Waste Not, Want a Lot? Eco-Sustainable Shopping at Handmade Arcade
By Jolene Miklas Schneider
Struggling to reconcile your eco-sustainable sensibilities with your mile-long holiday shopping list? We can help.
Shop Handmade Arcade to find new and returning makers committed to upcycling, zero waste, and sustainable giving.
Show up for our planet — and someone you care about — with gifts like …
A statement bag. Fashion-forward and earth-friendly, MF Bags makes bags for every person’s everyday needs. Pick from low-key neutrals or bold, colorful pieces to carry a laptop, food, or day-to-day essentials. The bags are made from leftover materials sourced from local wholesalers and closeouts and reduce waste in two ways: They recycle scraps headed for landfills and create a reusable bag guaranteed to last a lifetime!
A wallet made from a baseball glove. If you’re shopping for Pirates or Steelers fans, Yurko Sports brings your chance to hit a holiday home run. They craft wallets, coasters, wall signs, earrings, bottle openers, and keychains from upcycled baseball gloves and footballs. They deconstruct, stitch, and create everything by hand to make one-of-a-kind goods for every member of your team.
A “ Coffee is my love language” decorative plate. Valerie Snyder launched Simon’s Granddaughter in memory of her grandfather and his knack for bringing back interesting treasures from world travels. Valerie collects vintage bone china, porcelain, pressed glass, tea cups, and candlesticks and upcycles them into unique creations featuring inspirational sayings. Whether your giftee is silly, introspective, or snarky, you’ll find the perfect piece for their home.
A ‘Burgh-Inspired Upcycled Sweatshirt. Catherine Trendz is an expert thrifter who says, “Secondhand shopping represents second chances, faith, and consistency.” This ethical Black woman-owned business is saving the world one garment at a time, and brings unique, 90’s- and ‘Burgh-inspired upcycled clothing sustainably sourced from steel city thrift stores.
Juicy pants. Wait, what? Say hello to your new favorite comfies by Part Time Poodle: wide-leg, elastic waist, soft linen pants with wide pockets that look like pieces of fruit! Browse their one-of-a-kind upcycled wearables made from secondhand fabrics reconstructed into dresses, shorts, button-down shirts, pants, and other garments.
Reclaimed wood earrings. Jewelry by Old Soul sees the beauty in wood and the need for less waste and offers jewelry from scraps of furniture refinishing and repurposing projects. Browse cufflinks, earrings, and pendants inspired by geometric shapes, glyphs, and botanicals – many of which can be used as essential oil diffusers! Every piece has a story. If you’d like to know where a particular piece of wood came from, ask Beth, the maker, at Handmade Arcade.
