Our Mission

The WasteShed is a non-profit creative reuse organization dedicated to giving new life to art supplies and promoting sustainability. We offer affordable, reused art materials to the public, and provide free supplies to teachers and schools.

We reduce waste by repurposing excess art, craft, and school supplies, keeping them out of landfills while supporting creativity and education. While sustainability is the ultimate goal, creative reuse focuses on practical, cost-effective, and fun hands-on activities as points of entry into larger discussions about the things we own, and the way we live.

2022 Heat map of where WasteShed materials end up — in schools in and nonprofits all over the Chicago area.

Our Impact

High-quality, carbon-negative materials for art and education

We estimate the total value of the supplies redirected to Chicago-area schools, artists and teachers in 2024 at over $787,000.

The Wasteshed Evanston’s Free To Teachers section provided local educators with $8,807 in totally free materials in 2022! Learn more here.

32 tons diverted from the landfill in 2024, over 210 tons total processed since opening!

In 2024, the combined powers of our Evanston and Humboldt locations diverted 65,608 lbs of materials (over 32 tons) away from the landfill and back into the community. This is also 20% more than our previous record from 2023, and 15% of our grand total from the last 10 years (210 tons!)

The WasteShed is supported in part by grants from:

• Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events

• The Whirled Peas Foundation

• The Sargent Family Foundation

• Christ Church Winnetka

• The Protolabs Foundation

• and the Illinois Art Council Agency.