Crafting A Green World is thrilled to announce the new Carnival of Green Crafts!

The Carnival of Green Crafts is a twice monthly online celebration of all things eco and crafty. Whether it’s a full-fledged tutorial or your personal musings, photos of projects in progress or completed, great thrift store finds that are destined for a craft project, or a love letter to your favorite environmentally friendly craft supplies, we want it! We hope that this Carnival is a place to show off, inspire, rant, rave, learn, and support each other as we find ways to create beautiful things while protecting the Earth.

If you’re not familiar with blog carnivals, here’s the scoop. A blog carnival is basically a traveling event, a regular series of posts that collect links to recently posted content on the carnival’s theme. Most carnivals move from blog to blog, with each edition hosted by a different blog. Crafting A Green World is kicking off the Carnival of Green Crafts and we’re giving it a home base, but we invite the green crafting community to jump in and make this carnival what you want it to be.

Submit Your Posts to the Carnival of Green Crafts

Our goal for the Carnival of Green Crafts is to make it a true community event and project, so we invite everyone to submit your own work or suggest great posts you’ve seen elsewhere. Since not all green crafting content online is published on blogs, we welcome submissions from online zines, forums, and communities as well. Whether you have an online mega-zine or a tiny blog, if it’s about green crafting, please feel free to submit! Part of the fun of a carnival is discovering new voices, so don’t be shy.

Recently published blog posts, forum posts and discussions, and other online articles are accepted on a rolling basis. If it doesn’t make the deadline for one edition, it will be forwarded to the next carnival’s host. To submit your own post for the Carnival of Green Crafts, please use the Blog Carnival submission form so we know we have permission to include it. (Depending on your browser, you may have scroll way down to see the form.) To recommend someone else’s post, please email greencraftscarnival (at) gmail.com so we can touch base with the author and make sure it’s ok to include their post.

Carnival of Green Crafts Schedule and Hosting

If you are interested in hosting the Carnival of Green Crafts, please email us at greencraftscarnival (at) gmail.com. Even if you’ve never hosted a carnival before, let us know if it sounds intriguing. We’re happy to help you figure it out. Crafting A Green World plans to host every other edition while the Carnival gets up and running.

July 24: Crafting A Green World

August 7: TBA
August 21: Crafting A Green World

September 4: TBA
September 18: Crafting A Green World

October 2: TBA
October 16: Crafting A Green World

November 6: TBA
November 20: Crafting A Green World

December 4: TBA
December 18: Crafting A Green World

Shocking, right? Fabric is meant to be hoarded, right? But honestly, though those old pastel celestial prints might be useful for insulating my house or making my fridge run more efficiently, I am so over the stars thing and I am never going to use this stuff.

My local quilt guild takes donations of kid-friendly and soldier-friendly fabrics for various community service projects, but what if you don’t have a guild nearby? And more importantly, is there anything I can do to find a new life for the perfectly good yarn that I often see abandoned in thrift stores and at garage sales?

Here are five organizations that accept donations of craft supplies. Feel free to add more in the comments. I’ve tried to stick to permanent organizations instead of individuals or temporary efforts, and this list contains only organizations where I could confirm they accept donations. (There are hundreds upon hundreds of organizations listed all over the web, and hundreds of websites, but many of them no longer exist.)

If you’re going to donate supplies, please be thoughtful and make sure what you’re donating is appropriate. Someone in our guild once donated vinyl to the baby quilts project… um, ok… thanks, I guess…

The CUREchief Foundation provides scarves to people with cancer, alopecia, and other conditions which may cause hair loss. These CUREchiefs can be worn on the head, or around the neck. They accept donations of cotton, flannel, and polar fleece for their volunteers to use in making CUREchiefs. For their address, see their Volunteer Page.

Care Wear Volunteers has volunteers nationwide who make and donate handmade baby items to hospitals. Founder Bonnie Hagerman sent me this information about what they need:

Care Wear Volunteers appreciates receiving donated yarn, fiberfil, quilt batting, narrow white lace, flannel, broadcloth, and other fabrics suitable for children’s toys, apparel, and blankets/quilts. Donated supplies will be distributed to volunteers who request assistance with their projects that are donated to hospitalized children. Contact: Bonnie Hagerman, Care Wear Volunteers, c/o Hood College, 401 Rosemont Avenue, Frederick, MD 21701

Members of the Charity Craft Volunteer Network in Central Texas craft to help infants, children, breast cancer patients, elders with Alzheimer’s, patients in hospice, and others. They can use fabric, yarn, fiberfill, batting, and thread. You can see the types of items they make. Their Donate Page has the address.

