Dried Flowers and Foliage: Crafts, Decoration, and a Growing Value-Added Market

The dried flowers and foliage — lavender, Italian straw, decorative sisal, dried eucalyptus, wild cane stems, dried sunflower, and hundreds of other species — are an ornamental segment with very high margins and rapid growth in the sustainable decoration market. A fresh lavender stem worth R$ 3 dried and packaged is worth R$ 15 to R$ 25 — a 5 to 8× multiplication of value.

The dried flower decoration market grew 40% during the pandemic — and has maintained its growth trajectory with the movement towards sustainable and natural decoration. The bridal market (weddings with dried flowers) and boho chic decoration are the biggest drivers of demand.

When flowers and foliage are dried using the correct technique and marketed with a sense of origin, this segment can greatly contribute to job and income generation in Brazil.

Join our strategic actions for the implementation of the best solutions in the Brazilian agricultural sector. Our activities, studies, and advanced research cover 20 chains and 255 segments of national agriculture — from grain chains to sustainable extraction, including horticulture, fruit growing, livestock, and much more.

The Innovation For Brazil to Produce More series was developed precisely to identify and implement the best available solutions in Brazil and the world, across the 255 segments of the agricultural sector — with accessible technical language, updated data, and a focus on practical results for those who produce, provide, govern, and trade.

1.  Opportunities for Small Rural Producers

How to produce and dry flowers and foliage with quality for the decoration market

Quality drying starts with the harvest at the right moment — flowers harvested before full bloom dry with better color and shape. Air drying in inverted bunches in a dry and ventilated space is the lowest cost and highest quality method for most species.

✔    Harvest before full bloom — more intense color when dried

✔    Inverted air drying in a dry space — 2 to 3 weeks

✔    Glycerin drying — foliage with pliable texture

✔    Silica gel for delicate flowers — poppies, roses, dahlias

✔    PRONAF for ornamental floriculture

The E-Book 01 — Strategic Manual for Small Rural Producers presents, in detail, the best solutions for this segment and the other 254 of Brazilian agriculture — focusing on method, cost reduction, and progressive growth from Agro 1.0 to Agro 6.0.  Access now for BRL 99.00 →

2.  Opportunities for Micro and Small Local Suppliers

What equipment does the dried flower chain require

Dried flowers require driers, drying chambers, and packaging machines — low-cost equipment for high returns.

Solutions by engineering area applied to the segment

Our activities, studies, and advanced research cover six major areas of engineering — and the chain demands solutions in all of them:

Electrical Engineering and Computing — drying chambers with temperature and humidity control;

Electronic Engineering and IoT — humidity sensors for controlled drying;

Control and Automation Engineering — industrial drying systems for flowers;

Mechatronic and Robotic Engineering — packaging machines for bouquets and dried arrangements;

Renewable Energy Engineering — solar for drying chambers;

Data Science and Artificial Intelligence — stock and decoration order management.

✔    Drying chambers with humidity control

✔    Packaging machines for dried bouquets

✔    Dry and ventilated space for air drying

✔    Glycerin for preserving foliage

✔    Consulting in drying and preserving flowers

The E-Book 02 — Strategic Guide for the Micro and Small Local Supplier maps, segment by segment, the business opportunities — focusing on IoT, energy, automation, and specialized technical services.  Access now for BRL 99.00 →

3.  Opportunities for Municipal Governments

How municipalities can support dried flowers and create a sustainable decoration hub

Dried flowers have a very strong potential for regional identity — lavender from Serra Gaúcha, flowers from the Cerrado, stems from Caatinga — each region has unique decoration products with increasing cultural value.

✔    Dried flower program for family floriculture

✔    Municipal IDM: locally produced dried flowers

✔    Dried Flower Festival — sustainable decoration and tourism

✔    Partnership with wedding studios for local dried flowers

✔    Platform for selling dried flowers with regional identity

The E-Book 03 — Reference Guide for Municipal Governments presents the step-by-step for secretaries and municipal managers to implement effective public policies for the 255 segments of agriculture.  Access now for BRL 99.00 →

4.  Opportunities for Small Agricultural Product Merchants

How dried flowers and foliage generate business for decorators and digital platforms

The dried flower wedding bouquets are the fastest growing product in the bridal market — with brides preferring the durability of the dried bouquet as a permanent keepsake. A wedding bouquet with dried flowers is worth R$ 150 to R$ 500, with raw material costing R$ 15 to R$ 50.

For digital platforms, the kits of dried flowers for decoration are the fastest growing gift product — with an average ticket of R$ 80 to R$ 200 and production cost ranging from R$ 15 to R$ 40.

Products with high commercial potential

The main products derived from this segment for retail and local foodservice:

Dried flower wedding bouquet — premium bridal market;

Boho decoration kit with dried flowers — growing premium gift;

Dried lavender in bunches — product of regional identity;

Dried arrangements for office decoration — corporate market;

Dried flowers for crafts — artisan market;

Handmade dried wreath — growing premium decoration.

Merchant profiles and their specific opportunities

✔    Brides: dried flower wedding bouquet

✔    Decorators: dried flowers for residential and corporate projects

✔    Digital platforms: dried flower kits with regional identity

✔    Photography studios: dried flowers for scenic design

✔    Artisans: dried flowers for creative crafts

✔    Decoration stores: premium dried arrangements

Growth strategies for the local merchant

The flower producer who combines fresh floriculture + drying + wedding bouquet makes use of 100% of production — the most beautiful flowers go fresh to the premium market, the second-rate flowers are dried, and the wedding bouquets have a margin of 5 to 10× the raw material.

The PRONAF and Pronampe cover equipment costs. SEBRAE subsidizes access to the wedding and decoration market.

The E-Book 04 — Strategic Guide for Small Agricultural Product Merchants maps 30 merchant profiles and details growth opportunities across all 255 segments of agriculture.  Access now for BRL 99.00 →

Innovation and Technology Network

By purchasing any e-book from the series, you become a member of our Innovation and Technology Network. Groups with 30 members can organize and fund in-person strategic planning events to identify and implement the best available solutions in Brazil and around the world.

✔    Small Rural Producers

✔    Micro and Small Supplier Companies

✔    Municipal Governments

✔    Small Agricultural Product Merchants

⭐  Special offer: I will provide 100% discount on the value of my working hours for the 10 pioneer events organized by 11/30/26 and held in December 2026. Therefore, the 10 pioneer groups will only cover the general expenses.

Sincerely,

Ivo Alves

CEO · Master in Electrical Engineering and Computing · Specialist in Innovation and Technology Project Management

Instructor: IFPB and UFRN  ·  38 years of experience in Engineering