If you’ve been crafting for some time, whether you’re a quilter, knitter, crocheter, or a jack-of-all trades kind of crafter then changes are you have accumulated a stash or fabrics or yarn leftover from projects that you’ve done and some that you never got around to doing. Or maybe you are helping a crafty loved one downsize and you just need to know “Where can I donate fabric and yarn?”. Today I’m going to give you a variety of ideas so that you can pass on those supplies and make sure they don’t go to waste.
Donate vs. Trash
By choosing to donate your fabric and yarn you will be reducing waste. Why should these craft supplies take up space in a landfill when they can be repurposed or used by someone else?
Beyond staying out of the trash your donations can help others. By giving to other crafters, schools, and charities your supplies that were just taking up space and not being used can now be used to help.
You can feel good about contributing to worthy organizations and you will have the added bonus of a decluttered sewing space or craft room.
There is more fabric and yarn out there than anyone could ever get around to using. Often times we buy fabric or yarn because it’s pretty and we might have a project in mind to make with it. But sometimes time passes and we change our minds or we never really figure out that perfect project to go with it. It’s better to let go of supplies that we may never use so that someone else can use them.
Local Places to Donate Fabric and Yarn
- Thrift Stores
- I’m sure if you looked online you probably have a local thrift shop or two and you’re probably not too far from a Goodwill or Salvation Army.
- They generally accept fabric scraps, yardage, yarn, and tools.
- Crafting Guilds and Sewing Circles
- You may also have a local sewing circle or local quilt guild near you who would accept fabric donations for community projects.
- They often use the materials for charity quilts, blankets, or clothing donations that give back to the community in addition to providing a community-connecting opportunity for those in the sewing circle or craft guild.
- Community Centers
- Your local community center or senior center may accept fabric or yarn donations to use for craft or sewing classes if they offer any.
- Schools and After-School Programs
- Reach out to your local school district to see if a school’s art teacher or STEM teacher may accept donations of materials for class projects.
- Schools are great in particular because if you have scraps and remnants they can use those for the scrap material bins that most art and STEM teachers have in their rooms. Our STEM teacher is always open to donations of odds and ends of craft materials for her room. Things like craft foam, quilt batting, pipe cleaners, stamp pads, scrapbook paper, embroidery floss, bias tape, scrap fabrics, etc. make great items for STEM projects.
- Activity groups like the Girl Scouts or the 4-H might be interested as well.
- Animal Shelters
- Check with your local animal shelter to see if they need fabric to make blankets for the shelter. Some have volunteers that use the fabric to make blankets for pet beds.
- Creative Reuse Centers
- I only recently learned about Creative Reuse Centers and they sound amazing! Check out this huge list of Creative Reuse Center locations to find one near you!
Charitable Organizations that Accept Fabric and Yarn
- Project Linus
- Project Linus is a non-profit organization that helps provide blankets for children in need. They have local chapters of volunteers who make the blankets. The blankets are then distributed within the local community to children in local hospitals, shelters, and service agencies.
- Many local chapters accept materials to make blankets. Contact your local chapter to see what donations they accept.
- Warm Up America!
- Warm Up America! provides knitted and crocheted blankets and clothing to people in need.
- They sometimes accept donations of yarn but ask that you email their office at [email protected] to see if they are accepting donations due to storage space limitations.
- Quilts of Valor Foundation
- Local Quilts of Valor chapters provide handmade quilts to veterans and active military members.
- They will accept donations of quality 100% cotton quilting weight fabric that is new or like new (free of odors, stains, and never been used). They ask that you bear in mind “most recipients will choose a red, white, and blue quilt over a non-patriotic one given the opportunity”. Here is their fabric donation form.
- Days for Girls
- Among other things, Days for Girls creates sustainable menstrual kits for girls around the world.
- They accept donations of some specific fabrics and sewing supplies listed on their Wishlist.
- Local Homeless Shelters and Women’s Shelters
- Check with your local shelter to see if they need fabric or yarn donations. Some shelters have volunteer groups who create warm items like blankets, hats, or scarves for those the shelter serves.
- Churches and Mission Groups
- Some local churches host sewing or knitting groups that create items for charity and may accept donations as well.
These organizations also take monetary donations in addition to donations of fabric and yarn if you would also like to help more with their charity projects.
Online Places to Donate Fabric and Yarn
- Facebook Groups or Marketplace
- There are “free crafting supplies” groups where you could find someone who might want what you have.
- Craigslist and Freecycle
- You can list your supplies for free and might find someone who could use them.
- Etsy Upcycle Programs
- There are some Etsy sellers who accept donations and then upcycle the fabric and yarn into new products.
How to Prepare Your Donations
- Sort and Organize: Separate fabric and yarn by type and size.
- Wash: Wash the fabric and yarn to make sure they’re free of dirt, odors, and allergens.
- Check Quality: Only donate materials that are in good condition to use. Don’t donate things that are moldy, torn, or scraps too small to be usable.
- Label Items: Indicate fabric type and yardage or yarn weights if you can.
- Package Neatly: Use bins, bags, or boxes to keep donations organized and clean.
What if it’s not in good condition?
- Textile Recycling Programs: Some cities offer textile recycling for fabric scraps.
- Composting (for Natural Fabrics): Natural fibers such as cotton and wool can be composted.
- Upcycle Projects: Pinterest has a ton of ideas for turning even really small scraps into small projects and putting them to good use so they might not be as unusable as you thought. It doesn’t take much fabric to make some things and there’s a ton you can make with pieces the size of a fat quarter or so.
That’s all I could come up with and I hope that this has helped you answer the question of “Where can I donate fabric and yarn?”. Donating it rather than trashing it will help the environment, help a good cause in your community, and even help you to declutter! So go ahead and go through your yarn or fabric stash and see what you can part with to help others!
More Crafting Fun
Leave a Reply