Newborns In Need focuses on helping needy families clothe their babies and keep them warm by providing clothing and blankets to families taking their infants home from the hospital. Appropriate donations of fabric, sewing notions, and patterns are welcome. Donations may be sent to Newborns in Need National Office, 3323 Transou Road, Pfafftown, NC 27040.

You can contact the local chapter coordinator for the Project Linus nearest you to find out whether they need fabric for making kids’ blankets. “Materials must be new, unused and free of contaminants such as mold, mildew and smoke. They should be cotton or cotton/poly blends.”

The Preemie Project has chapters in Iowa and Michigan that make items for the NICU, PICU, and infant bereavement programs. Their Donate Page is up to date with needed supplies, including flannel, fleece, thread, ribbon, and lace.

When choosing a gift, consider buying from a fair trade store. While your gift will probably be imported (which is energy intensive) extra money you spend to buy fair trade allows farmers to produce goods that are more sustainable. According to the Labor-Religion Coalition, buying fair trade protects the environment by “reducing or eliminating pesticide use, increasing composting and maintaining biodiversity.”

For those who would like to avoid the buying option I suggest crafting a gift by hand. Not only are handmade gifts a sincere expression of how much you care for the recipient, since you took the time and effort to create the gift, but if done right you can use virtually no energy. Here are two ideas I have used in the past which also encourage re-use:

• Juice pouch bags- I saw Capri Sun bags being sold commercially and thought, “I can totally make that myself,” so I did. I found this pattern online for my own attempt, pictured above.

• Denim jean pockets- When you are sick of a pair of jeans try making something neat out of them. In one of my teen magazines from way back when they suggested you cut out the back pocket and glue magnets to the back so you can use it to hold pens and pencils on your fridge.

Another very low impact gift could be the promise of a service. Sometimes it is more valuable to a friend to know that they can call you to baby-sit, help them weed their garden, or simply move some boxes from the attic to the basement. This is a big hit in my family!

Now, for all gifting it is important to consider your wrapping. I try to save all bags, tissue paper and wrapping paper that I receive from my family and friends. This way I can pull from these when I am wrapping and I don’t need to purchase new materials. When you are giving a gift avoid writing on the bags and tags so that the recipient may re-use the wrapping as well.

I also like to have a set of blank, Recycled Paper note cards on hand for an occasion that may arise. If you are not much for paper cards you can opt to send your friend a free electronic greeting like these ones from Conservation International!

So, while you celebrate your special summer occasions please consider these useful tips for low impact gifting!

Image Credit: from author’s own collection

Seeing such amazing wildlife just reinforced why I care so much about this planet and why we need to find a balance between people and wildlife. It solidified in my mind just how precarious that balance is and how precious clean air, water and land really is.

Like a typical tourist, I spent some time perusing gift shops at various points of interest throughout the park. I was taken aback by the amount of well, stuff, to put it politely, that I found in them. Much of the, ahem, stuff, was made from China, too. All I could think of was lead and the recalls. Ick. But I really wanted to bring back something special to the special people in my life.

Charles Gordon, writing in Maclean’s, agreed with me and stated “We live in a souvenir society, a world in which everything we do, everywhere we go, has to be commemorated.” And according to answers.com, by the mid 1990’s shops that catered to gifts and souvenirs had become a billion dollar industry, with no signs of slowing.

So I gave in to the need to commemorate and share, and purchased some items. I think in the end I made some positive choices in my gift buying and giving, and avoided products made from China. I bought things that contained recycled materials and printed with soy inks. I also sought out items made by local craftspeople who were suppling some of the shops with their wares.

But now that I’m home, I wonder:

Is there a way to fulfill the need to commemorate trips with souvenirs that is more environmentally friendly? Oh, and make it a craft project?!

Taking the premise of Leave No Trace and the edict of take only pictures, leave only the lightest of footprints, and bring home only memories, here are a couple of projects that I came up with:

• Using several photos from the trip, make a small photo collage of your favorite shots.
• Take a thifted frame and matte medium and cover it with your photos, taking the photo collage one step further.
• Group your photos into fun themes like animals, landscapes or people to make a photo quilt. All you need is an ink jet printer, photo transfer paper and cloth to print on. Make smaller photo quilts into items like potholders or wall hangings. Remember to use leftover or organic fabrics.
• Since a large part of souvenir business is t-shirts, why not make your own? Use that ink jet one more time and reuse an old t-shirt and use freezer paper to transfer one of your favorite pictures onto your t-shirt.
• Use Autumn’s paper bag technique and create personalized souvenir postcards.

