We're moving! On March 4th, all retail operations will be relocated to 2950 Douglas Street #400, Victoria.
In the meantime, please hold all donations until we resume intake in April. Exact date TBD - stay tuned to our Instagram and Facebook for updates.
All classes beginning after March 1st will be held at the new address. Machines in for servicing will not be relocated until after March 15th. When your machine is ready for pickup, we will let you know where to retrieve it.
Interested in helping us move? Please email us at contact@thegreenthimble.ca to be put on our volunteer list. Thank you!
Interested in helping us move? Please email us at contact@thegreenthimble.ca to be put on our volunteer list. Thank you!
Giving back to the planet is always in fashion
The Green Thimble is dedicated to supporting sewists of all types while being sustainable and eco-friendly. We do this with a multi-faceted approach:
- Re-introducing sewing supplies such as fabric and sewing machines back into circulation, rather than them ending up in landfill;
- Providing local, recycled, and reusable products wherever possible;
- Minimizing energy use and waste in the behind-the-scenes work;
Recirculating Sewing
Supplies
The fabric we sell is not "used" per se, but previously purchased. It is typically fabric that was either purchased and never used, or a sewist may have simply bought more than they needed. I'm sure sewists everywhere can relate to these situations, as our fabric stashes sometimes seem to breed uncontrollably. The Green Thimble provides a place to take those never-to-be-used fabrics without guilt. They get another chance to fulfill their destinies!
Sewing machines from 100 years ago are still out there, and they will likely outlive the ones being sold today. With that in mind, we are dedicated to keeping the old ones working and getting used for as long as possible (and not just as side tables because they are also just pretty). Using techniques such as moulding or 3D printing gears, and repairing older circuit boards, machines can live on beyond an "irreplaceable" part, deferring their end-of-life trip to the landfill.
Providing Local,
Recycled, and Reusable
Products
There are certain parts of sewing that are consumable. Some examples of products that fit under this heading are fabric, batting, and thread. These are not reusable products. When it comes to fabric, we find that there is plenty of it already, so we recirculate that, but batting and thread are not typically collected in such quantities. That's why we are happy to be able to provide Mettler Seracycle thread made from 100% post-consumer recycled PET bottles*. We are also in the process of trying to find a local wool farm for batting. In the meantime, we do have 100% cotton batting available for sale.
If you happen to forget a bag for your purchase, we have a Take-A-Bag-Leave-A-Bag program in place. Started by Boomerang Bags, the sharing of this over-produced product provides a sustainable alternative to plastic, or even paper, single-use bags. We hope that you will remember to bring your reusable bag with you when you shop, but you will still have something available to carry your treasures home in.
*More information on Seracycle thread
Minimizing Energy Use
and Waste
Here at The Green Thimble, minimizing energy use and waste is just as important as recirculating products. Whenever possible, staff are encouraged to bike or walk to work. Vehicles are used to transport sewing machines when necessary (they are HEAVY, especially the ones in cabinets). In these cases, a car share program is utilized. Within the shop, we keep the thermostat lowered, our displays are all second-hand, and office essentials such as the printer and coffee pot are also pre-loved. Even our vacuum was rescued and repaired.
Supporting Waste
Reduction
We ask our donating customers to please refrain from including any soiled or used materials, but sometimes they get mixed in with the donations. So what do we do with textiles that we can't sell? We pass them along to someone who can recycle them. Debrand, based in Surrey, BC, offers textiles recycling and recirculating solutions for businesses. These services are not free for us, but if you have known soiled or unusable clothing that you would like to find a solution for, rather than sending them to landfill, we can add them to our shipments for $3/pound on our Recycling Days (Last Saturday of each month)