Discardia Reboutique
Discardia is a budding root of the Bloomington Center for Sustainable Living. This creative consortium is refashioning oddments from reclaimed materials that would otherwise be discarded.
Discardia has a goal of stopping textiles and other reusable materials from going to landfills. According to the EPA Office of Solid Waste, textiles account for nearly 6.3% of annual municipal solid waste in an average city. Also according to the EPA Office of Solid Waste, Americans on average throw away over 68 pounds of clothing and textiles per person per year.
We will encourage sustainability in our community by providing a centrally located space where the community may shop for locally produced items from reused materials, drop off unwanted items that might normally be thrown away and sell (on consignment) refashioned items made by local artisans. Our facility will be equipped to clean and reconstruct materials into new items that will either be sold or redistributed throughout the community.
Discardia will also offer monthly workshops hosted by community members who wish to share skills like sewing techniques, papermaking, quilting etc. In addition to hosting workshops and acting as a collection and redistribution center for reusable materials, Discardia will also provide the community with access to sewing machines, project space and other necessary materials for creative refashioning/re-purposing endeavors. Finally, Discardia will function as the headquarters for the annual Bloomington Trashion/Refashion Show, an annual fundraiser for the Center for Sustainable Living in Bloomington.
Ultimately, we wish to act as a hub for creative artisans who are already producing items from used materials, as well as encourage others to see the benefit of creative problem solving by way of example and education. We want to imbue not only a sense of community involvement, but also establish a local identity of creative motion for everyone included: artisans, volunteers, teachers, class attendees, and those who are donating.
Ultimately, we wish to act as a hub for creative artisans who are already producing items from used materials, as well as encourage others to see the benefit of creative problem solving by way of example and education. We want to imbue not only a sense of community involvement, but also establish a local identity of creative motion for everyone included: artisans, volunteers, teachers, class attendees, and those who are donating.