Have any other green souvenirs ideas? Leave your thoughts in the comments!

Image Credit: Kelly Rand

PM Organics, like Near Sea Naturals, is an online shop crammed with “Textiles You Feel Good About.” PM Organics is currently closed as they move cross-country, but I thought I’d highlight them anyway since they are such a great source of eco-friendly fabrics and other supplies. You can sign up for their mailing list if you want an update when they get settled and re-open.

Their knits section includes organic cottons and blends in jersey, rib, fleece, terry, thermal, and interlock. Wovens include a few sateen sheetings, hemp and hemp blends, and twill. They also have organic cotton lace in three widths and 3/4 inch organic cotton twill tape which they note is “perfect for stabilizing seams, drawstrings, reinforcement or trim.” Organic cotton bias tape, elastic, and thread is currently sold out, but folks on the email list will get updated when they become available again.

The black floating seed crepe pictured above is 50% Organic Cotton/50% Tencel Crepe, and it’s only 10 bucks a yard. It also comes in nutmeg and seafoam. I had no idea what Tencel was, so I went to find out.

It turns out that Tencel is a brand name for a fiber called lyocell which is made of the cellulose found in wood pulp. That sounds great from a sustainability point of view compared to synthetic fabrics. But as with all products, you have to do your homework and be aware of the whole picture before making decisions.

The Organic Clothing blog, run by the folks at Lotus Organics Clothing, had a piece back in 2005 called Tencel: Sustainable but not necessarily healthy. It turns out that just like with bamboo, there are parts of the process in making lyocell that aren’t as green as we wish they were. I’m not saying I wouldn’t buy it, but it’s good to keep in mind that nothing is perfect and we just need to make the best informed choices we can.

PM Organics was founded by two moms who were looking for organic fabrics to use for making children’s clothing and cloth diapers:

We were tired of not having reasonably-priced sources of organic fabrics and were sure that others shared our feelings! As word of our fabric co-op got out, more and more people joined. Clearly, people wanted these fabrics, but like us, could not find them, at least not at affordable prices. So, we gathered all the cash we could, bought as many rolls of fabrics as we could, and started offering these wonderful organic knit fabrics as an on-going business venture.

Shops like PM Organics are a great resource for the rest of us, because they bring together so many different fabrics in one place. We wish them well in their move and look forward to updates as they get settled in their new home.

Previous Posts in the Fabulous Fabrics Series:

• Fabulous Vintage Kimono Fabric at Ah! Kimono
• Fabulous Fabrics: Michael Miller Organics
• Fabulous Fabrics: Hemp Linen And Twill From Earth Friendly Goods

Maker Faire is much more than your average craft show. Around every corner, you’ll find a a pointless yet poignant doodad, a jaw-dropping technology demonstration, or the tools and materials that invite you to imagine the possibilities…because we hope to inspire others to make stuff too.

Why is this reconnection to our creativity so important? It was one purpose-driven thought from ordinary individuals that invented the wheel, set out to cross the Atlantic, and revealed the fabric of space-time. Making things, both literal and existential, pulls us through history, and simultaneously brings humanity to the verge of a collapsing eco-system. Most of us had no hand in executing modern manufacturing techniques, but we must use both hands to fix them.

Eco-consciousness was a dominant theme throughout this event. The concerns are now common knowledge, and solutions are surprisingly revealed through grass root efforts.

Upcycling and dumpster diving for parts was common practice in many exhibits, such as the intimidating interactive Skull by James Burget, a 30ft tall flaming scrap metal sculpture, and many beautiful handmade goods at Bazaar Bizarre (Cathy of California
is pictured here with her reclaimed raffia flower accessories and kits). We also saw widespread use of alternative energy from a school bus RV that aims to run on cooking oil to a rock concert powered by fans riding stationary bicycles. There was a parking lot’s worth of plug-in cars, an algae powered whatchamacallit, and DIY greywater installation.

Though not always practical, these combinations of art, technology, and activism are powerful food for thought. Take, for instance, The Buscycle. It has hit the streets across the country, inviting 14 peddlers at a time to harness their physical energy together in an effort to create mass transit.

Diverse as they are accessible, these projects were largely the work of your average-citizen enthusiast. They are putting in more effort than many big businesses to stop wasteful consumption and keep carbon emissions under control. Dedicated indie crafters are a driving aesthetic force in the equation of eco-consciousness. Seeing them brought together fills me with hope.

This is the first post in a series about my experiences at Maker Faire, as it demands an unprecedented amount of run-on sentences. In my next installment, I’ll explore obvious gender majorities in the categories of crafting and technology. You can see my entire collection of Maker Faire photos on Flickr.

