My name is Becky Striepe (rhymes with “sleepy”), and I am a crafts and food writer from Atlanta, Georgia with a passion for making our planet a healthier, happier, and more compassionate place to live. My mission is to make vegan food and crafts accessible to everyone!. If you like my work, you can also find me on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.
Wait a second! Bleach is not exactly the most eco-friendly product. What sort of green crafting site would recommend using bleach? Don’t fret. I promise I wouldn’t recommend something that seems kind of sketchy from an environmental standpoint without doing my research.
Bleach Stencil Tutorial and the Environmental Impacts of Bleach Read More 👉
St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner. If you’ve got party plans in the works, why not spice things up with a little bit of DIY action? By focusing on using eco-friendly materials, you can make this the greenest St. Patty’s Day party ever.
Five Eco-Friendly St. Patrick’s Day Projects Read More 👉
Got an old deck of cards that’s missing the queen of hearts or a Scrabble set that’s missing a Q? Don’t send that board game to the landfill! There are lots of ways to repurpose those old games!
Vegan crafting is sort of a tricky subject. While a lot of folks equate veganism with environmentalism, the two don’t necessarily go hand in hand. I do believe, though, that the mindset that goes along with veganism can help you make greener choices in your crafting.
Crafting a Vegan World Read More 👉
Last year, a group of farmers and producers got together with a goal in mind: to produce cotton t-shirts using sources within 750 miles.
Dirt to Shirt Project: Local Cotton, Local T-Shirts Read More 👉
By now I’m sure you guys are pretty much on board the eco-friendly fabric train, but what about the thread we use to sew up all of that gorgeous hemp, vintage, and organic fabric? Sure, thread is just a small part of your craft project, but if you think about all of the sewing you do each year, those spools start to really add up!
The Hunt for Organic Thread Read More 👉
When the chilly, dark days of winter get you down, some springtime crafty eye candy is the perfect pick me up!
Your first mental image when I mention doilies is probably of a stuffy old home, where those lacy mats adorn the table tops, but doilies definitely have a place in modern crafting, too.
Fab Fabrics: Vintage Doilies and Projects to Get You Started Read More 👉
Store bought accessories are no fun! Mass produced pieces are bad for the planet and lack the personality of something you made yourself. Instead of hitting the big box store for your accessory needs, why not hit your crafty stash for some recycled fashion fun instead? Here are some ways to accessorize and show off your crafty skills at the same time.
Recycled Fashion: 5 DIY Accessories Read More 👉
Melissa Lovell started The Organic Mamas back in 2004 when she had her first baby and realized that she didn’t want her child exposed to the chemicals associated with conventional fabrics.
Fab Fabrics: The Organic Mamas Read More 👉
Whether you’re planning an intimate evening with your sweetie, a big Valentine’s day shindig with friends, or just like getting your holiday decor on, there’s no reason to hit the party store for mass-produced decorations. Not only do handmade Valentine’s decorations have more heart, if you make them yourself, you can choose eco-friendly materials.
Stay at home mom Nikki Shipard creates beautiful, food-inspired block prints on organic fabrics.
Fab Fabrics: Organic Block Prints from BIRCHseed Read More 👉
Don’t you just love when you see kids getting excited about crafting? It’s even better when they’re fascinated with repurposed materials. A new web series featuring 7-year-old twins Tristin and Tyler is chock full of green crafting inspiration for kids and grown-ups alike!
Crafty Kids: Tristin and Tyler Document Green Crafts in the City Read More 👉
Have you entered the Rit upcycling contest yet? Our very own editor extraordinaire, Kelly Rand, is one of the judges, and the prize list is pretty darn sweet.
Upcycling Contest Offers Prizes for Creative Reuse Read More 👉
I have what you might call a vintage pillowcase obsession. I can’t pass up those beautiful pillowcases at the thrift store. A pillowcase has just the right amount of fabric for my sewing project ideas! Want to get in on the pillowcase sewing action? Here are some pillowcase crafts to kick things off:
Pillowcase Crafts: 11 Projects for Vintage Pillowcases Read More 👉
Whether we’re talking felted wool from reclaimed sweaters or Kunin’s Eco-fi made from recycled plastic bottles, crafting with recycled felt is a great way to lighten your DIY footprint.
Fab Fabrics: Recycled Felt + 4 Felt Projects Read More 👉
One thing that I don’t think gets enough attention is the metal that we use in our crafting. Between chains, clasps, and wire for wrapping, metal plays a huge part in any handmade piece of jewelry, but that metal can have a huge impact on the environment.
Lithuanian designer Inga’s beautiful linen fabrics are inspired by traditional methods from her home country.
Fab Fabrics: LinenMe Read More 👉
Did you get any fun gadgets over the holidays but need a case to prevent scratches and dings? You can use your crafty skills to keep your electronics safe and sound!
