design container question

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Pam

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Does everybody still keep a variety of the white mache containers for funerals or do you use some more of the urns, large vases and baskets?

We do a majority of homestyle arrangements in vases, different dishes and wicker and have drastically reduced mache items. Just wondered?
 
Hi Pam,
We just use 1 mache (30BVR) - for cheaper funeral pieces, urns, 2 sizes of white baskets, wicker style firesides, 2 vases and 2 sizes of cages for standing sprays. Homestyle arrangements as you do, never mache.
 
I prefer to not use mache if possible. Many clients request baskets and the like... thank goodness. I hate mache...

V
 
Thank you. Thought I might be crazy. We keep the 30BVR as well for a liner of something and in case someone asks for mache, which we try and talk them out of. Today a florist called and asked for one and seemed put off that I wasn't sure if I had any in stock and then when she asked what flowers I would use, I told her that I would have to see in the morning because I would have to go to the suppliers to restock and it would depend on what they had available (which is good because I was there this morning). She seems miffed that I did not know what I could get in. I told her that every once in awhile we have a busy day and I have to re-stock in the mornings (tongue in cheek and sarcastically). What did she think, that we fill the fridge once a year and then hope it lasts 365 days and then get new stuff. I can't be the only one who actually sells everything on a busy day. Plus she phoned 20 minutes before closing on a Saturday. Guess it was the end of the week and I was short tempered ... plus the last order I sent them they forgot to send to the service and I'm still miffed. That's why I haven't been sending there, since.

Lots of rant for just asking if anyone still uses mache .... eh?

Anyway thanks for the backup on getting rid of mache containers.
 
Pam, we didn't use the maches for years but had so many florists asking for them (especially Ontario and the US :)) that we started carrying them; personally I always thought it was sort of tacky to use cardboard containers but they do serve a purpose; most people will opt for an extra 15.00 + :> to do to a basket!
 
When customers want flowers for funerals around here they want flowers and not fancy baskets or urns.......even $200.00+ pieces they will ask for a mache container so they get more flowers!!!

Will get the odd one that wants their flowers to be taken home after the funeral but they are generally the ones that only want to spend $40.00 or $50.00

So for funerals in Easten Ontario mache rules, and we get tons of complements and thank you cards in regards to our funeral work!!!
 
Mostly maches here to BBJ!

Like Big Bad John, most of our customers prefer more money in flowers than their money in a nicer container so most of our funeral work is in maches. We still use baskets upon request. Sympathy arrangements to homes or businesses are different - we rarely send a mache to those types of locations.

By the way, what is a 30BVR? The types of maches we use are the 5J and 6J.

We do very little glass vase funeral work. Many of our items are delivered directly to a grave site. How do make those glass vases stay propped up on a grassy grave site?

Tastes vary region to region, just like food!
 
We don't use mache pots exactly but, we do use some very cheap plastic funeral pots for those who don't want much money in the container. Same difference - just using plastic instead of cardboard. Looks better to me so that's why I do it. No one ever actually requests mache anyway.

A new floral supply guy started coming around about a year ago and he comes every 6 weeks. He has a good variety of stuff including funeral pots of various sizes, shapes, and colors. You can buy 1 or 100 and he does not charge delivery. We pretty much only buy our funeral containers from him since we can buy less than a case. Prices are excellent. He's extremely organized and a real fun guy. I've seen other vendors' trucks and "oh brother" I wouldn't want to even enter those trucks.
 
Pam said:
I can't be the only one who actually sells everything on a busy day.
Click to expand...

Nope... done it a couple times this week ourselves...

As to mache...what is that again?
 
Pam said:
Does everybody still keep a variety of the white mache containers for funerals or do you use some more of the urns, large vases and baskets?

We do a majority of homestyle arrangements in vases, different dishes and wicker and have drastically reduced mache items. Just wondered?
Click to expand...
We use both a plain round or a fan shaped mache'. Round these parts, the customers want BIG for LESS so we suggest the mache's for value. Usually if someone want to take something home we suggest a dish garden. Our customers are always thankful when we suggest flower value over container type.
Tim--North Port Floral
 
Can someone tell me how much the mache containers your talking about cost in wholesale price per piece? Thanks
 
and to think??.....

that at ONE TIME, we used to carry probably 8 or 9 different types/styles of mache containers, along with all the gathering baskets, tall handles, urn tubs and wide mouth trays...even used to keep mache casket saddles.
Had a lady bring back a lifetime's worth of containers, she said were stuck in her closet....in this stuff, was some ornate mache AND wood AND wire funeral containers, that we haven't seen in probably 25 or 30 years!
Getting back to the thread, we honestly "try" to NOT use mache containers, BUT, STILL use a lot for sympathy work that requests value in the flowers as required, BUT, from our perspective, for another couple bucks, you CAN substitue with some pretty nice "plastic"
 
In the shop I worked previously (small town), there was no mache in sight. The owner refused to buy it. It certainly didn't hurt our funeral business in any way.
I've never had a customer ask for mache... no matter where I've worked. There are many inexpensive containers in plastic and wicker that lend a nicer look to the floral pieces.

V
 
Mikey the Flower Guy said:
that at ONE TIME, we used to carry probably 8 or 9 different types/styles of mache containers
Click to expand...

Us too... still have some styro Bibles, broken wheels, Odd Fellows emblems, and assorted other "antique technologies"...one thing we still use is chicken wire...
 
designer container question

We have not used mache for over 15 years. For the traditional funeral arrangements, we use a plastic pot (buddy pot) and then the nicer ones, we have upgraded plastic we use for those.

Besides the fact of really not liking the looks of mache, they take up so much room to store. The buddy pots can be stacked by the 100's in a very small area. We are getting more and more requests for glass and creative vases to go to the funeral homes. Funeral business is a huge part of our shop and I think we have it down to a fine science.
Carol Bice
 
I have never heard of a buddy pot?

Carol Bice said:
We have not used mache for over 15 years. For the traditional funeral arrangements, we use a plastic pot (buddy pot) and then the nicer ones, we have upgraded plastic we use for those.

Besides the fact of really not liking the looks of mache, they take up so much room to store. The buddy pots can be stacked by the 100's in a very small area. We are getting more and more requests for glass and creative vases to go to the funeral homes. Funeral business is a huge part of our shop and I think we have it down to a fine science.
Carol Bice
Click to expand...



What is a buddy pot? How large are they? Do they come in assorted colors?
 
NPFloral said:
About a buck or two.

Tim---North Port Floral
Click to expand...

And that's why I don't understand the preference for them. The plastic ones we use are anywhere from 60 - 75 cents each in many colors. Mache's cost more - so why use them?
 
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