5 easy zero waste/non-toxic swaps for craft time

As with most things, living more sustainably often takes a mindset shift. With the switches below, it’s unlikely that in a year 4 craft competition Heppy will have a shiny, glittery, luminous green offering (there’s nothing wrong with this), but she certainly will have something just as cool made from things we can find, probably cost less and are kinder to the planet.

I thought I’d write a quick blog with some ideas on how it’s possible to reduce waste with art supplies. Before you know it it’s so possible to have a cupboard full of googly eyes, glittery craft paper and plastic glue sticks. I’ve found some really simple solutions that will mostly save you money but more than that, cut down on plastic and toxins too!

1. Pritt stick —> Coccoina
   This is probably one of my favourite all time swaps, and I’m a little bit giddy over it (wow I need to get out more). We’ve not used much glue in our crafting experience over here, but when we do pritt sticks have been left without lids, and while I bought ‘non-toxic’ glue sticks they were made from plastic and Heppy always had to ask me to glue things because they seemed to be stiff. In an attempt to find something different that could work for her I found Coccoina! The glue is made from potato starch and almond oil, and the company has been making the glue since 1927! It smells delicious, it’s free of solvents and chemicals and you use the little brush in the middle of the pot to paint it on to the surface you are sticking down! It is already working so much better for us than glue we have been using before, plus it sticks really well, and comes in a little aluminium tin that can be reused or recycled.

   I bought the glue from here when I was topping up on some other supplies and it cost me £4.50 but can be found in other stores for less.

   If you’re looking for something a little stronger there’s lots of recipes to make something at home here.

2. Poster paint/Paints —-> DIY Natural Paints

I’m not sure Heppy will know poster paints exist until she hits up nursery and has the time of her life; we have only used watercolours up til now. This is mainly because they are far easier to get out and clear up, I love that it requires a little bit more dexterity, plus, we found a great company that did natural paints/watercolours that weren’t in plastic bottles so that’s the route we’ve gone down- we use these and these. Take this a step further it is SO easy to make your own paint plus it allows your child to be involved from start to finish and its pretty much free! There is SO many ways to create natural paints so have a google,-Here are some colour ideas!

• Yellow- Turmeric/Mustard powder

• Brown- Mud

• Blue/purple: blackberries, blackcurrants, blueberries (push the berries through a sieve)

• Red/Orange – paprika, chilli powder, rust scrapings

• White – chalk

• Black- Charcoal

Why not try making your own paintbrushes too.

3. Bought paper/craft accessories —> Recycling what you’ve already got

What’s in your home you could use for crafting rather than buying anything new in? We’ve never had to buy drawing or craft paper. Family members have given us piles of scrap paper they don’t need that would of otherwise gone to waste, we use cardboard packaging from deliveries and wrapping paper we’ve saved from birthdays or Christmas or parcels, our toilet rolls from Who gives a crap and Smart ass are beautifully wrapped which makes a perfect resource and then we have able and cole for string. You could also use old clothes that would otherwise be discarded. Things may not look quite as shiny, or you may have to get a little bit more creative with what you’ve got but isn’t that’s way more fun, no?

There’s lots of pages on Instagram that inspire me when it comes to getting creative with cardboard: take a look at: #cardboardboxcreative and there is tons of ideas on Pinterest too!

Also, naturally every child loves a sticker, a googly eye or some glitter to stick on something? Call me crazy but here are a few ideas to alternatives that could work.

• Hole punching circles or shapes out of craft cutters you may have for your child to stick on (act as stickers)

• Cutting out images from magazines you may have or photographs

• Flower petals

• Seeds

• A broken plate or mug could be used for mosaics

• Spices/Herbs

• Anything from nature

• Foil for something shiny

4. Wax crayons—> Beeswax crayons

Wax crayons believe it or not are usually made from paraffin which is a refined by-product of the sludge after petroleum is made into petrol and car oil. Kind of gross. Soy or beeswax crayons are a better option and better for the environment too. I’m pretty sure you can’t pick up a one pound pack of these like you can do crayolas but I have found them far stronger and therefore less likely to break so they have lasted longer in our house. These are our favourite brands: OkoNorm and Stockmar. also any old crayons you have you can melt down and remake bigger ones by doing this.

5. Sellotape —> Kraft paper tape

Anyone else’s kid at that obsessed by taping things up phase? We are, plus….sometimes craft projects need something that gives strength beyond some glue made from potato starch! Kraft paper entered into my world a few years back when I started a small business and needed something to package up the boxes zero waste. it’s a great and simple switch and works just as well (just don’t buy picture tape instead). This is where we bought it from, and it works out no different in price to sellotape I was buying previously. You can also get kraft paper tape with patterns on, or you can decorate your own!

Some of our other favourite craft supplies are chalks, homemade play dough using this recipe and naturally dyed either using turmeric or cocoa, salt dough shapes, paper mache.

If you are buying craft supplies new, some websites we love are: Bapipur, Playspirations, Conscious Craft. If you are buying paper new, why not look for recycled paper? Ask family and friends if they have any spare craft items lying around, this is how googly eyes entered our world a few months back!

That’s all for now! Let me know any other swaps you guys have made! I’d love to know!