Thinking green is easy, but acting green can be tough. Big-name craft shops are still inundated with cheap supplies produced by unconfirmed business practices.
How do you make your own crafts without polluting the planet? We’ve tracked down sources for sustainable creative components for all your projects — get ready for a slew of new bookmarks!
ECOARTWORKS
ecoartworks.com (626) 969-3707
Part of the expansive online EcoChoices Natural
Living Store, EcoArt Works offers a number of
choices for modeling beeswax, stationery, paper
making, crayons, and more.
STUBBY PENCIL STUDIO
stubbypencilstudio.com (503) 412-9528
This online store from Portland, Ore., specializes
in kid crafts, with a menagerie of nontoxic pencils,
highlighters, crayons, and colored pencils.
ECO ART SUPPLIES
ecoartsupplies.com (707) 964-6365 This Northern California shop offers made-in-America oil paints, art papers, bookmaking supplies, adhesives, and sumi-e ink-and-wash painting kits.
EARTH-FRIENDLY YARNS earthfriendlyyarns.com (206) 706-4197 Earth-Friendly Yarns sells organic, vegan, recycled, fair-traded, and undyed fibers, plus renewably harvested buttons, fiber filling made from 100% corn, fair-traded rosewood needles, and more. It’s run by the Fiber Gallery in Seattle.
ECOSMART WORLD
ecosmartworld.com (778) 297-9915
For fans of temporary art, EcoSmart World makes
the world’s first dry-erase marker for whiteboards
that is nontoxic, refillable, and 100% recyclable,
called the AusPen.
NEARSEA NATURALS
nearseanaturals.com (877) 573-2913 From this New Mexico family business comes a huge selection of sustainable fabrics and eco-fibers — organic cottons, linen, “peace silk” (silkworms aren’t killed), and U.S.-grown organic wool. Check out their organic elastic, snap tape, lace, and stuffing.
SMENCILS
smencils.com (866) 763-6245
Inspired by all your senses? Smencils are pencils DICK BLICK ART MATERIALS made from 100% recycled newspaper pages and dickblick.com (800) 828-4548 dipped in gourmet essential oils including chocolate One of the few big-name websites that offers a and cinnamon. They’re guaranteed to maintain slew of sustainable options. Type “water-based” their scent for two years and can be custom-printed or “recycled” into the search box to find markers, with your business or event info. varnishes, printing inks, glazes, film, newsprint,
drawing pads, pens, boxes, and much more.
O ECOTEXTILES oecotextiles.com (206) 633-1177 Started by two sisters dedicated to sophisticated, environmentally friendly fabrics, this manufacturer specializes in high-end, sustainable textiles. They partner with international farms and mills working toward no-impact, cradle-to-cradle production.
ETSY
etsy.com
Vintage fabrics, handspun yarns, recycled papers, rare stones, and glass chips are all up for grabs. Search the “Vintage” or “Supplies” categories, or just browse by typing in “recycled” or “upcycled.” ×
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