Veterans Day commemorations across communities involve a range of memorial items — small flags placed at gravesites, ceremonial wreaths laid at memorials, programs printed for ceremonies, decorations at parade routes and gathering places, tribute flowers given to veterans and their families. The standard versions of nearly all these items are made from materials that produce landfill waste after the commemorations end: plastic flags with synthetic poles, foam wreaths with polyester ribbon, vinyl banners, plastic-backed printed materials, synthetic floral arrangements.
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For organizations and individuals planning Veterans Day events, compostable alternatives exist for nearly every element while preserving the visual gravity and respect the occasion calls for. The compostable options are often more aesthetically appropriate (natural materials read as “intentional reverence” rather than “cheap mass-produced”), comparable in cost, and produce no permanent waste. This article walks through the compostable alternatives across the main Veterans Day commemoration items.
Small flags for graves and memorial sites
The small American flags placed at veterans’ graves on Memorial Day and Veterans Day are traditionally plastic on a plastic pole. The flags fade quickly, the poles snap in wind, and after the commemoration the flags are typically collected and either disposed of (landfill) or stored for next year (degrading further).
Compostable alternatives:
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Cotton flag on wooden pole: Cotton flags with wooden dowel poles. Cost: $0.30-1.00 per flag depending on size and quality. Compostable when retired.
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Linen flag on bamboo pole: Premium option with longer durability and full compostability. Cost: $0.50-1.50 per flag.
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Recycled paper flag on biodegradable cardboard pole: Lower-cost option for one-time-use commemorations. Cost: $0.10-0.30 per flag.
For grave-marking applications where the flag stands for 1-7 days, the cotton or paper alternatives work well. For permanent markers (less common but used in some cemeteries), the cotton-on-wood option holds up best.
The U.S. Flag Code requires that worn or soiled flags be retired with dignity (typically by burning in a respectful ceremony). Cotton and natural fiber flags can be retired this way; the ceremony aligns with composting in the sense that both return materials to natural cycles. Synthetic flags should not be burned (release toxic compounds).
Memorial wreaths
Ceremonial wreaths laid at memorials are often constructed with foam bases, plastic ribbon, synthetic flowers, and wire frames. The compostable alternative:
Materials:
– Grapevine, willow, or fir branch wreath base (instead of foam)
– Real evergreen branches and pine boughs
– Real flowers (chrysanthemums in November, evergreens, dried roses)
– Cotton or linen ribbon (instead of polyester)
– Jute twine for attachment (instead of wire)
Construction: Same approach as standard wreath construction but with compostable materials throughout. Time investment: 60-120 minutes per wreath. Material cost: $20-60 per wreath depending on size and complexity.
Aesthetics: Natural-material wreaths look more “intentional reverent” than synthetic equivalents. The natural greens, real flowers, and natural fiber ribbons read as honoring rather than mass-produced.
Disposal: After the commemoration period (typically 1-2 weeks), the wreath can go to compost. The decomposition timeline is 3-12 months for the full wreath in active backyard piles or municipal organics.
For organizations that order multiple wreaths for ceremonies, custom compostable wreaths can be ordered from local florists who use natural materials, or from specialty sustainable florist suppliers.
Memorial banners and signage
Vinyl banners are the standard for Veterans Day signage at events, parade routes, and memorial sites. They produce significant landfill waste and don’t biodegrade.
Compostable alternatives:
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Cotton fabric banners: Hand-painted or screen-printed cotton fabric. Cost: $30-150 per banner depending on size. Reusable for many events; compostable at end of useful life.
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Hemp fabric banners: More durable than cotton; similar cost.
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Heavy paper banners: For one-time use events. Recycled paperboard with screen-printed messages. Cost: $10-50 per banner.
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Wooden plaques: For permanent memorial signs. Solid wood with carved or painted lettering. Compostable at end of useful life (decades from now).
