ZeroLandfill - Find a program near you!

Ok, I was already a ‘craft supply hoarder.’ Really, really. Having a :glowforge: to actually MAKE things with said supplies, does NOT actually “help.” It’s a vicious enabler. And so am I. #sorrynotsorry

There is a program called “Zero Landfill” and they collect various samples and such from interior designers, architectural firms, home builders, etc. etc. From fabric swatches for draperies, to upholstery, leather, tile, wallpaper, wood(floor and wall coverings)… It all sounds kinda odd, and like, “So? What am I going to do with something like that?” Well, you’re all ‘forgers now… yer gon’ think of something.

Fair warning, be prepared. You’re going to find at least 2 huge boxes worth of things you want. You’re going to need room for it. So clear a space before you go and empty your trunk. Pick-up dates are called “harvesting” where you can go and pick out things. However, if ya volunteer to help set up, weigh, and sort in the weeks before the ‘harvest,’ ya get first dibs on stuff. You want first dibs.

In the next couple of days/weeks I’ll take some pics of all the cool stuff I’ve picked up. It’s amazing. And the colors! I’m so stoked. I love this feeling of my brain racing through possibilities of projects.

You do have to be careful, because some of the cool looking stuff turns out to be vinyl flooring or something odd… not laserable at all. I have 4 swatch books of ‘leatherish’ stuff that is PVC (most stuff still has a label on it somewhere), HOWEVER, I can still use this as a bracelet by itself, no lasering at all, just pop a couple of snaps on it, or as a base to put some etched leather pieces on. Each book… has over 60 pieces! Almost the perfect size, as is, to make a good size cuff! If you check my Crafty Cretin thread, you’ll see leather change trays, they were made from real leather upholstery samples I picked up last year.

Anyway… just had to yammer on about this to people I suspect would understand. :crazy_face:

Oh, I buried the lead… ALL of it… FREE. :ribbon: Zilcho dinero. Nada dolla. Go forth and save your supplies from the landfills of America! :us:

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Where does one find these folks? Googling will take you to the many & sundry folks trying to reduce waste & landfill deposits from Subaru to Honda to Denali National Park and many others. Do you have a quick link for google-fu limited folk?

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Search without the space… “zerolandfill” and maybe add IIDA (International Interior Design Association)

That oughta get ya started. Seems to be spread out… major cities tend to have them…

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Someone posted about this awhile back (I think on here, but maybe not) and I spent hours trying to find something similar near me, but no luck. I’m horribly jealous… make sure to post pics of your results so we can live vicariously through you!

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Mine is this weekend!! Just down the street from my house.

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Thanks. Nothing here in New England :slightly_frowning_face:

I saw the title and I thought “oh, good, a way to get rid of all my scrap material”…

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Chicago’s event is on September 22, so snap to it!


Atlanta’s was in August:

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I totally wish we had this in the UK - this sounds awesome!

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Yeah, like I said, I spent HOURS searching for something similar in New England. Not sure how there’s nothing. Even recycle shops are scarce.

Craiglist seems to be a place to find them.

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I imagine Chicago’s is AMAZING…

Just got back from our Zerolandfill event…a bit disappointing.:unamused: Most of the stuff was carpet, vinyl flooring samples, some laminate (couldn’t tell if it was laserable) and fabric samples. The tile was scarce. Mostly small stuff or too big. I took a few usable things I could find.
0915181037~2
These are 3" squares…thought maybe a mosaic of 4 for a trivit…in a wood frame.
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These are pretty thick 4" squares…maybe too thick for coasters…not sure what I’ll do with them…lol


These are 4" tiles in a few cool colors, some are matte so not sure if the sharpie method will work…
Picked up a few 10" squares too.

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You can do a quick mask on them and then color them before peeling the mask. I use RIT fabric dyes applied with a q-tip when I do that as it soaks into the underlying tile but doesn’t seem to wick. I use it for travertine tiles too.

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what @jamesdhatch said. i took a large faux wood tile and engraved it deeply with masking on (it wasn’t a deep grain), and then very carefully pained the deep engrave with acrylic. i’m sure sharpie would be ok here, too. and you’d only lose the time since materials were free.

that’s kind of the problem with some of the things from zerolandfill. you’re getting samples, not full pieces most of the time. my office (architecture firm) got rid of a lot of that stuff when we moved a few years ago (before laser) and when i looked for usable stuff, it was very limited. i still keep on the lookout for the occasional full size piece that we got to show clients that doesn’t get returned. that’s where i got the tile i mentioned above. but most of the time we give those back to the vendor.

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