Charlene Catalano wanted green-and-white yarn to make a winter scarf. Instead of going to a big store, she visited Brooklyn Creative Reuse. There she found the yarn, plus used craft kits and other small items, all for only $6.

The shop is one of hundreds of creative reuse centers in the U.S. and other countries. These centers collect donated art and craft materials and sell them at very low prices, like secondhand stores for artists. Their main goal is to keep art supplies out of landfills, the places where trash is buried in the ground.

Art supplies often come in large packs, so people rarely use all of them. When the extra supplies are thrown away, they slowly break down in landfills. During this process, they can release harmful chemicals and tiny pieces of plastic called microplastics into the environment.

Reusing these materials helps. Art is an expensive hobby, so buying secondhand items keeps costs down. It also saves the water and energy needed to make new products. One center in Atlanta collects about 3,175 kilograms of supplies every month.

Experts say the best steps are simple: buy only what you need, and give away what you do not use. Rosina Morelli, an artist and teacher, enjoyed shopping this way. "What I'm most happy for is my chance to donate stuff, not buy stuff," Morelli said.