Weaving Recycled T-Shirt Rugs
You can make very cute woven rugs from recycled t-shirts without spending much on equipment.
Fish Scales, Skin and Bones Creative Reuse
Learn how artists and scientists are creatively reusing fish scales, skin and bones – from jewelry, to paintings, to even a replacement for petroleum-based plastic.
Yoga Mats Creative Reuse
Get lots of ideas for how to use your old yoga mats, plus learn about a type of yoga mat made from recycled neoprene wetsuits!
8 Items You Might Not Creative Reuse
Trashmagination is all about encouraging you to creatively reuse found items and recyclables to make art. However, some materials can be hazardous to your health if you don’t take precautions when working with them.
Hair and Pet Fur Creative Reuse
Can you creatively reuse natural or synthetic hair?
Visible Mending
There is a creative reuse trend to mend your clothes with decorative stitches, making the item stronger and also more beautiful.
Leather Creative Reuse
What can you make from that leather couch on the curb, your old leather jacket or even the leather labels on your jeans?
DIY Plastic Recycling
Designers around the world are building machines that allow people to DIY their plastic recycling.
Inflatable Floats and Decorations Creative Reuse
Inflatables made from vinyl, rubber and nylon are very difficult to recycle but they are extremely popular during hot summer months and as holiday decorations.
Buttons Creative Reuse
Learn about the incredible ways artists work with buttons and get ideas for creatively reusing your own buttons.
Polystyrene Foam or Styrofoam
Polystyrene foam (more commonly called styrofoam) is notoriously difficult to recycle and awful for the environment, but you can avoid it and reuse it with creative thinking.
Insects and Creative Reuse Art
Creative reuse artists make insect sculptures from recycled materials, while others actually work with live insects to make art.
Fairy Gardens from Recycled Materials
Most fairy gardens are made from garden center statuettes or items removed from nature but you can make your own fairy garden from recycled materials.
Justice and Creative Reuse
How can creative reuse be part of a personal practice living and working for justice?
Lessons from 100 Podcasts
This is the 101st episode of the Trashmagination podcast, so I’ll take a moment to talk about what I have learned from making 100 podcast episodes on creative reuse.
Money – Coins and Bills
Artists cut, paint, stack, carve and weld coins, as well as fold and embroider paper bills to make art.
Robot Sculptures from Recycled Materials
Folk artists around the world make robots from recycled materials – and you can too!
Creative Reuse Trends during Social Distancing due to the COVID-19 Pandemic
People are generously making masks and hand sanitizer, teaching art with recycled materials and using up what they have in the kitchen.
Toilet Paper Rolls and Other Cardboard Tubes
You can make just about anything from toilet paper rolls or tubes – get fun activities for younger children, older children and adults.
Social Distancing: 20 Creative Reuse Activities to Do at Home
If you are staying close to home due to social distancing, you can do these creative reuse activities with items that you likely already have at home so you don’t need to go to the store.
Weighted Blankets
Most weighted blankets get their heft by containing plastic or glass pellets but I made one with recycled denim blue jeans.
Tissue Paper Creative Reuse
Most municipal recycling programs do not want your tissue paper – so what can you make with it?
Fundraising with Scrap Quilts
You can fundraise for a cause AND build community if you make scrap quilts that include messages from your supporters.
Mylar Balloons
Mylar balloons cause many power outages and seabird deaths – but you can make a difference by not buying them and creatively reusing old ones.