can slow or disrupt decomposition. At the Shorts composting facility, this balance is carefully monitored, with materials like flower stems, leaves, and trimmings forming the green waste, while compostable bags and Phoam bricks act as valuable brown waste. The team highlighted how well Phoam integrates into their system, breaking down effectively and supporting the natural composting cycle. When mixed in the right proportions, these diverse materials create the ideal conditions for aerobic decomposition—producing high-quality, nutrient-rich compost without compromising the process.

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Step One: Sorting and Shredding

When green waste arrives at the site it’s unloaded and sorted for contamination. Rubber bands, plastics, or anything non-compostable is carefully removed to avoid issues later in the process. The clean green waste is then shredded into smaller, manageable pieces, ready to begin its transformation.

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Step Two: Sanitisation

The shredded material is formed into long heaps called windrows and enters a three- to four-week sanitisation phase. During this stage, temperatures rise to 70–75°C, which kills off pathogens, weed seeds, and any pesticide residues. The piles are monitored daily, ensuring optimal levels of moisture, oxygen, and heat—the holy trinity of aerobic decomposition.

Step Three: Stabilisation

Next, the material moves into a six- to seven-week stabilisation phase, where temperatures drop slightly (to around 55–65°C). The waste continues to break down, now more slowly and evenly, while the team carefully turns and probes the windrows to keep oxygen levels balanced and the process efficient. This is composting in its most natural, yet precise, form.

Step Four: Screening and Maturation

Once stabilised, the material is screened to remove any larger, undecomposed pieces. These are returned to the beginning of the process. The finer material then enters a final three-week maturation phase, where it completes its transformation into rich, earthy compost. Depending on the desired use, it’s screened to either 20mm (ideal for farms) or 10mm (perfect for garden beds and decorative landscaping).

Why It Matters for Florists—and for Phoam

The process we witnessed is one of the most environmentally friendly and energy-efficient forms of composting. Unlike high-energy methods like heated bays or in-vessel systems, open-windrow composting uses only time, air, water, and turning. For Phoam, this method offers proof of purpose: our compostable foam, along with compostable bags, breaks down cleanly and completely in a system like this—without leaving harmful residues. As florists increasingly move away from phenolic floral foam, ensuring a product truly composts in the real world—not just in theory—is essential. Composting sites like Shorts are rigorous in their standards, testing every new product that enters the system. We’re proud to say that Phoam is currently undergoing successful trials here, visibly breaking down and contributing to a greener end product.

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The Bigger Picture: A Closed-Loop Future

Perhaps most inspiring was seeing how this compost goes full circle. The very compost created here is used to grow more flowers—some of which will return as green waste, starting the cycle again. This is what a closed-loop system looks like in action: waste transformed into resources, and the floral industry becoming part of a regenerative cycle.

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Discover more about Phoam. The world first compostable flower foam

Join the Earth-to-Earth movement with COM:POST

Learn more about Shorts Agricultural Services

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