Walk through any craft store in November and the wreath aisle is a museum of materials that won’t biodegrade for centuries. Plastic ribbon, polyester berries, wire frames coated in PVC, foam pinecones, glittered styrofoam ornaments, hot glue, plastic mesh — a typical $40 store-bought holiday wreath contains 15-25 different non-compostable components, all of which end up in a landfill when the wreath is eventually thrown out.
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The full-compostable alternative isn’t difficult to build. With about 90 minutes of work, $15-30 in materials, and access to a backyard yard waste pile or municipal compost cart, you can have a wreath that’s beautiful for the holiday season and then disappears completely back into the soil. This article walks through the build — materials, construction, and the choices that separate “mostly compostable” from “actually compostable in a backyard pile.”
Why most holiday wreaths aren’t compostable
Before getting to the build, a quick look at what’s wrong with the standard wreath:
Wire frame: Most wreath frames are galvanized wire — metal, doesn’t compost. Even “natural” wreath bases often have a wire ring inside the visible greenery.
Floral wire: The thin wire used to attach decorations. Metal, doesn’t compost.
Plastic ribbon: Polyester or polypropylene. Centuries to break down. Sometimes labeled “biodegradable” with no certification to back it up.
Hot glue: EVA-based polymer. Doesn’t biodegrade. Holds materials together but contaminates compost.
Synthetic greenery: Polyester pine needles dyed green. Visually convincing, environmentally awful.
Foam berries and ornaments: Polystyrene with paint coating. Lasts forever.
Glitter: Microplastic. Spreads in compost piles and contaminates soil widely.
Plastic-backed bows: Many “fabric” bows have plastic backing or wire reinforcement.
Even an artisanal “natural” wreath from a craft fair often has hidden plastic — the wire frame inside, the ribbon, the hot glue holding the materials together. Truly compostable construction requires choosing every component with disposal in mind.
The compostable materials list
Here’s what to source for a backyard-compostable wreath:
Frame: grapevine wreath base ($5-10 at craft stores or harvested from wild grapevines). Pure plant material, no metal core. Lasts as a structural element through the season then breaks down completely in compost in 6-18 months.
Alternative: hand-woven willow or birch branch base. Same compostable profile, slightly more elegant aesthetic.
Avoid: any wreath base that has wire inside, even if the outside looks natural.
Greenery: fresh evergreen cuttings. Pine, fir, spruce, cedar, juniper, holly, magnolia. Can be cut from your own yard, sourced from a local tree farm (many sell wreath-making bundles for $10-15), or scavenged from pruning a friend’s evergreen tree. All fully compostable.
Avoid: artificial greenery (always synthetic), preserved/painted/glittered greenery (contaminated with synthetic coatings).
Decorative berries: dried real berries. Rose hips, juniper berries, holly berries (decorative — these are toxic, don’t put near food), bittersweet, hawthorn. All compost cleanly.
Alternative: dried orange slices, dried cranberry strands.
Avoid: foam berries, plastic berries, glittered berries.
Pinecones: real ones, untreated. Forage from any pine, spruce, or fir tree. They’re free, abundant in fall, and compost completely.
Avoid: glittered pinecones, painted pinecones, scented pinecones (often coated in fragrance oils).
Ribbon: cotton, linen, jute, hemp, or burlap. Natural fiber ribbons are widely available at fabric stores and craft shops. They compost in 3-12 months in a backyard pile.
Avoid: polyester satin, plastic-backed grosgrain, wire-edged ribbons (the wire is metal).
Bows: same materials as ribbon — cotton, linen, jute. Tie traditional bows by hand. Skip pre-made bows, which often have plastic or wire reinforcement.
Attachment: natural twine or jute string. For tying greenery to the frame and securing decorations. Hemp or jute twine is ideal — strong, fully compostable.
Avoid: floral wire (metal), zip ties (plastic), twist ties (often have wire core).