Green Geek Crafts: Five DIY Projects for your Gadgets Read More 👉
Can you believe it’s 2011 already? Just last week, January seemed so far away. One of the things I love about the first of the year is that you get a chance to look back on a year’s worth of work and accomplishments. So, why not take a peek at the fabulous fabrics we rounded up in 2010?
Did you take the handmade pledge this holiday season? We love a handmade holiday around here, but what about the rest of the year? Your New Year’s resolution is a great time to reflect on what handmade means to you and set your crafty intentions for the new year!
What’s Your Crafty New Year’s Resolution? Read More 👉
Do you have any fun New Year’s Eve parties in the works? My husband and I decided to have a sort of last-minute shindig, so I’ve got countdowns and champagne toasts on my mind. I’ve been bookmarking snack and drink ideas, and now it’s time to pull everything together with some handmade, eco-friendly decorations! Here are a few that are on my to do list.
5 Recycled New Year’s Decorations Read More 👉
I love my two cats! There’s really no other way to say it. Those little fluffballs always seem to be doing something cute, and it’s hard to resist the urge to shower them with toys and treats! Do you like to spoil your kitties? Here are some eco-friendly ideas for toys and treats!
4 Recycled Cat Crafts to Spoil Your Fur Kid Read More 👉
You might not think of a bike inner tube as a fabric, but you can use the rubber as a great, durable textile! Most bike shops just toss blown out tubes once they’ve finished the repair, so there’s a good chance you can score some inner tubes for free if you hit up your local bike shop and ask them to save some for you.
Free and totally recycled? Sounds fab to me!
We talked last week about recycled craft projects to spoil your kitty, and I don’t want you dog owners to feel left out! Here’s a roundup of fun, eco-friendly ways to spoil that pup rotten!
Have you guys heard of Modal fabric? It’s made using pulp from beechwood, and a lot of folks are touting it right now as an eco-friendly alternative to more conventional rayons.
Fab Fabrics: Modal Made From Beechwood Read More 👉
Dan Phillips is a home builder in Texas and an great advocate for sustainable building.
So what does home construction have to do with crafts? A lot, it turns out! His unconventional take on materials is an attitude that most of us green crafters share. The talk is informative, inspiring, and pretty hilarious. Check it:
Creative Houses from Reclaimed Stuff Read More 👉
We love vintage fabrics around here. Not only does crafting with vintage materials divert waste from the landfill, your materials basically have zero impact remaining at this point, since they were produced and discarded so long ago. I love the way the right piece of vintage cotton or bark cloth can add a touch of personality to a sewing project.
Fab Fabrics: Vintage Lovelies from RetroLabs Read More 👉
Wow, the holidays really started off with a bang this year! Can you believe Thanksgiving is behind us? With Christmas drawing close, it’s time to deck the halls and trim the tree. Here are some eco-friendly handmade ornament ideas to help you add a little DIY to your decorations.
Five Handmade Christmas Ornaments to Green Your Holidays Read More 👉
You know we love vintage fabrics around here. Second hand supplies make it easy as pie to be eco-friendly. Sure, they may have had a sizable footprint when they were created, but by crafting with gently used vintage fabrics, you’re giving that fabric a new life and diverting the waste from the landfill.
Fab Fabrics: Vintage Finds from JoonE Read More 👉
We all have slumps sometimes, where those new ideas just aren’t coming. When ideas seem scarce, the best fix is often a little bit of crafty inspiration. These upcycled craft and art pieces are sure to give you ideas on how you can creatively reuse materials in your life and your craft!
Upcycled Inspiration: Five Ideas for Crafty Reuse Read More 👉
Check out these gorgeous hand-dyed, organic fabrics from Noonday Textiles.
Fab Fabrics: Organic Offerings from Noonday Textiles Read More 👉
When you add up all of the disposable paper products that we use on a daily basis, it equates to tons and tons of paper every year. Reusables not only save resources, they save you money. Imagine the savings if your family cut its paper towel use in half or even cut them out all together?
Here are some crafty ideas to get you started on the road to reuse!
Ditching Disposables: Three Crafty Ways to Replace Single Use Paper Read More 👉
Fabric retailer J&O Fabrics recently added some eco options to their line, and they’re offering a 15% discount code good through the end of November if you want to try them out.
Fab Fabrics: Eco-Friendly Options from J&O Fabrics Read More 👉
Gift-giving season is just around the corner, and we’ve got a handmade holiday on our minds! If you’re going to give handmade gifts, it’s best to get an early jump on making things.
The trickiest folks to shop for are the ones who seem to have everything they want already. I find that food-related gifts really win out in these situations. Here are some tasty gift ideas that are sure to please!
We’ve talked before about the high impact from denim production. While there are more sustainable denim options out there, the most eco-friendly option is probably second hand denim. Here are some tips for how to find and repurpose gently-used denim.