If the five easy steps in this video are not enough for you, then take a look at this list from Seoul’s 2008 Earth Day organizers of ten more ways to go green, Korean style.

1. Shop only for things you need
2. Create less trash
3. Eat when you are hungry, not when you’re bored
4. Try a vegetarian diet
5. Eat less “ready-made” food
6. Showering only when you need to
7. Do laundry only when you need to
8. Don’t drive a car
9. Use less electricity
10. Tell others about environmentally conscious lifestyles

Links from the video:

Roots & Shoots, USA

Roots & Shoots, Korea

ImaginePeace.or.kr

Beautiful Store

Links to Korean environmental and social interest organizations:

LOHAS Korea

Green Korea United

Friends of Asia

Indie crafters have become notable participants in the history of making things, but have a unique opportunity to pioneer social change as well. Since the Industrial Revolution, consumers have been diverted by the science of sales, and derive pleasure largely through conspicuous consumption. I feel that we modern makers seek to lift them out of the doldrums through individual acts of creativity. Yet, as materialism tips nature’s balance, our noble pursuit of culture questions its own validity. There is increasing unrest amongst crafters who feel their creations only add to the clutter on this Earth, but what if we could actually save the world by making things?

Cradle to Cradle: Industry that Benefits Nature
I was awestruck when I saw this Ted Talk (a conference dedicated to innovation in Technology, Entertainment, Design) by William McDonough explaining Cradle to Cradle, a manufacturing standard that promises to “love all children of all species for all time.” I had heard this term and “upcycling” thrown around, but never truly examined the concept. TeenAngster wrote a Stroque article explaining the background of C2C, and how it relates to crafters and makers. What amazes me most is that you don’t need to read the book to be enlightened by the idea. Just take a look around you. Natural systems metabolize their nourishment to sustain themselves and their environment. Humans breath in oxygen that is exhaled as carbon dioxide, which is inhaled by trees and then exhaled as oxygen. Even the most violent explosions in the universe — supernovas — disperse vital elements needed to form new stars and solar systems. During the last one hundred years, humans have excelled at benefiting from nature with little reciprocal effort…all powered by burning the remains of extinct giant lizards and plants aka fossil fuels. Amid alarming changes in our climate, visible pollution, and wide spread health effects, few deny the importance of becoming eco-conscious.

A lot of perfectly useful raw materials get thrown in the trash every day. Reclaiming items after they have fulfilled their usefulness has never been a factor in design until now. The idea is for our customers put new intentions on belongings, and we can give them motivation to do so.The cradle to cradle philosophy indicates that all man-made materials should be circulated through one of two closed systems in a world without waste. It involves rethinking the way things are assembled, so they may be disassembled. Parts designated as “technical nutrients,” replenish industry infinitely through upcycling or re-purposing, without degrading or emitting harmful toxins. Biological nutrients on the other hand, are derived from sustainable natural resources. They can be thrown on the ground, not only without concern, but to the benefit of the soil.

Amazing, but a pipe dream at best? On the contrary, some large corporations have been embracing the idea, applying it to their architecture, and creating products that fit within C2C certification standards. Ford recently built a prototype vehicle, the Model U, which not only runs on clean hydrogen fuel, but is designed with a basis of technical and biological nutrients. The U.S. Postal Service has taken rigorous steps to certify its Priority & Express mail packaging, and numerous other companies and communities are making bold changes to become “hyper green.”

Upcycled Crafts: Industrial Nutrients 1.0
We know that most microbrands strive on aesthetic consistency. A lucky few have been able to create solid designs out of waste materials that are abundantly saved, such as old electronics. They are actually introducing the nutrient concept right under everyone’s noses. DebbyAremDesigns has been successfully selling her circuit board creations in boutiques across the continent, including the museum shops at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum and the Boston Computer Museum. It proves that consumers are beginning to place added value on creative reuse.

A New Buyer/Seller Cycle
It’s important to expect green and humane practices from our suppliers, but in this scenario, exponentially more importance is placed on new ideas. There is unmatched resourcefulness within the indie craft movement, so here’s an idea for you… Turning trash into treasure often involves scouring through what others have thrown “away.” Sellers, why not create a direct relationship with consumers to promote participation in upcycling, and have materials we want essentially brought to us?

Certainly, it may take a little while to catch on, but we are in for a long-term incremental transition to non-toxic manufacturing and alternative fuels. While incubating these ideas, I realized that many of them involve little more effort than we invest now to promote our creations.

