A New Era of Sustainable Design

The future of sustainable event design is here, and for Leksi Kostur, a PNW local and London-based designer of innovative bioplastics, there is no more room for waste in the event industry. After developing biodegradable materials for her master’s thesis, Leksi applied her academic expertise and creative talents to event design. As the maid of honor and designer for her sister Nina Kostur’s wedding, Leksi prioritized sustainability while creating stunning key elements for the special day. Her pliable biomaterial, made from algae, was used to design the celebration’s first element, a beautiful biodegradable wedding arch.

Leksi minimized waste in the wedding’s design by using readily available resources, incorporating dried and fresh florals sourced from her aunt’s garden and the venue grounds, and using her family’s Christmas ornaments. She also crafted the bride’s crown, her favorite creation. By hand-selecting pieces of algae and incorporating pops of gold and bioplastic pearls, she achieved an ethereal crown that framed Nina’s face perfectly. But Leksi’s creativity didn’t stop there—she even made the wedding cake and decorated it with her biodegradable pearls, which are also edible!

As a pioneer in the event industry niche that uses biomaterials, Leksi took a risk, but her innovative approach became a defining element of the wedding. She hopes to inspire more people to consider environmentally conscious practices for their own events in the future. “Because ceremonies are very important to us, we must create ways of celebrating that don’t involve depleting our already exhausted planet,” Leksi said.