It’s unbelievable! We’re halfway through the year. It’s been a lot of things; chaotic, challenging, frustrating, exhausting! But it’s also been a time of community coming together to rally around good things, to stand up to lawlessness and autocratic B.S. and to dig into what it means to be free and create a life of quality, care and respect.

I am honored and grateful for our amazing volunteer menders who make Mend-It Cafe the joyful and beautiful community event that it is. I am equally grateful to the talented sewists and creatives who teach our classes and the volunteers who are supporting our waste sorting pilot project with the Night Market and Street Fair.

Through these programs we are meeting our mission of building the skills, knowledge and systems for a thriving waste-free community. Over the last 2 years we’ve been able to:

Divert over 1800 lbs. of textile waste through repair and repurposing
Teach 70 students in our Sustainable Sewing Classes
Train 30 women in the sewing trades through ReCraft Lab

Organize a statewide group working on developing infrastructure for a regional textile system.
And…divert over 600 lbs of food waste from incineration in 4 events. (including Garfield Elementary, at our Earth Day ReCraft Fair and at our ongoing pilot project with Night Market and Street Fair, come see us in July!)

And we will continue to do this work!

Though the challenges of late are many, we are determined to continue our pursuit of a healthier and more resilient environment, greater equity for all and finding ways to navigate differences in a peaceful and respectful manner.

We hope you’ll support us. You can help through your tax deductible donation or by volunteering.

With gratitude and hope
Elyse Hochstadt

Founder/Executive Director

Event Waste Reduction

We believe it’s not a question of what to do with our waste. The question is how do we change culture so we no longer make waste. We’re working on just that in our pilot program with The Night Market and STREET FAIR June through October. Through waste reduction consulting with vendors and our waste sorting stations at the event we’re able to stop most waste before it’s made and properly sort the rest. Come visit this fun and entertaining market that has live music, interesting vendors, great food and most importantly a super cool community. Better yet, Volunteer with Us and help demonstate how every outdoor event can Aim For Zero Waste! The Night Market and Street Fair is every 2nd Friday of the month in the Catalyst Building parking lot, 601 E Riverside Ave, Spokane. Oh and be sure to visit their socials to learn about the theme of the month - costumes are highly recommended.

Visit us at the next Night Market

July 11th

508 E Riverside Ave, Spokane, WA 99202

Get ready: Plastic Free July kicks off on July 1

By Rebecca Fulton
We’re inviting you to join millions around the world in taking a stand against single‑use plastics. By committing to refuse, reduce, and replace everyday plastics for one month, you’ll make a tangible difference for the planet—and kickstart habits that last well beyond July.

Why Participate?

Each year, humanity produces over 380 million tons of plastic—half of it designed for just one use. When we toss that plastic away, much of it ends up in landfills, waterways, and oceans, breaking down into microplastics that contaminate ecosystems and food chains. By taking on the Plastic Free July challenge, you directly reduce pollution, conserve natural resources, and curb greenhouse‑gas emissions linked to plastic production and transport.

Small Changes, Big Impact.

You don’t have to overhaul your life overnight. Start with one simple swap—bring your own reusable water bottle instead of buying bottled water, pick bar soap over liquid soap in plastic dispensers, or swap cling wrap for beeswax wraps. Each action may seem minor, but multiply it by millions of people, and the results are massive: in 2024, participants prevented an estimated 1.2 billion plastic items from entering the waste stream.

Watch our Social Media for weekly ideas and inspiration on how you can reduce plastic waste.

We're diving into botanical dyeing!

Enjoy these images from our first class, bundle dyeing with Beth Mort of Snapdragon Flower Farm. Keep an eye out for upcoming workshops like dyeing with indigo, how to modify botanical dyes, dyeing with mushrooms and more. This is part of our work to reduce the environmental impacts of textiles. Natural dyeing can be used to bring new life to old garments or create fabulous new ones. Learn more at one of our workshops.

A celebration of culture and creativity!

Spokane Zero Waste (SZW) has been awarded a Spokane Neighborhood Business District Activation Grant. The funds will be used to produce a creative community event for the N. Monroe Business District on August 16th and will showcase the creations of 5 sewists from Spokane Zero Waste’s ReCraft Lab, a jobs training and circular economy endeavor.

The day will include: Tea and treats from the Afghani Grocery, henna tattooing, delicious food and an opportunity for cultural exchange and learning through the art of sewing. This event will have a lasting impact on the N. Monroe Business District as funds will also be used for a new mural and colorful crosswalk flags. The flags will be made by ReCraftLab students, with upcycled materials and enhance pedestrian safety at five important crossings in the area.

This event, co-hosted by Rogue Heart Media with support from Sew She Can and Manzanita House will be a low-waste event supported by SZW. We will work with participants to guide waste reduction both upstream, with materials and operations recommendations, as well as downstream with our waste sorting station. Interested in volunteering for this event? Email volunteerszw@spokanezerowaste.org with the subject Line N. Monroe.