Earth Friendly Art Supplies

I am the mom who dreads the clean up, but loves the process of making art. While it always ends up being worth the mess, I’ve definitely had to learn from my more chill friends and respond with an enthusiastic “yes!” when my kids want to craft. There will be one hundred tiny paper pieces strewn about after some scissor practice, paint crusted clothes needing a soak, and sticky play dough crumbs smooshed on the floor, but there will be JOY – creativity unleashed, fine motor skills developed, feelings processed, and inventions constructed.

Here are my top tips for fostering creativity in your home in ways that are good for the earth and your budget!

1. Use What You Have
   Our art shelf is a motley assortment of supplies gifted from grandparents, thrift finds, and a few I have sought out and purchased intentionally from sustainable companies. Rather than tossing the crayons made from paraffin (petroleum), we use them up and buy beeswax crayons next time. There’s no point tossing what we have into the landfill just because it doesn’t fit an aesthetic or what we’d choose now. We use what we have and queue up some sustainable ideas for next time we buy.
   
2. Raid Your Recycling
   Toilet paper tubes make great binoculars or telescopes, rubber bands and twist ties from produce are always saved (DIY box guitar, sling shot, bracelets, etc), aluminum cans are perfect for planting flowers or making punch-hole lanterns. Our rainbow assortment of Who Gives A Crap TP wrappers makes beautiful craft paper. And I don’t need to tell you the endless hours of fun that come from turning a box into a spaceship or sailboat!
   
3. Thrift Thoughtfully
   I don’t bat an eye at plastic packaging in the thrift store. Bringing it into our home saves it from the landfill for now and means we can use up the product inside. We may even recycle or reuse the plastic bag/ jar afterwards. I’ve found paint, yarn, paint brushes, pastels, looms, crochet circles, crafting books, paper, beads, canvases, science experiment kits – you name it! A 99cent woven utensil caddy is perfect for craft storage, as are old jam and peanut butter jars. Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and neighborhood Buy Nothing groups are another great option for child or adult art supplies.
   
   
4. Make Your Own
   When my kids were babies and still put everything in their mouth, I’d make edible paint from yogurt + turmeric, beet, and spirulina powder. Homemade play dough whips up in five minutes and only requires flour, water, cream of tartar and salt. DIY glue is next on my list! Also made from flour, salt, water and a couple drops of lemon. Simply store your creations in a repurposed glass jar (spice, jam, pasta sauce, etc). I love that all of these options are completely non-toxic to the point of being edible, they cost pennies, and the ingredients can be sourced plastic free.
   
5. Borrow From Nature
   Take a nature walk and collect whatever catches your eye! We like to make leaf and flower collages (paste on with DIY glue and you can toss it in your compost later).
   At the turn of each season we love to celebrate with nature banners (spring/summer flowers and foliage, fall leaves, winter pine needles, cones and berries). String it all together on 100% cotton string and tape up with paper kraft tape.
   Fairy houses are another great compostable craft -moss, rocks, sticks and acorns become quaint furnishings and a tiny abode for little creatures.
   
6. Buy Consciously
   On the few occasions I have purchased new art supplies, here are some products I’ve tried and love.
   
   – FILANA organic beeswax crayons Gorgeous colors that blend well, hand poured in Colorado, non toxic, come in paper packaging and long lasting (helps with the $22 price tag!)
   
   – Honey Sticks beeswax crayons I haven’t purchased these ones so I can’t speak to the color quality, but the ingredients check out! They are made in New Zealand so a little more flight emissions involved if you’re in the US, but otherwise a good option!
   
   – Natural Earth Paint. I LOVE these beautiful paints. A little powder goes a long way so you’re not paying to ship water and they’re very economical. It’s also MUCH less plastic since it comes dehydrated. The box is made of 100% recycled paper and the plastic bags are biodegradable. They are non-toxic, vegan, cruelty free, 100% washable and can paint on paper, rocks, fabric, wood, glass and more! I also love that this is a small, women owned company and operates out of an 100% solar powered facility. They also have the “Gold certification from Green America – the highest rank for a green business.” It doesn’t get much better than this.
   
   To get the watercolor consistency we have in these pictures, simply mix 1/4 t powder with 2 T water. OR you can mix a 1:1 ratio for creamy tempura paint. Mix enough for just a couple sessions and store in the fridge for 3 weeks.
   
   Buy the petite kit on Amazon here
   Petite kit on their website here (six colors, bamboo brush, biodegradable plastic packaging)
   Full Kit here (six colors in greater quantities, paper packets, bamboo brush, six biodegradable storage cups with lids, craft booklet)
   Also check out their food safe dye (easter eggs for next year?), face paint, bamboo brushes, glitter, and whole line of fine art supplies.
   
   – Package Free Shop carries a wide assortment of low waste essentials including paper tape, plantable pencils and plantable colored pencils.

I’d also love to hear from YOU! What earth friendly art supplies do you love? I haven’t yet found a good source for recycled paper and would love suggestions.