A flower shortage caused by Thai flooding and growing popularity of lei on the mainland means that some local producers have resorted to mixing plastic flowers in with real ones to satisfy demand this graduation season. 

Hawaii News Now reports: 

Watanabe Floral makes the lei we found at Costco.  They say the “plastic floral design spacers” as they are called are used because of a flower shortage.  Flooding in Thailand last year destroyed 60 percent of the supply and there aren’t enough flowers in Hawaii to make up for the loss.

DPCI Co. is the company that made the lei from Longs Drugs.  They too have tried to supplement with local growers but realize people aren’t happy with plastic but the shortage left them with no choice.

… Watanabe Floral says an orchid used to be just 2 cents per flower head.  Now it’s more than 12 cents.  And orchids need time to grow so the shortage could last for another year and a half or longer.