Reduce, repair, and reuse: products and apparel

Individual actions

Think before you buy: assess the need

Before making any purchase, ask yourself:

• Is it truly necessary?  Can I delay, avoid, or find an alternative solution? Differentiate between needs and wants to avoid unnecessary purchases.
• Can I repurpose what I already have? Look around—can something be adapted or reused?
• Can I rent, borrow, or use a service instead?
• Can I get it secondhand? Check thrift stores, online marketplaces, or local exchanges.
• Can I choose a reusable version? Join the Bring Your Own Cup campaign! Bring your own cup to cafés, use refillable containers, or opt for durable, long-lasting products over disposables.

Repair and upcycle

• Repair items: Fix broken or damaged items instead of discarding them. This includes mending clothes, repairing electronics, and refurbishing furniture. Tool libraries and repair events are a great way to give new life to old appliances and cherished personal items.
  Find repair businesses within King County
• Upcycling: Transform old or unused items into new, useful products. For example, turn an old t-shirt into a tote bag or use glass jars for storage.
• Local workshops: Attend workshops and events focused on sustainable living and consumption.

Thrift shopping and swapping

• Buy secondhand: Purchase clothing, furniture, and other goods from thrift stores, consignment shops, and online secondhand marketplaces like ThredUp or Poshmark.
• Clothing swaps: Organize or participate in clothing swaps with friends, family, or community groups to exchange items instead of buying new ones.

DIY and homemade goods

• Crafting: Create your own clothing, accessories, and home decor using materials you already have or can source sustainably. Visit your local donation-based craft store to find second-hand materials.
• Homemade cleaning products: Make your own cleaning products using natural ingredients like vinegar, baking soda, and essential oils to reduce packaging waste and chemical use.

Reusable alternatives

• Reusable bags and containers: Use reusable shopping bags, containers, and utensils instead of single-use plastics. Bring your own cup when going to coffee shops, or to-go container for takeout.
• Refillable products: Choose products and stores that offer refill options, such as refillable water bottles, coffee cups, bulk food, personal care, and cleaning supplies.

Minimalist approach

• Declutter: Assess and declutter your belongings to keep only what you need and use. Donate or sell items that are no longer needed.
• Mindful purchasing: Before buying new items, consider if you truly need them and how they fit into your existing collection. Opt for quality over quantity.

Digital and paperless solutions

• Digital media: Opt for digital versions of books, magazines, and documents to reduce paper waste from junk mail. Choose e-receipts instead of paper receipts when shopping, and for banking and credit card statements.

Collaborative consumption

• Sharing Economy: Participate in the sharing economy by renting or borrowing items such as tools, equipment, and even clothing reselling platforms or local sharing groups.

King County efforts

Community education and outreach

• Green Building Handbook
  If you're building, remodeling, or replacing a system in your home, the King County Green Building Handbook can help you make choices that save money and reduce waste. The handbook's Green Sheets offer simple, practical tips—like selecting durable materials, minimizing construction waste, and choosing energy-efficient appliances.
• What Do I Do With...?
  King County Solid Waste Division's What do I do with...? site helps residents find the right place to reuse, recycle, or safely dispose of materials that don't belong in regular garbage pickup.
• Sustainable Classrooms
  The King County Sustainable Classrooms Education Program provides educators with hands-on, curriculum-aligned materials and activities that promote waste reduction, environmental stewardship, and circular economy principles. The program helps schools implement practical sustainability solutions that benefit both the learning environment and the broader community.

Reuse and waste reduction resources

• Bring Your Own Cup
  King County has partnered with local businesses to encourage reuse and make it easier for everyone to cut down on disposable waste. Join the Bring Your Own Cup campaign by bringing your own cup to coffee shops and celebrating reuse efforts in your community! You can even bring your own bag, utensils, and to-go containers!
• Threadcycle
  King County's Threadcycle program helps residents recycle unwanted clothing, shoes, linens, and other textiles instead of sending them to the landfill by providing drop-off locations and guidance on how to donate.
• Green Holidays
  King County 's EcoConsumer Green Holidays program provides information about environmentally friendly ways to celebrate the holidays.
• Repair businesses
  Businesses in King County that offer repair of small household and personal items.
• Repair events
  King County hosts repair events year-round where skilled volunteer "fixers" repair and mend small household and personal items.
• Repair events by regional organizations
  These repair events are hosted by various local organizations and are separate from the King County-sponsored events. For more information, contact the organizations directly:
• Bothell
• WSU Snonomish County repair cafes
• Federal Way



