Sustainable Fashion in YEG

My name is Jessica (for the purpose of clarification since we now have two Jessica's on the Reuse blogging team, I am Jessica T!) and I'm so excited to get started on sharing my experiences, knowledge, news, and random tidbits of information about reducing waste, recycling, and reusing!

To give a bit of background about me, I'm a third year Professional Communications student at Grant MacEwan University. I've been so lucky to be involved in such an amazing community, where environmental awareness, sustainability, climate change, government, politics, social and cultural issues have been the forefront of discussions during my time as a student. Having been inspired by many dedicated individuals, I decided that volunteering with this blog was the perfect way for me to contribute my voice to this sustainability movement.

During my time as a contributor, I hope to share fascinating and forward-thinking news, information regarding reuse, upcoming or newly-emerged sustainability events happening within our city, and my personal experiences of reuse projects that I will (hopefully) be accomplishing!

To start, I have to share about a great event I attended recently. If you live in Edmonton and are tuned into sustainability news, you've perhaps heard about this one!

The Wardrobe Exchange
(Instagram: @thewardrobeexchangeyeg)

The Wardrobe Exchange YEG describe themselves as a "curated second-hand shopping event that lets you sell + resell clothing and accessories to the public... The Wardrobe Exchange promotes sustainable fashion by championing communal thrift culture." The event is open to all guests and anyone can apply to be a vendor. 

This recent event was only their second held in Edmonton (the first one was in March 2019) and there were already over 200 vendor applicants! It's so great to know that the Edmonton thrift culture is thriving, and events like these just make it so much easier for everyone, even those not familiar or skilled at thrifting (yes, finding worthy goodies at thrift stores takes skill, lots of patience, and a good eye) to partake in and enjoy a one-of-a-kind sustainable shopping experience!

What I love about this event is that it fuels the new generation of sustainability-aware entrepreneurs. One of my friends participated as a first-time vendor and told me that she believes this event was timely, meant-to-be, and an affirmation to start her own consignment business. She had been collecting clothes for years for this purpose, and was finally able to sell most of it at the event! 

Although the next official event date is not available yet, it's reasonable to expect that they'll be back next spring. I believe that as this event continues to grow bigger each year, thrift culture will take on a whole new identity within Edmonton and be a main driving force in reusing fashion! If you are interested in acquiring some unique finds or selling some you have saved, definitely keep an eye out for this in the future. I will be back next month with more stories, news, or ideas to share about Reuse!

- Jessica T (Volunteer)

Novmber Reuse-it Item: Disposable Cutlery

Plastic cutlery: what do you do with it after you've used it? Resist the urge to chuck it in the garbage! Wash and reuse as-is, or try one of the fantastic ideas that our blogger team has gathered from the web.

Mallory

A few years ago I stumbled upon a lampshade made of plastic spoons, and absolutely loved the idea. Here is a way to reuse something designed to be clearly "disposable", and change its purpose entirely so that you could put it up for display in your house. 

As a pineapple fanatic, I am ecstatic about this idea  and can't wait to try it myself! All you need is a mold (balloon, large jar, etc.), plastic disposable spoons, scissors, and a hot glue gun. Then you're good to go!

Nichole
If someone had told me they made a mirror out of hot glue and plastic spoons, this is definitely not what I would have pictured! I am crazy about these chrysanthemum mirrors, which you can paint any colour to suit your needs. I'm in love with the cherry red on white shown in the picture, but I'm envisioning a mirror like this in jewel tones over a bedside table or makeup vanity. You can get free instructions for this particular mirror on UsefulDIY.com, but I also found a wealth of great examples on Pinterest.

Siao

Sculptures don't necessarily need to be heavy or costly to display in your own home. Although the dragon featured by RuthAnn below is indeed intriguing, if you are more like me, there are simpler and still beautiful sculptures to try, such as this pear.

 

RuthAnn

Most of us probably don't have time or the patience to turn our excess plastic cutlery into exotic art such as this dragon, but what a showstopper!

 

One of my favourite uses for disposable cutlery is to reuse them as small garden stakes when I am planting my seedlings. I use the forks to hold the seed packets, and I often just write on the knives and spoons. 

-Reuse Centre Volunteers

How to Support Your Community and Fill Your Book Shelves at the Same Time!

One of my favourite things to do during the summer is to take in one of the Edmonton Public Library's seasonal book sales, hosted about four times a year at the Stanley A. Milner Branch, in the basement that you probably didn't know existed. These three-day sales feature some of the library's excess books, CDs, and DVDs at absolutely bargain prices. Even better than snagging a literary classic for $1 is the knowledge that my dollar goes to fund the library's literacy vans and Welcome Baby reading program. The latest Books2Buy sale raised $32,000 for these community services!

A visit to the library book sale has become a tradition for me and my bookish friends, and none of us ever leaves empty- handed. There's always a great mix of classic and contemporary items on offer,  almost all of which are exclusively in great condition. In past visits, I've picked up everything from classics like Poe's The Raven and Wells' The Island of Doctor Moreau, to books on modern home design and tips for stress-free living. 

The book sale also offers a wealth of crafty books, from gardening and woodworking to knitting and scrapbooking. Basically any topic you can imagine is well represented at these events, and you'd be crazy not to come armed with your biggest reusable bags. And while the written contents of these books may prove useful for your purposes, the actual books themselves can make great crafting materials!





