Save A Sample! Materials Recycling Drive

Enter any design firm and you'll see a glorious materials library, but the dark side of the library is all the wasted and unused samples that consumers and firms receive but have no need for. Save A Sample! is an architectural materials recycling drive, which is looking to give a new life to these materials by donating them to design schools across the country.

If you haven't found a creative reuse for your samples, Save A Sample! will take them: Save A Sample! creates "another life" for these unused materials: fabrics, brochures and finish cards, by donating them to local design schools. While companies give back and prevent materials from going to the landfill, students benefit throughout the year by having a professional set of resources to work with.

Save A Sample! is supported by AIA, ASID, IIDA, SMPS and USGBC and hey have raised over $50,000 in scholarships and collected over 10-tons of materials since the drive was founded in 2000.

This year's drive runs from April 20th - 22nd. Spread the word and visit SpecSimple.com for more information.

(Image: Rachel Wray / Green Home Chicago: Green Design Center)

Comments (3)

Chicago also has a great place to donate (potential) art supplies. Check out http://www.creativepitch.org/

I work In a small design studio /The fabric connection. I save all the books and samples.I use the fabric squares from the books to make bags the paper backing actually helps give them body . I donate what I can't use to the local senior center.

I stumbled across a furniture store that gave me a year's worth of old samples. Some had paper backing, some did not.

I have made:
Placemats and patchwork table runners
Tea cosy
Kitchen towel borders
Small and large patchwork decorative pillow covers
Patchwork fabric tote bags

The all cotton or linen ones with undesirable patterns I've recycled into kitchen rags