Brooklyn Creative Reuse in Industry City sells secondhand art supplies for as little as $3 a pound — and a three-hour volunteer shift earns you a free bag to take home

At an Industry City thrift store, bins of discarded yarn, fabric scraps, and abandoned, half-completed crafts are getting a second chance. Brooklyn Creative Reuse operates as a secondhand shop specifically for art materials, allowing locals to donate unwanted items and shop for affordable supplies priced entirely by weight.

The nonprofit organization aims to make the local arts scene more sustainable by keeping usable materials out of landfills. According to Stephanie O’Brien, the space serves as a hub where people can drop off their excess materials, shop for their next piece, or attend community workshops and events centered around reused goods. With shelves packed with everything from paints and brushes to unique finds like jars of gold ceiling glitter, the organizers believe there is little reason for local creators to ever buy brand new supplies.

Priced by the Pound

Instead of individual price tags, most of the store’s inventory is weighed at checkout. Yarn costs $8 per pound, fabric runs $7 per pound, and the vast majority of other loose items go for just $3 per pound.

Among the heavily stocked shelves of colored pencils, artificial flowers, and textiles, shoppers can also dig through dedicated unfinished project bins. O’Brien notes that while these bins often draw a laugh from visitors, they offer an opportunity for crafters to pick up where someone else left off and quickly complete a piece without starting from scratch.

Trading Time for Supplies

The shop relies on a steady stream of community help to keep its varied inventory sorted and organized. About 12 people volunteer at the store each week. Those who sign up through the organization’s website for a three-hour shift receive a free bag of art supplies to take home as a thank you for their time.

Located on the second floor of Industry City’s Building 2 at 254 36th Street, the shop’s organizers hope the accessible materials encourage visitors to start something new, finish an old project, and connect with the artistic community.