Over the years I've come across some interesting craft ideas involving the use of books, including sculptures, boxes with secret compartments, and even tablet covers. With a great selection of both paperback and hardcover books of every size and shape, you're guaranteed to find something suitable for these types of projects and more for an extremely affordable price. And don't forget, while you're stocking up on great reads or craft materials, you're also supporting the Edmonton community! I can't think of a better way to spend a weekend.

For more information on this book sale, including upcoming dates, hours, and pricing, check out the library's Books2Buy page!

- Nichole (Volunteer)

New Idea Cards Inspire Reuse Centre Customers

CD/DVD Picture Frame

You may often find yourself wondering exactly how some of the items at the Reuse Centre can be reused or repurposed. Luckily for our customers, the staff have come up with the solution of putting up idea cards throughout the store!

Customer curiosity was what motivated the Reuse Centre Coordinator, Kristin, to create idea cards and place them around the store.  People shopping or donating would often exclaim that they would have no idea what to do with things like bread bag tags or empty CD and DVD cases. Therefore, the idea cards seemed like an excellent way to reach out to the public and fulfill the Centre’s goal to educate people about a variety of creative and very useful ways to reuse different items.

Stamps Photo Frame

Idea cards are placed throughout the aisles and offer suggestions on a wide variety of crafts and DIY projects on how to reuse the items we sell. Each colorful card shows a picture example of the craft or project, with a list of materials and a link to a website with instructions or a tutorial.

So far, the staff have received positive feedback about the Idea Cards, and we have also noticed customers browsing through them while they shop. Even our younger customers love to take a look at fun crafts they can create with the items.

Paper Plate Dream Catcher

Given the positive responses from customers, staff are looking at using different methods to promote reuse of our items around the store. One idea we would like to try is a more prominent display of ideas on the wall for more people to see. Another exciting possibility is to compile and display a collection of submissions from the public on the projects they have completed with items from the Reuse Centre. 

Next time you visit, keep an eye out for the Idea Cards and be inspired to create something new with your next purchase of reuse items! Share the way you reuse our items below!

- Lynnette (Staff)

Reusing in Edmonton: Introducing the Edmonton Repairathon

You might be asking yourself, "What on earth is a repairathon?" right about now. They are neither a well-known nor widespread phenomenon, but when you finish reading this article, you'll be pleased as punch to have one in Edmonton.

I've been sewing for a long time. I have happy memories of pestering my poor mother while she made halloween costumes (she probably thinks of those times less fondly) and of making my first project - a small pillow. As an adult, I realized how valuable a skill sewing can be. I'm terribly short, you see, and the ability to hem my own pants rather than having to take them to a tailor saves me a lot of time and money.

I'm not an expert, by any means, but thanks to a lot of creativity and plain old stubbornness, I can get through most projects. Because of this, I was surprised when one of my best friends asked me to sew a button back onto her pants, claiming she didn't even know where to begin. I got curious; it turns out that a lot of people in my social circles don't have even basic sewing skills.

This is where the Edmonton Repairathon comes in. Taking cue from a group in Toronto, organizers set out to recruit volunteers who were interested in helping people prolong the life of their clothing. They will sew on buttons, stitch up seams, and patch holes. They'll even teach you how to do it, if you want. No RSVP is required, just show up with your item.

Project goals, from the group Facebook page

And get this: it's free.

I thought this was a great idea, and signed up to volunteer at their very first public event, which took place on October 27th. Prior to that, the group's founders had met up for a practice run where they fixed items for friends and family.

To be honest, no one was really sure what to expect. It was the first event, and though the Metro had run a short piece on the group, we had no idea how many people would show up or what the best way to organize the event would be. In the end, several stations were set up - about 5 volunteers on sewing machines, with several others ready to do prep and small hand-sewing tasks, and a few more at the doors to help greet people and direct them to whichever sewing station would best suit their needs.

I was blown away by the number of people who showed up, garments in hand. There was actually a line up, and we were forced to turn some latecomers away as we scrambled to finish what we'd already taken on! I think the most popular items brought in were coats or pants requiring a new zipper; we completely blew through our small supply of donated zippers and had a lot of trouble matching length and colour. For future events, customers must bring their own replacement zipper.

Unfortunately we did not get solid numbers regarding attendance or items repaired, but in two hours I stitched two seams, darned a hole in the back of a sweater, ripped out several zippers to help prepare garments for the machine-sewers, and chatted with patrons about the environmental and monetary benefits of repairing clothing rather than purchasing new. Multiply that by 13 volunteers, and you have a heck of a lot of good work!

The volunteers of the Edmonton Repairathon don't just donate their time and skill, but also their supplies! Buttons, thread, hooks sewing machines, and tools are all brought from home. Several volunteers also baked snacks to share with patrons. All in all, it turned out to be a really fun event, kind of like a big crafting circle. The next event is coming up this Sunday, November 24th, so come on down to get a few items repaired, learn a skill, and make some new friends in the process.

Check out the group's Facebook Page or email YEGrepairathon@gmail.com to learn how you can get involved or donate supplies, and to keep up on all their latest news.

-Sarah (Volunteer)