Optional decorative accents:
– Cinnamon sticks (compostable, smell beautiful)
– Star anise pods (compostable)
– Dried citrus slices (orange, lemon — compostable)
– Wooden ornaments (raw wood, no paint)
– Acorns, sweet gum balls, walnut shells (compostable)
What to skip entirely:
– Hot glue (use jute twine for attachment)
– Glitter or sparkle
– LED lights (the lights themselves and battery pack contaminate compost)
– Bells or metal ornaments
– Painted or treated wood ornaments
The build (90-minute construction)
Step 1: Prepare the frame (5 minutes).
Lay the grapevine wreath base flat on a work surface. If using a fresh-harvested vine base, let it dry for 24 hours first so the structure stiffens.
Step 2: Bundle the greenery (15 minutes).
Cut your evergreen branches into 4-6 inch sprigs. A typical 14-inch wreath uses 30-50 sprigs, depending on density preference. Group sprigs into small bundles of 3-5 stems each, with longer needles toward the front.
If using multiple evergreen types (mixing pine + cedar + juniper, for example), pre-mix the bundles so the variety distributes evenly around the wreath rather than clustering in one section.
Step 3: Attach greenery (40 minutes).
Working in one direction around the wreath base, place each bundle against the frame and tie it on with jute twine. Wrap the twine 2-3 times around the bundle and frame, knot, trim the excess twine. Each bundle should overlap the previous one by about half its length, hiding the twine of the previous attachment.
This is the most time-consuming part. Expect 30-50 attachment points. The result is a uniformly green ring with no visible base showing through.
Step 4: Add decorative elements (20 minutes).
Once the greenery is fully attached, place pinecones, berries, dried citrus, cinnamon sticks, and other accents. Tie each on with jute twine — no glue. For pinecones, wrap twine around the base scales and tie to the frame; for cinnamon sticks, bundle 3 together with twine and tie the bundle to the wreath; for dried citrus, thread twine through pre-drilled holes.
Distribute decorations asymmetrically for a more natural look — clustering in 2-3 areas rather than evenly spaced.
Step 5: Add the bow (10 minutes).
Cut a 4-foot length of cotton or jute ribbon. Tie a traditional bow at the wreath’s bottom or top, leaving 12-18 inches of tail on each side. Trim the tails on a diagonal cut for finished appearance. Use a small length of jute twine to secure the bow to the wreath.
Total time: about 90 minutes for a polished result.
Hanging the finished wreath
Use a natural-fiber wreath hanger (cotton or jute rope loop) over a door, or a wooden wreath hook. Avoid metal-spring wreath hangers, which aren’t compostable themselves but can be reused indefinitely if you remove and store them between seasons.
If hanging on an exterior door:
– Direct sun exposure will dry the greenery faster (3-4 weeks vs 6-8 weeks in shade)
– Misting the wreath every 3-5 days extends greenery freshness
– Wind exposure may dislodge decorations; check periodically
A well-built wreath stays attractive for 6-10 weeks of typical winter conditions. Most holiday displays only need 4-6 weeks of service.
Composting the wreath after the season
The end-of-life process is where the compostable wreath delivers its real benefit:
Step 1: Disassemble (15 minutes).
Cut the jute twine connections (or just snip the wreath into 8-10 sections with garden shears). Separate the components into:
– Greenery (already starting to decompose)
– Pinecones, berries, dried materials
– Grapevine frame pieces
– Cotton/jute ribbon and twine
Step 2: Sort by composting speed.
The greenery and dried materials compost fastest (3-6 months in active pile). Pinecones and grapevine frame take longer (6-18 months). Cotton ribbon takes 6-12 months in active conditions. All eventually compost.
Step 3: Add to compost.
For backyard pile composters: distribute the wreath materials throughout the pile, not as one dense layer. Cover with brown matter (leaves, straw) to maintain pile balance.
For municipal organics customers: most municipal organics streams accept wreath materials. Check local guidelines — some have size restrictions on woody materials.
For drop-off site users: most yard waste drop-off sites accept wreath materials.
