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Making a Textile Donation

Are you cleaning out your craft closet but don’t want your supplies to end up in a landfill?

Since September 2021, our Reuse Program has provided access to affordable textile materials for makers and artists. This is made possible by generous donations, and our volunteers who help with sorting and pricing. What began as outdoor fabric sales more than thirty years ago has evolved into a program with dedicated space within the Museum, continuing to further our mission to promote sustainability and reuse in textile arts. Our customers have already repurposed over 15,000 pounds of fabric, yarn, thread, lace and more!
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If you’d like to donate, please send an email with the following information to reuse@textilemuseum.ca:
  • quantity and type of items
  • a photograph of your items
  • If you are donating vintage clothing, fabric or accessories and can provide more information on the source, that would be appreciated!

01. Donating Your Textiles to the Reuse Program

Please note we are not accepting textile donations at this time with the exception of vintage clothing donations which will be accepted until September 5th, 2025.

Items We Accept For Donation

  • Fabric of any kind
  • Yarn
  • Fleece
  • Wool roving
  • Sewing supplies
  • Beads or jewelry-making supplies
  • Books or magazines about textiles, craft, or design
  • Patterns for sewing, knitting, crochet, cross-stitch, and weaving
  • Craft kits, especially cross-stitch and felting
  • Fabric markers
  • Small tools such as crochet needles and tatting shuttles
  • Vintage clothing in clean and good condition
  • Vintage accessories

Items We Do Not Accept For Donation

  • Ink, paint, or glue
  • Scrap fabric (smaller than 50X50cm)
  • Unclean items
  • Incomplete sewing patterns
  • Large equipment such as looms and knitting machines

02. Donating Your Textiles to
Our Permanent Collection

The Museum is grateful for the donation of objects to the collection. However, please note that we have currently placed a moratorium on new acquisitions as we undergo an in-depth review of our policies.

Over the last year the Museum has been re-examining collecting practices in light of changed socio-political circumstances and emerging new audiences. We are developing an approach to address and adapt our practices moving forward, and will continue to form a collections development plan which will articulate our goals for the next five years.

Please note that we do not appraise textiles. For a list of appraisers, click here.

To submit your item for consideration as a donation to the collection after we have lifted our moratorium, please send images and information about the object to collections@textilemuseum.ca

The Museum does not collect:

  • Fashion garments (ie. 20th century western clothing, Vintage wedding dresses, Christening gowns)
  • Large tools and equipment (ie. Looms, Spinning Wheels, Frames, Sewing Machines)
  • Commercially manufactured textiles
  • Archival records