Textile Transformations

Join the SCARCE team for a morning of textile transformation! Discover ways to reuse or repurpose clothing & textiles, to create memorable keepsakes. Learn about places to recycle textiles not suitable for reuse.

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“We get calls all the time,” says Erin Kennedy, an Environmental Educator at SCARCE, the DuPage County non-profit, whose mission is eco-education. “‘What can someone do with old, damaged clothing?’”

Americans throw away 70 pounds of clothing per person a year, according to the Council for Textile Recycling. Unfortunately, 85% of all that textile waste goes into landfill. That’s why Erin and the other Environmental Educators at Scarce wanted to create a special workshop focused on textile recycling. 

“I think it’s really important,” said Ms. Kennedy. “It’s a waste stream we don’t talk about enough. Americans consume a lot of clothing—much more than in the past—and we can do better when it comes to re-use and recycling.” 

The Textile Transformation Workshop will offer information on how to reduce your textile waste, as well as crafting demonstrations on how to make your own dryer balls, mittens from old sweaters, and a lesson on creating memory quilts using old t-shirts from an accomplished quilter. “I’m excited to show people all the different resources we have for recycling and reusing textiles,” said Ms. Kennedy. “It’s going to be fun!”