If you’re like most people, you have a closet, drawer or bin in your home that is stuffed with craft or hobby supplies for a future project that you’ve never had time to complete. Your home is feeling cluttered and you need to reduce your possessions, but you wouldn’t want to throw those precious articles away. Enter: Austin Creative Reuse.
Austin Creative Reuse (ACR) is a non-profit organization with a donation-based resale store (think Salvation Army thrift store) but exclusively for creative supplies. Their mission is “to foster conservation and reuse through creativity, education, and community building.” Volunteers and Staff work together to sort and prepare items for sale, and to provide community education in artistic projects and in the importance of sustainability.
ACR is committed to reducing waste by finding creative ways to use or resell items donated by individuals and industry. Donated items which can’t be sold are rarely thrown away, as ACR has partners who will take on many of the items which they can’t use. Even scraps of fabric are made into rags!
If you’re looking to fill your creative outlet, shopping can be an exciting adventure. Quilters will love their selection of “fat quarter” for mere pennies on the dollar, and a budding painter can find a gently used easel, canvas, and all their painting needs. Students can find school supplies, and wedding planners can fill their cart with elements for unique DIY decorations. Whether you’re looking to pare down your craft closet or you need supplies for a new project, ACR is a must-visit!
Donate: Gifts of money and time are always accepted and there is a wide range of items that can be donated. Here is a brief but by no means exhaustive list:
Paper
Fabric and yarn
Vintage books, photographs, and magazines
Craft machines and tools
Carpet and wallpaper samples
Gift wrap
Office Supplies
Containers
Balls and bike parts
Nails, screws, rope
Shop online or in person: 2005 Wheless Lane, Austin, TX 78723