Starting in October 2023, you can get your hands on the NEW 100% recyclable, Paper Poppies!

These new poppies have been created using a mix of fibres from responsible sources. This means you can put the poppy in your home recycling bin once you are finished with it.

Removing Single-Use Plastic

Over the last three years, the Royal British Legion have been developing the plastic-free poppy in collaboration with expert partners, to reduce its use of single-use plastics. Their aim is to be more economical, sustainable, and less impactful to the environment.

Hundreds of iterations of the poppy design were explored during the design process, scrutinising form, finish, and usability. Paper was chosen over expensive and complex bio-based plastics to create a single-material solution that can be easily reused and recycled.

Crafted From Coffee Cup Waste And Assessed For Sustainability

The new poppies have been created from bespoke red and green paper. These papers have been produced from a blend of renewable fibres from responsible sources. 50% of these materials have been recovered from the waste used in the production of coffee cups.

They have done this by working with experts at the University College London.

Professor Paola Lettieri (FREng) from UCL’s Department of Chemical Engineering, said: “We looked at its carbon footprint and factors like how much water and resources go into making it, in what’s called a Life Cycle Assessment. By replacing the single-use plastic with a paper-based design, and increasing the amount of recycled paper used, UCL found that the new poppy design has a 40% smaller carbon footprint and a similar reduction in its overall impact on the environment.”

Maintaining A National Icon

Wanting to keep the iconic poppy design and leaf shape, this will be the first time in 28 years that a new poppy has been developed.

This huge change reinforces Royal British Legion’s drive to be more sustainable and reduce its impacts on the environment, whilst ensuring that the poppy continues to be a national symbol of Remembrance for the service and sacrifices of the Armed Forces community.

Available To Buy This Poppy Appeal

The paper poppy will be available from October alongside any remaining stocks of the current poppy to reduce any waste of poppies already produced and can be fastened with a pin or inserted into a buttonhole on clothing.

Poppies containing single-use plastic can be returned to Sainsbury’s stores for recycling after the Poppy Appeal.

5 Things You Might Not Know About the Poppy:

1. Why do we wear poppies?
   Wearing a poppy shows your support for the service and sacrifice of our Armed Forces, veterans, and their families. It is representative of all those who lost their lives on active service, from the beginning of the First World War right up to the present day. Wearing a poppy also shows your support for civilian services and the uniformed services that continue to contribute to national peace and security.
2. There is no ‘correct’ way to wear a poppy
   Wearing a poppy is a personal choice reflecting individual and personal memories and associations of war and conflict. It is a matter of personal choice whether someone wears a poppy and how they choose to wear it. So, whether you choose to wear your poppy as a badge, a bag charm or a bracelet, the best way to wear a poppy is simply with pride.
3. The red poppy directly supports the Armed Forces Community
   The poppy is worn to show support for the Armed Forces communities across the UK, Allied Forces and the Commonwealth. Only donations from the sale of red poppies go directly towards helping the Armed Forces community.
4. Poppies are sold in every community across the UK
   Every year the rumour that poppies have been banned in some communities is circulated. This is simply just that, a rumour that is not true. Each year, thousands of volunteers from all walks of life take to the streets, train stations and supermarkets around the country to help raise vital funding.
5. Poppies weren’t always sold with leaves!
   Like the natural flower, the original version of the poppy did not feature a leaf. A leaf was first introduced in the 1960’s and they slowly became an optional extra. By 1984 demand for them had grown to 12 million a year, and in 1995 poppies with leaves included were made available for the first time.

However, you choose to wear your poppy this Remembrance Day, know that you are not only supporting the Royal British Legion, but the environment as well.

If you wish to donate and get your own paper poppy, visit: https://www.britishlegion.org.uk/

Sources:

https://www.britishlegion.org.uk/get-involved/remembrance/about-remembrance/the-poppy/new-plastic-free-poppy

https://www.britishlegion.org.uk/stories/11-things-you-might-not-know-about-the-poppy

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