Cotton or hemp banners can serve multiple events over years before retirement. The natural fiber aesthetic aligns with reverent commemoration better than glossy vinyl.
Programs and printed materials
Ceremony programs, brochures, and printed materials handed to attendees often include glossy or coated paper that’s difficult to recycle and not compostable.
Compostable alternatives:
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Recycled uncoated paper: Standard recycled paper, soy-based or water-based ink. Fully compostable. Cost: comparable to standard programs.
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Seed paper: Recycled paper with embedded wildflower seeds. Attendees can plant the program in soil after the ceremony, growing wildflowers as ongoing memorial. Cost: $0.50-2.00 per program.
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Hemp paper: More durable than wood-pulp paper, fully compostable. Higher cost.
For ceremonies, a seed paper program creates a meaningful follow-up — the attendee plants the program weeks later and remembers the ceremony as the wildflowers bloom. Particularly appropriate for Veterans Day, where the symbolism of “remembrance growing” carries weight.
Tribute flowers
Floral arrangements given to veterans, families, or laid at memorials are often constructed with synthetic foam bases, plastic ribbon, and sometimes synthetic flowers.
Compostable alternatives:
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Real flowers in compostable wraps: Wrap floral bouquets in kraft paper or natural fabric. Cost: variable based on flower selection.
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No-foam arrangements: Floral arrangements built without foam bases (using compostable mechanics like compostable floral cages, or hand-tied bouquet construction). Slightly more labor-intensive for the florist; same cost or modest premium.
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Locally-grown seasonal flowers: Avoids long supply chain transport and supports local growers. Mums and asters in November are seasonally appropriate.
Many local florists can construct compostable arrangements when asked. Specifying “no foam, no plastic ribbon, biodegradable wrap only” is the conversation to have.
Ceremony serving items
For ceremonies that include refreshments (post-event reception, refreshments at gravesite gatherings):
- Compostable food containers for refreshments
- Compostable utensils for any food service
- Compostable tableware for plates and cups
- Compostable napkins (recycled paper, FSC certified)
- Compostable trash bags for collection
The serving items align with the broader compostable approach without requiring meaningful additional planning.
Memorial garden installations
For permanent memorial installations (memorial gardens, dedicated tree plantings, plaque installations):
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Tree plantings as living memorials. Native species for the region. Long-term living tribute that grows over decades.
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Pollinator gardens with native flowering plants. Maintained over years. Provides ongoing ecological value.
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Bench installations in solid wood (eventually biodegradable) rather than concrete or plastic-composite materials.
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Stone plaques for permanent text. Inert and natural; not compostable but environmentally minimal.
The living memorial approach (tree, garden) provides ongoing tribute that transforms over years rather than fading. Particularly meaningful for veterans whose families maintain ongoing connection to the memorial.
Costs at scale
For an organization (American Legion post, VFW chapter, civic group) planning Veterans Day commemoration:
Budget for compostable approach:
– 100 small flags for grave marking: $30-100
– 4 ceremonial wreaths: $80-240
– 2-3 banners (reusable): $60-300 first event, $0-50 subsequent
– 200 ceremony programs: $20-50 (recycled paper) or $100-400 (seed paper)
– Tribute flowers (10-30 arrangements): $300-1,200 (highly variable)
– Refreshment serving items: $100-300
– Total: $590-2,290 first event; lower for subsequent events with reusable items
The cost is comparable to or modestly above the standard plastic/synthetic alternatives. The qualitative difference (more dignified materials, no permanent waste) is meaningful.
For families memorializing individual veterans (gravesite visits, personal commemorations), the per-event costs are much lower. A few cotton flags ($1-3) and a small wreath ($20-30) handle a personal commemoration.
What to avoid
Specific items worth not using for Veterans Day commemorations:
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Plastic mass-produced flags: Don’t biodegrade; often poorly made; visually undermines the ceremony.
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Foam-based wreath construction: The visible foam base looks cheap; doesn’t biodegrade; environmental contrast with the message.
