Remainders Creative Reuse collects donated fabric, paint, paper, sewing notions and studio art materials, sorts them and resells them at low prices so cost is not a barrier to making things, said Robin Cox, the store’s founder and executive director.
Cox started the organization after years of teaching art and graphic design left her with piles of leftover materials she did not know what to do with. A visit to Scrap, a similar creative reuse operation in San Francisco, convinced her the model was something every city needs. She applied for nonprofit status and began in her garage.
The operation has since grown far bigger than she ever envisioned.
Fabric and sewing supplies move fastest through the store, along with studio art materials such as paint, pencils and paper. Much of it is what students need for school, Cox said.
The store accepts most creativity-related donations and turns away only very large items or goods damaged beyond use. Even partially used materials are welcome as long as they are still usable, Cox said, because reselling them keeps “literally tons” of stock out of the trash.
Keeping materials affordable is central to the mission. Teachers, who often pay out of pocket for classroom supplies, and students with valid identification receive a 20% discount at various times, and the store also holds teacher giveaways.
The idea grew out of Cox’s years teaching sewing, when parents would arrive with expensive new fabric for their children. The children were terrified to cut into it because so much money had been spent, she said. When she began supplying inexpensive used and scrap fabric instead, students were no longer intimidated and could focus on learning.
On a busy day, the store takes in about 30 large bins of donations. A staff of three or four sorts incoming materials into general categories, then breaks them down further — a sewing bin, for example, might be split into hand sewing, machine sewing and other subgroups — so items can be priced and shelved quickly. Sorted stock is held on shelves in a back storage area until the store floor needs it.
The biggest challenge is not a shortage of donations but getting enough merchandise priced and onto the floor fast enough to keep up with demand from a store that has become popular, Cox said. She credited a dedicated staff and volunteers, many of them crafters themselves.
Classes at the store are built around the donated materials. Offerings include a “pottery remix” class that turns broken pottery into new sculptures, assemblage workshops, hand-sewing classes and a “modern mending” class that uses fabric scraps to repair clothing. Materials are provided so students do not have to buy their own, and beginners often practice on scraps that might not otherwise sell.
Remainders Creative Reuse maintains about 50 active partnerships at a time, including with the Pasadena and Alhambra school districts, the Gamble House and the city of Pasadena, for which it serves as an Art Night destination.
After recent wildfires, the store gave away sewing machines to people who lost theirs and has worked with Altadena groups that formed in the aftermath, including Altadena Musicians and an Altadena arts academy, Cox said.
A full list of accepted items is available on the organization’s website, remainders.org. Cox said the nonprofit recently launched a new site funded by a grant.
Remainders Creative Reuse is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and is closed Monday and Tuesday. The store is at 787 East Washington Boulevard, Suite 101. Browsing is free, donated supplies are sold at thrift-store prices, and most classes in the upstairs creative space run from about $10 to $30, with materials included. The nonprofit lists no public phone number; for hours, class schedules, donation guidelines and a full list of accepted items, visit remainders.org or email info@remainders.org.
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