Here a sketch that should make sense for Etsy members:
The basic format involves sellers having a centralized list of materials they need. They should specify reasonable parameters, such as felt or corduroy instead of just fabric, whenever possible, or indicate other specifics. The list should always provide access to a profile of the artist and what they make. The idea is for our customers to put new intentions on belongings, and we can give them incentive to do so. Each maker would dictate their own system of coupons, give-aways, or other incentives, such as a reduced price if the buyer provides the raw materials. The more generous you are, the more materials you will get, and finding a happy balance may be an interesting challenge.

Local networks and events would be epicenters for this concept. Vanessa coined the possibility of creating a reverse Alchemy/Shop Local/Supplies section on Etsy to facilitate this. I would also love to see Teams introduce the idea of “craftcycle bins” in their communities through promotions and events. Add to that outreach programs for crafters outside the indie realm, and we could significantly reduce the consumption of commercial supplies.

This would open up an entirely new market for indie entrepreneurs as well. By utilizing the abundance of these resources, they could build vast inventories of refurbished, beautifully consistent supplies and kits. I’ve seen a handful of shops such as claudiascreations and whimsiedots with great examples of creatively reclaimed craft supplies.

Sellers could even offer to take back their creations to be refurbished, in return for a discount on something “new.”

Through initiatives like these, we could begin to demonstrate a closed system that sustains itself on waste…technical nutrients in action! This concept is being realized from the top down by industry. What if we could create awareness from the bottom up, and meet them in the middle?

Petition the Retailers!
Of course, not all supplies could be sourced this way. Over at Crafting a Green World, we are taking suggestions for an Eco-Crafters List of Demands that will be part of a petition to get the attention of retailers. We want to make it clear to them that we have educated ourselves on environmental matters, and greenwashing will not be tolerated. I should also add that most independent eco-conscious suppliers make genuine efforts at progress towards C2C standards. With all the money we are saving from upcycling, we should be able to patronize them even more.

Eco-Exhibit
I’d also like to propose a craft exhibit that brings awareness to biological nutrients. Artists could contribute signature wares created entirely from non-toxic biodegradable materials, with blue ribbons going to those that make an effort for their item not only to be safe for the ground, but additionally benefit the Earth. For instance, by incorporating seeds or natural plant foods into biodegradable items. Research and outreach will be required to help crafters pinpoint proper materials. Items would be displayed and photographed for a short time, then ceremoniously thrown into a contained garden. The process of disintegration should be documented, taking pictures when any plants bloom that were a part of the wares.

On a final note…
I am continually amazed by what people in this community are making, no matter what their products are made of. My hope is that the information and ideas presented here will only expand our opportunities for creativity and profitability while bringing awareness to more harmonious manufacturing methods. Handmade has its charm, but more importantly, we are striving for a culture abundant with individual expression, respect for our planet…and each other.

Further Resources:
TED Talk: Janine Benyus - 12 Sustainable Designs Ideas from Nature

The Sustainable Textile Standard

InHabitat.com/2007/11/22/cohda-recycling-factory-at-dott-07/

Climatex Lifecycle Fabrics

www.mbdc.com

SustainableStyle.org

I.D.’s Umbrella Inside Out Competition
[clock by DebbyAremDesigns][photo by jhritz][supplies bundled by whimsiedots]

There is general consensus within the DIY community that what we do has a uniquely positive effect on the world. Our universal philosophy suggests that embracing methods to handmake your own belongings is fulfilling and thought provoking. Yet, quiet debate continues as to the long-term advantages of buying handmade. Is it a truly effective way to bypass corporate interests and consumerism? Ironically, the modern craft movement relies on technology only made possible by mass production. Not necessarily the crafts themselves, but at very least, the internet, thus computers, have been essential for popularizing our community, small business growth, and inspiration. Broad claims of environmental friendliness must be examined. And what is at the heart of many of our creations? Commercially manufactured supplies. After all, spindles of thread and jewelry findings don’t grow on trees… and paper is made from trees.

To gain a clearer perspective of how we obtain supplies, I ran an anonymous survey which was linked through Etsy and various indie event mailing lists. One hundred crafters from across the U.S. and Canada responded.

Of those surveyed:

• 77% sell their items.
• 68% spend $50 or more a month on supplies.
• 33% shop at thrift/consignment stores often, 42% rarely or never get supplies there.

When asked: “How would you describe your knowledge of how commercial craft supplies are produced?”

• 28% have “never really thought about it.”
• 48% are “curious, but tend to look the other way due to lack of alternatives and budget restraints.”

When asked: “Would you be willing to pay more for commercial supplies that are guaranteed to be ethically created with earth friendly materials?”

