Visit A Creative Reuse Store

Does your city have a creative reuse store? Here in San Antonio, Texas we have Spare Parts and it’s an absolute gem for any type of crafter, upcycler, educator, or creative minded individual!

Creative reuse stores are just like they sound. It’s kind of like a thrift store of gently used craft supplies. They take pride in knowing items are being reused to help the environment and inspire creativity in a sustainable way.   

Spare Parts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in San Antonio, Texas, that advances reuse and sustainability through creativity and the arts. The Spare Parts Center for Creative Reuse was voted Best Thrift Store 2022 by San Antonio Current. In 2022 they have some impressive numbers like diverting 21,801 pounds from the landfill! 

(Above photo courtesy of Spare Parts)

While every creative reuse store will vary from city to city, here at SpareParts they have sections of fiber arts, office supplies, jewelry/beads, kid crafts, books, containers/party supplies, fine arts, & raw materials. If there is something you need, you can most likely find it here.

(Above photo courtesy of Spare Parts)

In 2021 I created my own capsule wardrobe and all my fabric was sourced from SpareParts! It made me so happy that I was 1. Able to source the fabric second hand, 2. Save a lot of money and 3. Know that I am supporting my local community through my purchase.

In addition they also host a lot of fun workshops with local creatives. I took a fun cyanotype class a few years back that taught me new techniques while also meeting some other creative minded people!  It’s good to know the small cost of their workshops go right back into the community and help fulfill its mission of supporting sustainability through creativity and the arts.

Some other things to look into if your town has a creative reuse store:

1.  Look into volunteering if you have time. The majority of creative reuse stores run on volunteers! 

2.  Donate your items to the store! Make sure to check what your store accepts, here are SpareParts accepted items https://www.sparepartssa.org/give/

3.  Check for discounts. At SpareParts I’m a member of their VIP program. Which means I get extra discounts throughout the month. It’s a one time fee of $30 and good for an entire lifetime! I havn’t done the exact math, but I’ve shopped quite a few times since 2021 and my guess is my membership has already paid for itself by now.

4.  Check for a newsletter so you don’t miss anything. 

5.  Ask someone at the store if you can’t find what you are looking for. Inventory changes daily since it’s run on donations. Depending on your store they might even notify you if an item comes in that you were looking for.

I may be one of the very few that doesn’t have an Amazon prime membership now a days. I canceled my membership back in 2020 and I have never looked back. I almost feel like a creative reuse store is my own type of ‘prime membership.’  I like looking outside of the norm to see what I really need. Honestly if I can’t find what I’m looking for at SpareParts then I can probably do without it! Plus I know my purchase is going back into my local community, not funding a multibillion dollar industry.

After reading this I hope I inspired you to check to see if your city has a creative reuse store.  A good resource to check is this list compiled by Swoodsonsays  https://swoodsonsays.com/a-creative-reuse-center-near-me-map-resource/

Happy reusing and upcycling to you all 😊

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