Materials

Materials

Are you able to identify social, economic and environmental impacts associated with the production of the materials you use?

You may want to think about things like chemical pollution leading to loss of biodiversity, the risk to human health and degradation of soil. Although these impacts won’t count if you are just measuring carbon emissions, they are part of the wider understanding of ‘impact’.

Can you trace the origin of the materials you use for your work? Or its environmental impact? The Green Arts Initiative provides helpful resources to consider, as does this article on sustainability from Glasgow School of Art, and the case studies from Culture for Climate Scotland provide useful information.

Are you able to source your materials by joining the circular economy? Ostrero is a key organisation
based in Scotland advocating the adoption of Circular Economy principles and CAN – the Circular Arts Network – was set up in Glasgow to share unneeded resources and now work Scotland-wide. These and other links can be found below.

Metal and Jewellery
The Scottish Goldsmiths Trust started a resource with information and a checklist you can use, and Ethical Making lists of materials and resources.

Painting
Most suppliers offer paints and materials that are more environmentally friendly, and selecting them involves looking at the details of your product, and selecting ones that have a low environmental impact. If you use specialist suppliers, question them about where their product comes from, and if they have a sustainable/recycled alternative. Think about the chemicals used to make paper and canvases. Some further questions you might ask yourself can be found here.

Glass and Ceramics
Think about the energy used by your kiln. The power your kiln uses, the duration of the
firing, how frequently you use it and the pieces fired can all have a high impact on energy consumption. This article from Craft Scotland offers some useful material to consider. Technical challenges exist in reusing ceramics, but projects that use recycled ceramic rather than fresh clay are being developed by artists like Sara Howard.

Printing
Investigate the use of non-toxic printing processes, some more information on this can be found here Print studios and collectives like Dunfermline Printmakers and Edinburgh Printmakers will often run sustainable print workshops. Use print suppliers whose materials and processes are environmentally friendly is an increasingly important aspect of sustainable printing.

Textiles
Textiles may be able to be sourced locally or recycled, and organisations like the Circular Arts Network can help you source materials.

Wood
Are you using Forest Stewardship Council approved materials? Or can you source material from a recycled source? What will you do with your waste? Scottish Woods in Fife is a source of sustainably sourced wood regularly used by craft artists and furniture makers, their charity Dynamic Woods supports sustainable woodland, nature conservation and community education.

Packing
Can you reuse packing materials, or source biodegradable products? Think about using recycled cardboard and paper, recycled plastics, biodegradable packing and corrugated paper instead of bubble-wrap. Specialist suppliers have a large range available for packing. Think about how you use packing items. Can you use blankets for storage instead of using bubble-wrap?

There can be positive impacts to identify as well. Are you able to use Fairtrade or recycled
materials, or employ local companies? Is there a scrap store in your area? Zero Waste Scotland has
a list of places you can find materials and Craft Scotland has identified ways to find sustainable materials. Local listings can be found here: https://www.reusefuluk.org/.