• Only 8% answered they would not pay more since they use only free and inexpensive reclaimed materials.
• 88% are willing to pay a reasonable amount more for eco-friendly supplies.
• Only 16% answered “I already do! Supplies that I use offer a wide variety of options for eco-conscious crafters.”

Let me just say that I am one of those 48% that has, until recently, swept my reservations about retail supplies under the latch hook rug. I live in the suburbs, where second-hand stores dwindle in numbers, and decent selection is limited mostly to children’s clothing. Even though upcycling is widely promoted on Etsy, it doesn’t seem to be put into practice as much as it should.

Thrifting and salvaging are a hobby for some and a headache for others. Often, crafters are faced with the day-to-day reality that upcycling is an inconsistent, and inefficient way to gather materials for microbrands that desire to have solid designs with consistent aesthetics. In many cases of upcycling, additional materials are needed to finish whatever our imagination is compelling us to create. The bottom line is that 92% of crafters surveyed admit they use commercial craft supplies to some extent, and 75% aren’t completely aware of their environmental footprint. The intentions of crafters are good and the act of crafting is positive, but if we don’t keep challenging ourselves to be more green, we run the risk of slipping into complacency. We cannot assume that handmade = environmentally friendly.

Crafters and makers have rerouted the act of assembly from factories to the individual’s home or studio. But many of us remain blissfully unaware of the origins of our raw materials. On May 13th, The US Consumer Product Safety Commission will be holding a free round table discussion on the use of lead in “paints and coatings, toys, plastics, jewelry, electronics, batteries and textiles, etc” in Bethesda, Maryland. I just have one question, “Is it in my craft supplies”? According to Consumer’s Union, “Consumer Reports notes that there is no federal standard for lead in plastics, but the amount of lead detected in the glue stick caps was more than three times the 600 parts per million allowable for paint in the U.S. Consumers who own any of those items are advised to remove them from use.”

If you are concerned about lead contamination in your crafts, there are numerous testing kits now available for home use. Of course, these will not take measure of other heavy metals and carcinogens commonly found in consumer products. (Read more about California’s lead law here).

Our rapidly growing sub-culture is spending large chunks of cash at retail stores that barely cater to our interests, contribute little to our community projects, and carelessly market unsafe products. As a writer for Crafting a Green World, I am always on the lookout for earth conscious suppliers, but few options exist in many categories. For most of us, craft stores offer little to no innovation of their merchandise, and aren’t held accountable for pollution.

And to make matters worse, many businesses have blindly jumped on the green bandwagon. We have every reason to be suspicious of new products that appear eco-friendly, especially from large corporations. Greenwashing is already a rampant practice which misleads consumers with trendy “green” imagery and wordplay. The irony of this situation is that they sell things so the community can make stuff, yet you would never dream of stocking their shelves with things that were made in the community.

It’s easy to forget that our enormous environmental problems have been inherited. Current solutions are largely a matter of personal responsibility, and constitute options that are thus far misleading, inefficient, and/or expensive. Why am I suddenly guilt stricken when I forget to bring my reusable bags to the store? Whose idea was it to make disposable bags out of toxic polymers in the first place? They are simply a product immature design. The current focus of conserving fossil fuels and misconceptions about recycling serve to prolong our complacency. Alternative energy sources and organically grown crops are a beacon for nursing the planet back to health. When we make conscious purchases, it decreases our ecological footprint, but what if we have been walking in the wrong direction all along?

We don’t have enough space in this article to go into all the facts, so here are some links to information related to the business practices and manufacturing methods of big-name retail craft outlets:

DIY Guide to Drawing Your Own Conclusions about the Craft Supply Industry:

Leading National Retailers:
clnonline.com/newsbriefs.html
investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/snapshot/snapshot.asp?symbol=JAS
americanuniversities.suite101.com/article.cfm/billionaire_supports_doomed_school
www.hobbylobby.com/customs/General%20Information.pdf
www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/149976417

Helpful Wikipedia Entries:
Hobby_Lobby
Michaels
Private_equity_firm
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bain_Capital
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackstone_Group