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Vinyl banners (single-use): High landfill impact, cheap aesthetic for solemn occasions.
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Plastic-stemmed silk flowers: Aesthetically poor for solemn occasions; significant landfill impact.
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Disposable plastic plates/cups for receptions: The contrast between honoring sacrifice and disposable plastic is jarring.
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Glittered or sequined decorations: Out of place for solemn commemorations regardless of material.
The list isn’t about being preachy — these items genuinely don’t fit the occasion well. Compostable alternatives produce more dignified visual results.
Coordination with veterans organizations
For events held in coordination with established veterans organizations (American Legion, VFW, AmVets, Disabled American Veterans), the organization may have existing standards or established suppliers for commemoration items. The conversation about compostable alternatives may need to fit within those constraints.
A few practical approaches:
Pilot with one event: Propose using compostable items for a specific event (a single ceremony, a specific gravesite) as a trial. Show the results — how the natural materials look, what the disposal pathway is, what the cost difference is. Use the pilot as a basis for broader adoption discussion.
Cost-neutral substitution: Identify substitutions that cost roughly the same as current items. Cotton flags vs plastic flags is approximately cost-neutral; the substitution is straightforward without budget impact.
Volunteer-driven enhancement: For wreath construction or specialty items, coordinate volunteer groups to make compostable wreaths from local materials. The volunteer time investment replaces the purchasing budget; the resulting items are usually more meaningful than purchased equivalents.
Education for older members: Some longtime members of veterans organizations may not be familiar with compostable alternatives. A brief presentation showing the materials and the resulting items often produces enthusiasm — these are usually people who already value durable, dignified, intentional materials over disposable plastic.
Specific requests for ceremonial occasions: For high-visibility events (Memorial Day at Arlington-style cemeteries, parade events, town hall ceremonies), the case for compostable can be made on aesthetic and reverent grounds even when general practice continues with conventional items.
The relationship between sustainability values and veterans commemoration values often aligns more naturally than expected. The respect for serious things, attention to dignity, and desire for meaningful tribute that drives veterans organizations also drives the choice of materials that match the occasion’s seriousness.
A reasonable summary
Veterans Day commemorations have compostable alternatives for nearly every standard memorial item — small flags, wreaths, banners, programs, tribute flowers, and refreshment serving items. The compostable versions typically cost comparable to or modestly more than synthetic equivalents, look more dignified, and produce no permanent landfill waste.
For organizations and individuals planning Veterans Day events, the compostable approach is operationally straightforward — the products and supply chains exist, the substitutions are direct (cotton flag for plastic flag, paper program for laminated program, real flowers for synthetic), and the visual outcomes are typically more aesthetically appropriate for the solemnity of the occasion.
The principle that “honoring sacrifice with materials that themselves return naturally to the earth” carries some symbolic weight that synthetic alternatives can’t match. The cotton flag on a wooden pole has a visual gravity that the plastic version doesn’t. The natural-fiber wreath reads as intentional reverence rather than mass-produced ornament.
For broader compostable items in the supporting roles (refreshment service, decoration, signage), pairing the dignified primary tribute items with compostable serving items completes the consistent practice. The Veterans Day commemoration becomes both a meaningful tribute and a coherent demonstration of values about treating materials and sacrifice with seriousness.
The compostable Veterans Day approach isn’t about making the commemoration “green” as a fashion statement. It’s about choosing materials that match the gravity of the occasion — natural, durable, dignified, and ultimately returning to soil rather than persisting in landfill. Each small flag, each ceremony program, each tribute wreath becomes a small ongoing tribute even after the day itself ends.
For B2B sourcing, see our compostable supplies catalog or compostable bags catalog.
Background on the underlying standards: ASTM D6400 defines the U.S. industrial-compost performance bar, EN 13432 harmonises the EU equivalent, and the FTC Green Guides govern how “compostable” can be marketed on packaging in the United States.