UpCycle Creative Reuse Center
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ITEMS WE ACCEPT

Make sure your items are eligible and ready for reuse
​

We can ONLY accept items listed on this page. Please make sure they are:​


CLEAN - All items must clean and free of smoke, mothball, rust, mildew and pet hair

 
ORGANIZED - Bags of mixed, unsorted items may be turned away
  • No tangled items - bag or secure items that tangle easily 
  • Group like items together and items that are part of a set
  • Bag small, loose items
 
Be ready to take back items we can't accept

​
​​Art, Craft & Office Supplies
  • Artist canvas (blank and used)
  • Bound Paper Items: composition books (unused), unlined drawing/artist pads, paper sample books, watercolor pads, post-it notepads
  • Bulletin/cork boards, white boards, chalkboards
  • Carving tools: crafting knives, lino cutters
  • Chalk
  • Clay (unopened)
  • Clipboards
  • Cork sheets
  • Craft foam
  • Crayons 
  • Craft paints: Fabric paint, paint pens, paint pallets and tubes/bottles/cans under 10 oz
  • Crepe paper
  • Doll-making supplies (no finished dolls)
  • Easels – Artist size and tabletop
  • Erasers - pencil, chalkboard, whiteboard
  • Feathers
  • Floral supplies: faux/silk flowers or botanical items, floral foam, wire or foam wreath bases
  • Foam Core
  • Folders – plastic or manila (please no hanging folders with metal)
  • Glitter
  • Glue (new or unopened): Glue Sticks, glue guns and sticks, Modge podge, glue dots
  • Greeting cards
  • Hat-making / Millinery supplies
  • Hole punches
  • Inks and dyes: alcohol ink, tie-dye, fabric dye (small containers)
  • Jewelry and Jewelry-making supplies: necklaces (chains, beaded, shell), bracelets, earrings, rings, pins, watches, charms, findings, pendants, Mardi gras beads, beads (loose or packaged)
  • Loose Paper: construction paper, scrapbook paper, contact paper, tracing paper, watercolor paper
  • Markers
  • Mat board: whole sheets and pre-cut
  • Metal brad fasteners
  • Mosaic tiles under 2 inches in size
  • Paint brushes
  • Paper Mache
  • Paper quilling tools and supplies
  • Paperclips
  • Pastels
  • Pencils: Graphite and colored
  • Pens
  • Pipe cleaners
  • Plaster of Paris
  • Pom-poms
  • Print-making materials: Gelli plates, lino blocks
  • Resin and epoxy for crafting
  • Rubber bands
  • Rubber stamps and stamp pads
  • Rulers
  • Scissors
  • Scrapbooking supplies: embellishments in packaging, transfer letters, die cuts, stickers
  • Sequins
  • Stained glass supplies
  • Staplers, staples and staple removers
  • Stationery
  • Stencils
  • Stickers and adhesive labels
  • Tape and tape dispensers - scotch tape, washi tape, masking tape, duct tape, double-sided tape
 
Fabric, Fibers and Sewing
  • Appliques and Patches: iron-on or sew-on
  • Buttons
  • Cutting mats
  • Crochet hooks and supplies
  • Embroidery hoops
  • Embroidery thread and floss
  • Fabric Pieces: at least 1 yard with regular edges, free of smoke and mothball odors and pet hair free
  • Felt
  • Interfacing and stabilizer
  • Knitting needles and supplies
  • Leather scraps and leather tooling supplies
  • Looms (please call ahead if it is larger than handheld)
  • Needlework supplies
  • Paper items: rolls of paper, tissue paper, butcher paper, wax paper, freezer paper, envelopes, wrapping paper
  • Raw wool and roving
  • Rope and cording
  • Safety pins
  • Sewing and crafting machines - TESTED AND IN WORKING ORDER 
  • Sewing machine attachments and needles
  • Sewing needles
  • Sewing patterns: apparel only, no knitting/crochet/quilting patterns
  • Sewing/cutting tables (must call ahead to see if we have room)
  • Sewing tools: threaders, pattern tracers, tailor’s chalk, fabric scissors, rotary cutters, measuring tape
  • Sewing trim: ribbon, lace, binding, bias tape
  • Thread
  • Velcro
  • Yarn (only full skeins or close to full please)
  • Zippers
  • Wool felting tools and supplies

Salvaged/Reclaimed Household Items
  • Bottle caps (clean!)
  • Bread bag tabs
  • Cassette tapes and cases (NO VHS tapes)
  • CDs/DVDs and CD cases (no DVD cases please)
  • Cigar boxes and small wooden craft boxes
  • Coffee filters
  • Collage & Ephemera materials: vintage/antique magazines (pre-1970), postage stamps, vintage/antique photographs, postcards, maps, sheet music, photo slides and negatives, small posters/prints, vintage advertisements
  • Cookie cutters
  • Drapery hooks and rings
  • Eyeglasses
  • Egg cartons
  • Film canisters
  • Furniture hardware: knobs, pulls, hinges
  • Gift/Party supplies: unused latex balloons, gift bags, gift wrap, gift ribbon, gift bows
  • Jar and container lids: plastic and metal
  • Magnifying glasses
  • Marbles 
  • Metal: keys, bottle caps, wire (craft wire, floral wire, coated wire), rare earth magnets
  • Natural materials: Seashells, rocks and stones, fossils, pine cones, dried flowers/plants (please bag)
  • Paper towel & toilet paper rolls
  • Paper plates and cups (unused)
  • Photo slides
  • Plastic produce netting
  • Plastic used giftcards/key cards/ credit cards
  • Playing cards
  • Postage stamps
  • Postcards
  • Refrigerator magnets
  • Rolled window screen (unused and unbent)
  • Six pack rings
  • Small game pieces: checkers, dominoes, dice, marbles, poker chips
  • Small plastic figurines
  • Soda can tabs
  • Straws (new and unused)
  • Twist ties
  • Theatrical/character face masks
  • Wallpaper
  • Wine corks
  • Wood: craft sticks, small dowels, tooth picks, unused skewers, clothespins, small craft wood pieces, spools
  • Vinyl records


​Please Note: We only accept materials with creative reuse potential 


We focus on items that can be repurposed for art, education, and creative making. Unfortunately, we cannot accept donations that fall outside this scope, such as general household goods, or materials that are not central to creative reuse

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UpCycle Creative Reuse Center - Alexandria, Virginia - 22304 | 703-861-8705
Copyright © 2025
  • About us
    • Contact >
      • Newsletter Signup
    • Shop Hours and Location
    • About UpCycle CRC >
      • About UpCycle CRC
      • Board of Directors
      • 2024 Impact Report
  • Materials Center
    • Shop
    • Material Donations
    • Volunteer
    • Memberships
  • Programs & Events
    • Kids & Family >
      • Scout Workshops
      • Tinker Time
      • Camps
      • Parties and Group Experiences
    • Adult Workshops
    • Teachers >
      • Lesson Plans
      • Professional Development
      • Outreach
  • Support UpCycle
  • Suggestion Box
  • Programs Survey
  • Inspiration