Party Kits: The circular solution to low-waste celebrations

Across Ireland there's a growing network of reusable party kits hosted by individuals, toy libraries, school PTAs, local councils and others. Each kit is a box of reusable cups, plates and tableware, and many offer decorations, games, even gazebos and furniture. You borrow the kit for your celebration, return it afterwards, and it's ready for the next party.

It's a brilliantly simple idea, especially for kids' birthday parties where disposables really pile up. Borrowing means less waste and less cost than buying your own set of reusables, with no cupboard space sacrificed. Children get to see reuse in action too, and the kits make borrowing feel as normal as buying.

Party kits in action around Ireland

Lisa Cunningham runs the party kit at Tournore Court Residents Association in Dungarvan, Co. Waterford, set up in 2023 with the help of a grant from the local council. "Our community absolutely loves the party kit,” says Lisa.  “So much so that we now have two kits. We have bookings nearly every weekend from March to October. Last year we saved 4,782 single-use items from going to landfill. It's a small action but it makes a big difference."

In Carrickmacross, the local toy library found a party kit was a natural addition alongside its soft play sets and disco lights, and also recently added a second kit to keep up with demand. "At €5 to borrow it's an absolute bargain and there's nothing thrown away afterwards, so it's a no-brainer for our toy library members," says Jill Kennon, who runs the Toy Library. "We tend to get the same people borrowing again and again throughout the year."

That repeat borrowing is a pattern across the network: once a family tries a kit, they tend to come back for every birthday after.

How does borrowing work?

Many Irish kits are members of the Party Kit Network, a global non-profit supporting the people who run them. The Network hosts a map of kits available to borrow across Ireland and beyond. 

Every kit is run a little differently. Some hosts lend the whole box; others let you pick just what you need. There's usually a small hire fee, kept low so borrowing costs are about the same as buying disposables or sometimes less. Most kits go out for a weekend, and while some hosts offer a washing up service, most include washing instructions and then check everything on its return. Most kits are dishwasher friendly.

Fancy running one yourself?

If there's no kit near you yet, why not be the one to start it?  It's a small project with a big feel-good factor, a lovely way to bring circular living to your own doorstep. And you don't need to do it alone. The Party Kit Network provides free advice and resources, and there's a friendly community behind it.

Lisa says: "The Party Kit Network website would be my first port of call when setting up a new party kit. Contact your local council too, as there may be grants that could help get you started."

The ripple effect

At their core, party kits are a simple way to avoid unnecessary waste, and they do that brilliantly, keeping thousands of single-use items out of landfill every weekend.

But they're also part of something bigger. Party kits belong to the sharing economy, where borrowing from your neighbours builds community connections, and those connections often spark further action for people and planet. Across the Party Kit Network, members have gone on to set up community crafting workshops, run fancy dress swap events, and team up with local businesses to give parties to children whose families couldn't otherwise afford one.

Not bad for a box of plates.

Words by Isabel Mack, of the Party Kit Network