The complete decomposition timeline: greenery in 6 months, ribbon in 6-12 months, pinecones in 12-18 months, grapevine in 18-24 months. Two years after disposal, no trace of the wreath remains. The materials have returned to soil.
Cost comparison
Compostable handmade wreath:
– Grapevine base: $8
– Evergreen cuttings (mix from local tree farm): $12
– Pinecones, berries, dried materials: $5 (or free if foraged)
– Jute twine: $4 (lasts for 10+ wreaths)
– Cotton/jute ribbon: $6
– Total: ~$30, with ~$10 worth of materials remaining for next year
Standard store-bought wreath (synthetic):
– Decorated artificial wreath: $25-50
– Reusable for 3-5 seasons typically before showing wear
– Not compostable; ends up in landfill after retirement
Labor consideration: The handmade wreath takes 90 minutes; the store-bought wreath takes the time to drive to the store. For most people, an hour and a half of seasonal craft work is enjoyable; for others, time-constrained, the store-bought option wins on convenience.
The cost is comparable. The aesthetic of the handmade compostable wreath is generally more “intentional rustic” than mass-produced synthetics. The disposal pathway is dramatically different.
Variations for different aesthetics
Minimalist Scandinavian: Just evergreen on grapevine base, single jute bow, no decorative accents. Reads modern and clean.
Traditional rustic: Pine + fir + cedar greenery, dried orange slices, cinnamon sticks, red cotton ribbon. Reads farmhouse Christmas.
Berry-focused: Greenery base plus heavy use of dried rose hips and juniper berries. Reads natural and forest-inspired.
Asymmetric modern: Greenery covering only one side of the grapevine base, exposed vine on the other side, single bow at the transition. Reads designer/contemporary.
Edible-foraged: Built entirely from foraged materials — branches, pinecones, dried wild berries. Zero purchased components. Reads completely natural.
All variations work with the basic compostable construction approach.
Why this matters more than it might seem
A single wreath isn’t going to save the planet. But the broader pattern — using purchased decorations made of permanent synthetic materials for a few weeks of seasonal display — is a pattern worth reconsidering.
US households throw out an estimated 50-80 million holiday wreaths and decorative items each year, the vast majority going to landfill. Even if that’s a small fraction of total waste, it’s a fraction that has a clearly available zero-impact alternative — natural materials that return to soil.
For households with established composting practice, the compostable wreath is a natural extension. For households new to composting, building one is a tangible “this is what compostable means” project that makes the abstract concept concrete.
For broader compostable items in everyday use, the compostable food containers and compostable trash bags categories cover the everyday products. The wreath is a once-a-year project; the compostable foodware is an everyday choice. Both contribute to the same broader practice of choosing materials that close the loop rather than persisting forever.
A reasonable summary
A holiday wreath built entirely from compostable materials — grapevine frame, fresh evergreen, dried berries, pinecones, cotton or jute ribbon, jute twine — is achievable in 90 minutes for $30 of materials. It hangs on the door for the season, looks beautifully natural, and after the holidays goes straight into a backyard compost pile or municipal yard waste cart, where it disappears back into soil within 2 years.
The trade-off vs a store-bought synthetic wreath is small (slightly more labor, slightly more material sourcing time) and the disposal benefit is large (zero landfill contribution vs typical 5-15 years of plastic, foam, and wire ending up in a landfill).
For households that compost, the compostable wreath fits the existing practice. For households new to the idea, it’s a satisfying one-day project that produces something beautiful and that demonstrates concretely what “compostable” means in a way that food packaging discussions don’t always achieve. Either way, the holiday season ends with the door looking lovely, the wreath providing months of joy, and the materials returning peacefully to the earth.
For B2B sourcing, see our compostable supplies catalog or compostable bags catalog.
Verifying claims at the SKU level: ask suppliers for a current Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) certificate or an OK Compost mark from TÜV Austria, and check that retail-facing copy meets the FTC Green Guides qualifier requirement on environmental claims.