Sustainable Crafts: 9 Eco-Friendly DIY Projects To Do Your P(art)

For you free-wheeling artistic souls out there, rest easy knowing that crafting is only limited by your imagination—and perhaps what materials you have lying around.

After all, there are countless natural, recycled, and other eco-friendly art supplies at your disposal to help feed your eco-expression without none of the environmental devastation associated with often toxic and wasteful art supplies.

So grab your supplies, a dash of creativity, and let’s dive into the artistic realm where green is the new black (er, charcoal).

Sewing projects aren’t the only way to exercise your textile creativity. Ever looked at your growing pile of scrap fabric or old clothing and thought, “I should really do something with all that”?

Scrap fabric rag rugs are a fabulous, fun, and (most importantly) eco-friendly way to turn that mountain of potential textile waste into a charming piece of sustainable home decor.

Not only does it cater to our crafty adult friends, but it’s one of the best sustainable crafts for children, thanks to its simplicity and safety. No fancy supplies needed either, just the following:

• A decent-sized pile of scrap fabric (the more colorful, the better!)
• Scissors
• Non-slip rug pad or gridded mat
• A touch of patience

Begin by cutting your scrap fabric into 1-inch wide strips, then tie these strips tightly onto a non-slip rug pad or gridded mat until it is fully covered, resulting in a charming, cushy rug made entirely from upcycled materials. If you want to go for a 100% recycled craft project and ditch the mat sublayer, you can weave the long strips of fabric together, rather than tying them on.

No loom? DIY one out of cardboard or recycled wood scraps and panel nails.

We all have those treasured old clothes we don’t wear, but also don’t have the heart to shred into pieces. Give those cherished old tees and sentimental hoodies a new lease on life with one of the most functional (and funky) recycled crafts.

From moms and dads to kids, this arts and crafts idea is perfect for anyone with a dash of creativity and a penchant for purses. You’ll need:

• A couple of old t-shirts (the more designs and colors, the better!)
• Sharp scissors
• A ruler or measuring tape
• Marker for drawing cut lines

To create repurposed t-shirt tote bags, simply cut off the sleeves and neckline from your old T-shirt to form handles, then turn it inside out, cut the bottom into ~2” fringe strips, and tie them together. If you like the fringe look, don’t turn it inside out and simply flaunt your fringe on the outside.

Celebrate your success by flaunting your new creation during your next grocery run or outing, replacing plastic grocery bags with it and knowing you’ve totes (get it?) just contributed to a greener planet with your crafty skills.

Supporting conscious jewelry brands is one way to accessorize, but conscious crafting is another.

Recycled paper bead jewelry is a creative and unique way to transform your everyday paper waste into glitzy adornments for your style file. You’ll need the following craft supplies for this one:

• An assortment of colorful paper and recycled materials (old magazines, newspapers, flyers—you name it!)
• Scissors
• Glue stick
• Toothpicks or skewers
• Clear-drying eco-friendly paint for crafts (it’ll give your beads that gorgeous glaze)
• String or elastic cord for the jewelry

Cut your used paper into triangular strips, roll them tightly around a thin rod like a toothpick, secure with a low-impact, water-based glue, and then coat with a non-toxic sealant before stringing them together.

Celebrating Earth Day? Or maybe looking for eco-friendly Halloween crafts with all those mountains of leaves in your yard?

Natural leaf printing is a fabulous way to connect with nature and create stunning and versatile art pieces. You can make holiday crafts like a festive leaf print table runner, sustainable Valentine’s Day crafts like a heart-shaped leaf print card, or simply a stunning piece of decor for your home. You’ll need just a few things:

• A selection of interesting leaves (time for a nature walk!)
• Paint
• Recycled paper or cardstock
• A paintbrush

Apply paint onto a leaf, press it onto your chosen medium like paper or canvas, then gently remove the leaf to reveal a beautiful and detailed natural imprint. Repeat until you’ve created whatever design you like. After the paint is dry, you can further dress it up by adding biodegradable glitter or cuts of old ribbon or lace to the edges.

Turn those humble bottle caps into striking refrigerator accessories with the following items:

• A collection of bottle caps (the more diverse, the cooler!)
• Small magnets
• Glue (a strong one)
• Images or tiny trinkets to fit inside the caps
• Clear-casting resin

Apply a layer of natural paint to the inside of the cap or stick cut-out pictures or decorative paper on top, secure with a layer of glue, fill the cap with clear resin overtop your design, and finally, affix a magnet to the back using a strong adhesive.

Sustainability in arts and crafts often means making something that’s functional—and you can’t get more eco-friendly than a craft project that also doubles as a sustainable kitchen product.

Beeswax wraps are popular replacement for plastic snack bags and and wrap, but you’ll need the following to get started:

• A decent-sized pile of cotton fabric (if it’s organic cotton or recycled, all the better)
• Beeswax pellets (or soy wax if you’re vegan)
• A paintbrush
• An oven or iron

Cut your cotton fabric into desired sizes, cover one side with beeswax pellets, melt in the oven (not too long!), and spread evenly with a paintbrush. Alternatively, you can use clothes iron with a piece of parchment paper in between. Then allow it to cool and cure on a flat surface.

Are you a plant lover searching for an innovative way to bring greenery into your home?

A wine cork succulent planter is one of those unique plant crafts for adults that beautifully marries creativity with sustainability (and of course, a love for wine!). You’ll need:

• A collection of wine corks
• A sharp knife
• Magnets
• Hot glue gun
• Soil and succulent cuttings

Here are some detailed instructions, but basically, hollow out your wine corks from the top down (leaving some cork at the bottom to keep dirt in), glue a magnet to the back, fill them with soil, and pop in your succulent cuttings. You’ll end up with adorable tiny planters that can stick to any magnetic surface.

A DIY cardboard doll house is not just an excellent way to keep your little ones entertained, but it’s also a great opportunity to teach them about the importance of recycling and reusing. Gather up the following non-toxic art supplies:

• A large cardboard box
• Safety scissors or a box cutter (only let adults handle the box cutter)
• Eco-friendly paint
• Paint brushes
• Old magazines, fabric scraps, or other recycled materials for decoration

Begin by cutting out windows and doors from your large cardboard box. You can even stack boxes and use paper or washi tape to create add-on and second levels. Once the structure satisfies your kiddos, apply paint to stylize it, and let your children decorate their new imaginative playhouse with old magazines, fabric scraps, or recycled paper.

You can even gift the materials as part of an eco-friendly Christmas crafts kit and spend the morning post-presents by doing this activity with them.

If you haven’t switched to reusable paper towels yet and are looking for ways to make your paper habit a little more sustainable, transform your discarded cardboard tubes into something delightful for our feathered friends. Start with:

• Cardboard tubes (toilet paper or paper towel rolls)
• Peanut butter (natural, not full of sugar and preservatives)
• Birdseed
• String to hang the feeders

Smear the cardboard tubes with peanut butter and then roll them in birdseed. Once done, simply hang them in your sustainable garden or on your balcony and get ready to get your bird-watching on.