What Are Everlasting Flowers? All You Need To Know About

Annie Zhang
Jun 10
5 min read

Updated: Aug 29

In today’s retail and gifting landscape, one product is quietly becoming a staple across supermarket chains, gift shops, and e-commerce platforms: everlasting flowers. With their vibrant colors, soft texture, and impressive shelf life, they offer retailers a reliable, high-margin alternative to fresh blooms.

Everlasting flowers are real flowers preserved to stay fresh-looking for up to several years. They are also called preserved flowers, forever flowers, or eternal flowers. Unlike dried flowers, they keep their original shape, softness, and vibrant color.

For B2B buyers, the appeal is clear: no cold-chain storage, no spoilage, no seasonal limits. Just ready-to-sell floral beauty that customers love, all year long. But how exactly are these stunning blooms made to last? Let’s take a closer look.

Index:

1. How Are Everlasting Flowers Made?

2. What Are the Benefits of Everlasting Flowers?

3. Creative Uses: What Can Be Made with Everlasting Flowers?

4. How to Take Care of Everlasting Flowers?

5. Why Choose Sweetie-Gifts as Everlasting Flower Manufacturer?

How Are Everlasting Flowers Made? (Preservation Process Explained)

Creating high-quality everlasting flowers is not simply about drying blooms—it’s a precise preservation process. At Sweetie-Gifts, for example, the entire process takes 1 to 2 months and uses medical-grade and food-safe materials to ensure safety, durability, and beauty.

Here’s a breakdown of the 5 key steps:

Selection
Only Grade A fresh-cut flowers are chosen. Most preserved roses we use are sourced from Yunnan’s high-altitude farms, known for their dense petals and vibrant hues.
Dehydration
Flowers are placed in 75% medical alcohol to remove water and plant oils, followed by a second round in 99.99% anhydrous ethanol. This halts decay while preserving structure.
Shaping (Fixing)
The blooms are soaked in a fixing solution that locks in petal shape, volume, and spread.
Coloring
Edible-grade pigments restore or enhance natural shades. Beyond classic red or pink, we can create custom tones like champagne, royal blue, or even black.
Natural Drying
Finally, flowers are dried naturally or in a humidity-controlled space for 30–60 days until soft and flexible.

👉 If you’re a retailer looking for a dependable supply of preserved roses or domes, feel free to email us at sales@sweetie-group.com. We can send you samples and catalogs tailored for your market.

- How Long Do Everlasting Flowers Last?

High-quality preserved flowers last 1 to 3 years, and with ideal care, even longer. Some arrangements in controlled environments (like glass domes) remain beautiful for 4–5 years. However, environmental factors such as humidity, sunlight, and handling can impact longevity.

- Are Everlasting Flowers Real?

Yes, everlasting flowers are 100% real. They are not artificial, not silk, and not fake. The preservation process halts decay but does not alter the original flower’s biology—this is why they feel and look so close to fresh blooms.

- Do Everlasting Flowers Smell?

During the preservation process, the natural floral scent is lost. However, some manufacturers reintroduce fragrance using cosmetic-grade rose oil. At Sweetie-Gifts, we offer scented and unscented options depending on customer preference.

- Do Everlasting Flowers Fade?

Yes, over time, especially under strong UV light or in high humidity. However, top-tier preserved flowers are treated with UV-resistant pigments, and when kept indoors away from direct sunlight, they maintain their vibrant color for years.

2. What Are the Benefits of Everlasting Flowers?

Everlasting flowers solve many pain points for B2B customers—from logistics and shelf life to customer satisfaction and brand positioning.

✔Long Shelf Life = Low Risk

Preserved flowers reduce the pressure of fast-moving inventory. You can stock them months in advance for holidays like Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day without spoilage. This allows better planning and fewer markdowns.

✔ Ideal for Global Shipping

They don’t require refrigeration, and they don’t die during long shipping times. Whether you’re a U.S. distributor or an Australian chain store, you can confidently stock preserved flowers year-round.

✔ Maintenance-Free for End Users

No water, no vase, no maintenance. This makes them perfect for modern consumers who want luxury with zero effort.

✔ Eco-Friendly

Preserved flowers use 80% less water and energy than growing, harvesting, and flying in fresh-cut flowers weekly. They also reduce landfill waste caused by discarded bouquets.

- What Does the Everlasting Flower Symbolize?

In gifting, everlasting flowers symbolize eternal love, gratitude, and timeless memory. They’re used to express enduring emotions—romantic, maternal, or ceremonial—and align well with brand storytelling around “lasting value.”

- Are Forever Flowers Worth It?

Absolutely. For retailers, preserved flowers offer higher margins and lower return rates than fresh flowers or perishables. For consumers, the value lies in both their longevity and emotional significance. A single purchase can bring joy for years.

Quick Comparison: Everlasting Flowers vs. Fresh Flowers

Feature	Everlasting Flowers	Fresh Flowers
Shelf Life	1–3 years (up to 5)	5–10 days
Storage Needs	Room temperature	Cold chain
Maintenance	None	Water & vase
Global Shipping Friendly	Yes	Limited
Symbolism	Eternal love, lasting memory	Beauty of the moment

3. Creative Uses: What Can Be Made with Everlasting Flowers?

The product applications are vast. At Sweetie-Gifts, we help B-end clients design collections that fit diverse formats:

Luxury Rose Boxes – Perfect for holidays, anniversaries, and corporate gifts.
Glass Domes – Elegant, dust-free displays often used in home décor or museum gift shops.
Jewelry Boxes with Embedded Flowers – Blends beauty with function.
Rose Bears and Flower Figurines – Trendy among younger consumers and ideal for impulse gifting.
Soap Flower Sets with Preserved Roses – Combines visual impact with fragrance and usability.
Customized Business Gifts – From branded packaging to IP collaboration (e.g., British Museum, Lancôme), the flower+gift model enhances emotional connection.

👉 Are you exploring customized designs for your brand or retail chain? Email us at sales@sweetie-group.com to discuss private labeling and packaging solutions.

4. How to Take Care of Everlasting Flowers?

Though low-maintenance, proper care helps maximize longevity:

Do not water. Water will damage preserved flowers.
Avoid direct sunlight. UV rays fade the color.
Keep in a dry place. High humidity can cause petal curl or discoloration.
Dust occasionally. Use a soft brush or gentle air blower.
Do not handle often. Oils from your hands can weaken the petal surface.

Sweetie-Gifts also offers packaging that minimizes exposure during storage and transit—especially useful for chain stores or high-turnover retail displays.

5. Why Choose Sweetie-Gifts as Everlasting Flower Manufacturer?

At Sweetie-Gifts, we’re not just flower exporters—we’re floral design partners. With over 19 years in the industry, we’ve helped 300+ online stores and 200+ offline retailers around the world build successful floral categories.

What sets us apart:

Certified production: REACH, CE, phytosanitary certificates
Own factories in Yunnan (preserved flowers) with daily output of 3,000+ units
Flexible customization: from design rendering to 3D modeling and small-batch sampling
Quick-response sales and support teams fluent in international procurement needs
Eco-conscious packaging aligned with global sustainability expectations

We’ve proudly partnered with brands like Dior, AEON, Pandora, and FamilyMart to bring lasting beauty to their gifting lines—and we’d love to do the same for you.

📩 Ready to start your next floral bestseller? Contact us at sales@sweetie-group.com

Let’s create something that lasts.