Materials Manufacturing:
www.panna.org/files/conventionalCotton.dv.html
www.madehow.com/Volume-7/Felt.html
www.alibaba.com/manufacturers/32899/Other_Garment_Accessories.html
www.checnet.org/healthehouse/education/articles-detail.asp?Main_ID=375
news.mongabay.com/2007/0822-wsj.html
www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2008/01/the-last-empire.html
www.checnet.org/healthehouse/education/articles-detail.asp?Main_ID=187
www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-8562919.html
www.autexrj.org/No1/old1_2.pdf
extras.sltrib.com/china/
www.bellaonline.com/articles/art33912.asp
www.lenntech.com/Polyvinyl-Chloride-PVC.htm
www.cwac.net/paper_industry/
www.ota.com/organic/environment/cotton_environment.html
www.sixwise.com/newsletters/05/12/21/the_6+_synthetic_fabrics_you_most_want_to_avoid_and_why.htm
walmartwatch.com/blog/archives/textile_industry_takes_a_toll_on_the_environment_in_china/
www.ecologycenter.org/factsheets/plastichealtheffects.html

Recalls and Lead/Chemical Contamination:
www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml05/05127.html
www.ecocenter.org/press/releases/20071205.php
www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml08/08091.html
www.hobbylobby.com/recall/home.cfm?page=0&menu=0
www.hudsonhubtimes.com/news/article/3218231
oeconline.org/press_releases/2007/pollutioninpeople

Related EPA Studies:
www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/area/clayceramics_fs092007.pdf
www.epa.gov/epaoswer/other/mining/minedock/damage/damage.pdf

As a community coming to terms with dire consequences, what steps can we take to provide not just immediate, but long term solutions? I believe the creativity and enthusiasm within the modern craft movement can be a vehicle to demonstrate how the world can eliminate pollution and waste once and for all… Stay tuned for tomorrow’s “Make Like a Tree: Part 2.”

[Image Credit: "Bummer" by drexel ]
[Image Credit: "Beauty in Industry" by Jude McConkey]

I took an anonymous survey of crafters from across the country, and found that 92% of us use commercial supplies to some extent. My two part article for The Storque (to be cross-published here) will reveal further statistics.

There will also be an extensive list of resources that I have found to be informative about the business practices of retailers, product safety concerns, and environmental catastrophes both in the U.S. and the Far East, where many of our raw materials are combined with highly toxic chemicals.

I see crafters putting so much dedication towards being green, but numbers don’t lie. In 2001 craft supplies were a $10 billion a year industry. This number has tripled to $30 billion since. Part of our job on CAGW is to showcase green supplies, and they certainly exist, but not to the extent you might imagine. Readers ask us where to find eco-friendly alternatives for specific items, and often our searches come up empty. I promised to be an “eco-friendly craft ninja” when I began writing here. I also promise that you can find that completely adorable fat ninja postcard set, and tons of other cool art over at interrupt’s Etsy shop.

So, we are drafting a petition to ask that retailers provide transparency in manufacturing, invest in the development of innovative tools, and eco-friendly non-toxic products. And one more thing, we can spot greenwashing a mile away…don’t even go there. Are you afraid we haven’t enough chips on the table? Don’t call a bluff until you’ve read Part 2 of my upcoming article.

We need YOUR suggestions to begin this process. Every maker possesses unique insight from their hobbies, and there are as many kinds of crafts as there are colors of the rainbow. Personally, I’m tired of being handed beige. Here is what we’re looking for:

Are there items that you commonly use for projects, but have a hard time finding? Where are you seeing excessive packaging? What items have such scary warning labels that you are asking yourself, “Is this project worth giving myself brain damage over?”

What would be stocked in the craft store of your dreams?

Please leave suggestions in comments or e-mail them to craftingagreenworld@greenoptions.com

To be continued…

“Our mission is to produce and sell high quality yarns from natural fibers and design classic Vermont patterns. Transforming the many types of raw fibers into luxurious and long lasting yarn. The Green Mountain Spinnery helps to sustain regional sheep farming, and to develop environmentally sound ways to process natural fibers,” says their website.

Using vintage equipment, Green Mountain Spinnery creates yarns that take any project from plain to prodigious. Also similar to Hope Spinnery, GMS will spin yarns from fibers that you provide as well. The company has also released its own book of patterns, called The Green Mountain Spinnery Knitting Book, featuring “30 of their best loved contemporary and classic patterns.”

But what about the yarns!? You’re right - I got off track. While wool is their feature fiber, I’ve always been one for plant fibers. Their Cotton Comfort yarn, with 80% wool and 20% organic cotton, is just soft enough for me to wear without feeling itchy. No eco-yarn company would be complete without some 100% organic undyed wool, and GMS has it in spades. For something a little less traditional, check out GMS’ Yarn Over collection - made from carded wool & mohair left from a range of dye lots is blended to create “once only” muted colors.

Who makes your favorite sustainable yarns?

Which natural fiber is your favorite to work with? (i.e. cotton, wool, bamboo, hemp … etc.)