• South King Tool Library (Various dates)


• Seattle
• Capitol Hill Tool Library (To be announced)
• Phinney Neighborhood Association (Monthly, first Wednesdays)
• West Seattle Tool Library (Weekly, Wednesdays)
• Shoreline



• Shoreline Tool Library (Monthly, third Wednesdays)


• Tacoma
• Tacoma Tool Library (Weekly, Thursdays)
• Vashon Island



• Vashon Tool Library

Recycling and safe disposal

• Recycling collection events
  King County helps organize recycling collection events that offer residents a convenient way to recycle bulky and hard-to-recycle items—like appliances, tires, Styrofoam, electronics, and more—diverting waste from landfills.
• Find recycling resources available at transfer station recycling
• E-Cycle Washington is a free program that makes it easy for Washington residents to recycle certain broken, obsolete, or worn-out electronics.
• Washington's Safe Medication Return program lets people dispose of household over-the-counter, and prescription medications for people and pets.
• Dispose of paint safely and responsibility with PaintCare

Community efforts

Reuse and circular economy initiatives

• Reuse Seattle
  Reuse Seattle provides businesses with reusable food and beverage container systems, including collection, transportation, washing, and digital infrastructure. Their map showcasing Seattle businesses highlights reuse in action!
• Ballard Reuse
  Ballard reuse is a used building materials retail warehouse with an always changing inventory of vintage salvaged, and reclaimed materials.

• Earthwise Architectural Salvage
  Earthwise Architectural Salvage is a reclamation enterprise that salvages and refurbishes architectural materials—such as doors, windows, lumber, and hardware—from demolition projects across King County, giving them a renewed purpose in new construction and renovation.

• Second Use
  Second Use is a King County-based business and organization that specializes in repurposing, refurbishing, and reselling pre-used building materials and products to extend their lifespan and reduce waste.

• Redesign Collective
  Redesign Collective specializes in converting pre-consumer luxury textile waste into unique home decor and accessories.
• LightRecyle Washington
  Drop your unwanted fluorescent, CFL and HID lights at LightRecycle Washington collection sites throughout the state for free!
• Where Seattle Recycles
  Many local stores offer drop off recycling options for certain items. The Where Seattle Recycles directory makes it convenient to gather up the items they accept together to take with you when you go shopping.

Repair and resource sharing

• Furniture Repair Bank
  The Furniture Repair Bank is a Seattle-based nonprofit dedicated to restoring and preserving furniture through expert repair and refurbishment services, reducing waste and environmental impact.

• Repair Economy Washington
  Find repair services, community fix-it groups, tool libraries, makerspaces, creative reuse hubs, and reclaimed building materials near you! For King County residents, they offer resources for:
• Repair Groups: Fix-It and Repair Fairs—free community events where volunteer fixers help people repair broken or damaged items, share repair knowledge, and keep usable goods out of the landfill.
• Tool Libraries: community-run lending spaces where people can borrow tools and other useful items instead of buying them, making it easier and more affordable to complete projects while supporting a culture of sharing and sustainability
• Makers Spaces: like book libraries, but for tools and other useful items—giving community members access to equipment they only need occasionally, encouraging resource sharing, reducing waste, and saving money.

Creative reuse and community engagement

• Seattle ReCreative
  Seattle ReCreative is a nonprofit focused on fostering creativity, community, and environmental stewardship through creative reuse and art education. Get involved by donating, shopping, or participating in workshops to support sustainable art practices and local creativity.



• Seattle REconomy
  Seattle REconomy is a nonprofit promoting sustainability and community through access to tools, ranging from saws and drills to mowers and pressure washers, as well as classes ranging from gardening to woodworking and home energy improvements.



• The Chayah Movement
  The Chayah Movement empowers historically marginalized, socially conscious young adults to become ethical leaders and citizen-consumers in the fashion industry. Through targeted workforce and leadership development initiatives, it equips aspiring professionals with the skills to drive sustainable change while merging environmental stewardship with social impact.



• Refugee Artisans Initiative
  Refugee Artisan Initiative partners with refugee and immigrant women to overcome employment barriers by offering artisan skills training and micro business development, thus empowering them to achieve economic stability. By transforming recycled materials into unique handcrafted goods, the organization champions sustainability, equity, and creative entrepreneurship in their communities.
• ThreadTogether
  ThreadTogether, led by SvaDhruthi, is a community-powered textile repair initiative in King County that offers free mending services and sewing education to reduce waste, revive life skills, and make garment repair accessible, affordable, and culturally relevant.