Ethical Sourcing and Sustainability

Smile Creative Crafts promotes creativity and the inspiration to craft.

Here are some of the ways in which I create items using sustainable crafting – focusing on repurposing, upcycling, conscious purchasing and use of materials.

Upcycling, repurposing and minimal waste practices

Wherever possible, I use discarded items to reduce and manage waste as an effective way to craft sustainably and manage:

Fabric and textiles

Old clothes, linens, wool, thread, buttons and ribbons are used for sewing, decorations, crocheting and weaving.

Paper and cardboard

Cardboard boxes, cereal boxes, paper, envelopes and junk mail are repurposed for a wide variety of papercrafts.

Old magazines, books and maps are used for collage, mosaics and decoupage.

Glass and plastic

Glass jars and plastic containers are used for storage and organisation.

Natural and other materials

Natural elements like pressed flowers, twigs and leaves are incorporated into some projects.

Old bottle tops, ring pulls, crayons and lids, etc are used creatively for decorative purposes.

Discarded rubber bands – collected on our daily walks.

Using scraps creatively

I have a scrap bin for leftover materials which I use for smaller projects.

Community and local sourcing

Using materials donated to me

I keep all wool, material, threads and other items collected and given to me by my family and friends so I can reuse them and save them from landfill.

Local suppliers

Where possible, I support and purchase from local suppliers to promote local businesses and reduce transportation emissions.

Charity shops

Excellent for finding materials to repurpose and save them from landfill.

Craft swaps

I enjoy local craft swaps to maximise unused supplies.

Donating extras

I give away unused or leftover supplies to local schools, libraries and residential homes.

Giving to Charity

I donate crafted items to The Cancer Centre – a small way in which I can say “Thank you” whilst giving someone a smile of support in their time of need.

I give items as Raffle Prizes, where possible, at the events I hold stalls at.