If you love craft and DIY, chances are you already have an interest in sustainability. Whether you are looking to make your hobbies more environmentally and ethically friendly, or more economically accessible, here are some places you can source (more) sustainable supplies. Please bear in mind this may vary by country, but please use this as a starting point for more localised research! Try putting one of the mentioned key phrases and your town or city into Google.
Craft Resale Stores
Craft resale stores, or craft thrift stores, work much like any other thrift store, only with craft supplies. They may have tools, kits, deadstock textiles… It’s like a treasure trove!
Renée Materials (London, UK) has an online store as well as two hubs in London. I would definitely recommend their ‘Inspiration Boxes’, where you choose a medium like textiles or wood, then receive a surprise parcel to experiment with.
Make & Mend (Boston, USA) has a store in Massachusetts and an online store which ships domestically. They also hold regular ‘fill a bag’ events, where for $10 you can fill a bag with all the supplies you could want. I love seeing the unusual vintage supplies they feature on Instagram.
Charity Shops & Thrift Stores
Charity shops and thrift stores often have haberdashery supplies and yarn, though you can also frog (unravel) knitted garments to reuse yarn. Bed sheets and graphic t-shirts can be great for cute printed fabrics. If you can travel, charity shops in more affluent areas may have better quality stock. Although charity shops do have to rotate stock like any other store, please be mindful to not purchase items that seem scarce if your intention is crafting rather than necessity.
Craft Supply Swaps
Craft supply swaps are a great way to trade anything in your stash you no longer love, and replace it with something new to you. They’re also a great way to meet other crafters in your community. These are typically advertised on social media, though if you can’t find one in your local area why not try hosting your own?
Social Media
Many cities have ‘buy nothing’ groups on Facebook, where you can acquire or trade for craft supplies. Other search terms include ‘barter economy’ and ‘circular economy’, followed by your town or city.
The r/craftexchange subreddit can be used to trade both supplies and finished items. A Craft Exchange Tumblr blog has also recently been created, and may be more focused on a Gen Z or Millennial audience.
Object Libraries
Object libraries are just like their regular counterparts, but for objects. These are more for tools than supplies, but if you need a sewing machine for a project or two, they’re a great resource. They may also have things like badge makers, silversmithing tools, drills…
Library of Things (UK) has 20 locations across London, and I can recommend Buy Nowt LS6 (Leeds, UK) and Brighton Borrowers (Brighton, UK), but see if you can find one near you. Occasionally regular libraries have similar resources, including things like 3D printers, so it may be worth checking with your local librarian.
Buying locally produced materials or even just from local small businesses can also help reduce your impact on the climate. Redirecting your money and support away from large corporations helps too.
We’ve created a new Ethical Kawaii category with posts to help you take care of the planet, reduce waste and support ethical and sustainable brands. Look out for more posts soon and let us know if there are any topics you’d like us to cover.
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