Let us know what you love to create with and we might feature them in the next installment of Yearn-Worthy Yarns!

“I try to reflect both the human and natural environment in my work by using symbols and materials that have meaning to me and represent where I come from. From street signs to native trees, my jewelery has always been a pretty literal representation of my surroundings,” he says.

Along with the natural theme of his creations, Ashley uses small scale mined metals from his home base in New Zealand. “I found that most of the gold from my suppliers in New Zealand is mined or recycled here and in Australia. Both these countries have a relatively good track record with regards to mining practices but the idea of using a local resource and streamlining the path of the metal from the ground to the customer really appealed to me,” he says.

It was my pleasure to chat with Ashley recently about his education of the art of make jewelry, sustainable metal mining, creative inspirations and more. Read on for our full conversation and all its “hand made” details.

What first got you interested in making jewelry? When did you decide to turn it into a career?

I was at a loose end really. I’d spent a few years traveling and working overseas as a chef and knew that that lifestyle wasn’t for me anymore. I did a weekend jewelery course and loved it, It just made perfect sense to me so I bought some tools and started experimenting. Originally I never thought it would be a career. It was never really a conscious decision, it just grew and grew until in about 3 years It was all I did.

Have you even gotten flack for being a straight guy in the jewelry biz?

No, but I’m always careful to answer the phone with an extra deep voice. Actually, due to my name and I guess occupation, I’ve been mistaken for a girl a few times. What appeared to be innocuous e-mails from a male customer seemed quite flirtatious when I re-read them as a woman.

Did you first start your collection with sustainability in mind or has that developed over time?

I didn’t. Although I considered myself quite environmentally aware It wasn’t something I translated into my work. I guess I really avoided finding out about the real cost and history of the materials I used because I didn’t think there would be anything I could do about it. Once I actually confronted the issues really good alternatives appeared.

You work with a number of beautiful materials including silver, gold, titanium and polyester resin. Is there one in particular that you enjoy more than the others?

I think silver will always be my first love. There’s something honest and no nonsense about it.

Why do you believe that sustainable creation and operation should be so important to small businesses and crafty folks?

I think everyone should try to be honest about the real cost of what they do. In particular to business though, I think people are taking greater and greater interest in the ethics of what they buy and consume and this is only going to get more important to them. Small business and crafty folk have the agility to be at the front of this trend and give people options that big business can’t.

Other than in your Etsy webstore, your goods are only available in your native New Zealand. What has the reception been like from customers and retailers?

It’s been good. In the beginning it was tough approaching retailers about selling my work, there are a lot of great jewelers in New Zealand so galleries can be pretty full up. If you have something original people usually give you a chance and then it’s just a matter of whether your designs sell. Luckily for me some of my designs struck a real chord with people and have done well.

Your process of mining black sand gold is quite unique - how did you come across this process? Are you involved in the mining of your materials personally?

There is a bit of a community here of people who prospect for gold using small scale, home built machinery. Some use metal detectors. Some use one and two person suction dredges in rivers as well as on beaches. My father happened to know someone who did this for a living and worked on the beach with him for a season. I’ve never worked there myself but I go there to buy gold. The tides and seasons really affect whether they can work on the beach so it’s always a bit hit and miss. I imagine there are people doing this in other parts of the world, it’s just a matter of finding them. As the price of gold has gone up ridiculously in the past few years it’s making this kind of mining more viable. It’s pretty cool to be able to cut out all the middle people and get gold from the person who mined it to the person who wears it with just me in between..

Most recently, you have been working on a line of fruit rings that is noticeably different from your other etched creations. What led you in this new direction?

With my jewelery I’m not really too worried about always coming up with new ideas. I find my designs do evolve over time but for me jewelery is as much about the lifestyle of working from home and keeping my own time as it is about expressing my creativity. That said, every few months I go through a bit of a manic ideas period where I try out lots of new designs. The fruity rings came about when I was looking at rings in “the Carrot Box” that had been cut out of flat sheet metal and thinking about what I could do using the same process… I also wanted to explore the idea of jewelery that is a little bit impractical and not necessarily for everyday wearing.

What one tip would you give to crafters who are trying to creative their own projects more sustainably?

I would say really look at what you do, where your materials come from, how you use them and what the impacts are. It can be a bit depressing but unless you recognize the negatives you can’t do anything about them. I found solutions right in front of me that I had never thought of.

I think it’s really important to be pragmatic too, I know there’s still lots of things about what I do that aren’t sustainable but I don’t think the answer is to stop making jewelery. You’ve just got to be honest about it and start finding alternatives.