24 Nov 2025
What?
Bunting is a staple at fetes and fairs, making stalls and community halls look pretty and inviting. With all the flag negativity recently, we thought it could be a nice idea to use bunting to show communities coming together for a common aim: The Planet Over Profit campaign.
Groups will create their very own string of bunting flags, for use on stalls and in future actions. Individuals will create their own triangular design, which can then be sewn together into a long string of flags showing that when we work together we can create something beautiful and more powerful than the sum of its parts.
Why?
Visual props have been increasingly effective in campaigns in recent years, and we heard from local groups how much they enjoyed getting creative on previous craftivism projects. We also know that MP’s responded really well to the United for Warm Homes quilts and scarves, so we’re hoping to build on this success with a similar tactic, this time focussed on the Planet Over Profit campaign.
The aim is to deepen people’s understanding of why we need a new Business, Environment & Human Rights Act through gentle conversations whilst crafting together, and to show your MP that a lot of their constituents care about this new law and what it will mean for global forests and their Indigenous protectors worldwide.
How?
The purpose of this activity is to build support in your community, so make sure to co-organise this with another local group or organisation that you have relationships with. This could be a local trade union branch, human rights group or a group of tree planting volunteers. You know your community best, so work with whoever you think is best. Gather materials and head to a local community event or fair. Work together or individually to create eye-catching designs on triangles of fabric, linked to the Planet Over Profit campaign. This could include messages against deforestation, images of animals at risk from habitat destruction, or the flags of nations where deforestation is taking place. Let your imaginations run wild!
You can choose to sew, draw or glue your designs onto the fabric, and even use different coloured fabric to create a more interesting look. Why not go for forest colours, such as greens and earthy tones? You can do single or double-sided flags, depending on your preference.
Once you’ve got enough triangles (20+ is best) you can attach them together using bias binding and a sewing machine. You may need to press (iron) the binding and pin it into place, this video shows you how:
If you want to get more advanced, try making your bunting out of leaf shapes.
Materials?
- Pre-cut triangles of fabric. Why not re-use old fabric instead of buying new?
- Fabric pens
- Fabric glue
- Fabric scraps
- Fabric scissors
- Needles
- Threads
- Bias binding
- Pins
- Sewing machine (for finishing the bunting). You can borrow one from your local Library Of Things if needed.
Remember you can apply for the local groups action fund to cover the cost of materials and venue hire! Please send any photos of your bunting-making events to [email protected] as well as to your local MP – we love to see groups getting creative together.