Repair is one of the most environmentally beneficial forms of reuse. Repair keeps useful items in working condition and requires minimal (or no) new materials to achieve. In addition, repair has a significant impact on the local economy as repair jobs are more difficult to outsource or mechanize.
Reuse Minnesota is currently conducting a survey to learn more about why people choose repair and how repair can be incentivized in Minnesota. As a thank you, all respondents will receive a rebate of up to $75.
How to participate
Restrictions
The following is a list of eligible and ineligible repairs. If an item you would like to have repaired is not listed, please contact info@reusemn.org to clarify eligibility.
Funding for this project was provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota.
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 9, 2024
Reuse Minnesota develops training and releases handbook for resale business entrepreneurs
TWIN CITIES, MN, April 9, 2024: In a recent initiative, Reuse Minnesota hosted a cohort of 25 resale entrepreneurs for a specialized training to guide them through launching or expanding a resale enterprise. The training was made possible through a grant from the State of Minnesota’s Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR). Reuse Minnesota hired Cat Polivoda to share her knowledge and experience gained as the owner of Cake Plus-Size Resale and create the training and complementary handbook to help others grow in the resale space. The handbook, which is now available for download from Reuse Minnesota, offers fundamental business insights from a resale perspective and caters to individuals interested in the resale market, specifically those with a focus on selling secondhand and refurbished goods.
Participants of the training had the opportunity to engage with a panel of resale business experts, participate in group discussions, and work through reflection prompts provided in the handbook.
“The resale business development training by Reuse Minnesota was a wonderful experience! I hope this training program continues - it provided a lot of valuable information and connections for resale entrepreneurs,” said one training participant.
"The material and the instructor were very engaging! I'm also grateful that the workshop gave me an opportunity to meet potential partners and colleagues in the resale industry," remarked another participant.
The creation of the training program is part of a broader effort to enhance professional development opportunities and promote the reuse economy in Minnesota. The reuse industry generates significant environmental, economic, and social benefits. A 2022 impact study revealed that the reuse sector in Minnesota not only supports 45,000 jobs but also generates approximately $4 billion in annual revenue.
Reuse Minnesota, founded in 2012, is a member-based nonprofit organization that champions a vibrant network of repair, resale, and rental businesses, as well as government entities working to expand reuse in Minnesota. The organization aims to reduce the state’s environmental impact by promoting reuse through education, advocacy, and promotion. For further information, visit Reuse Minnesota.
Contact: Carolyn Wieland, Communications Assistant 612-314-6283 | carolynwieland@reusemn.org
Our youth reuse programming at Edison High School and Longfellow Alternative High School is well underway! Over the past month, students at these schools have been exposed to various aspects of reuse. The program began with an introductory session that educated students on the history and benefits of reuse, followed by a series of guest speakers and interactive activities to further engage the students in the topic.
Our speakers, all Reuse Minnesota members, introduced students to possible careers in reuse and repair and complemented their presentations with hands-on activities.
ArtStart artist Brooke Steigauf shared her love of creative reuse with students, inviting them to decorate donated vinyl records. Students used different materials to personalize and express their creativity. Jason Allen and Alex Baldwin from Better Futures talked about deconstruction. Students practiced removing nails and had the opportunity to use a reciprocating saw! Amanda Jacobsen from Free Geek engaged students by bringing in gaming controllers and teaching students how to disassemble them for recycling. Students learned about textile waste and its impact on the environment from Margaret Newman known as Fabrik Marge. They got to learn basic mending skills and make mending kits!
Reuse Minnesota will be working with students at Roosevelt High School starting this week. Additional guest speakers invited to present include Minneapolis Toy Library and Cake Plus owner, Cat Polivoda. Edison, Longfellow, and Roosevelt High Schools have planned field trips to Minnesota Tool Library, Free Geek, and Better Futures, respectively.
We thank the Hennepin County Green Partners environmental education grant program for allowing us to continue building the youth reuse program we started in 2022. The application window for the 2024 round of Green Partners grants is open now. Visit https://www.hennepin.us/greenpartners to learn more and apply.
Reuse Minnesota is excited to announce we have been selected as a 1% for the Planet Environmental Partner! We are part of a network from around the world that works for the benefit of people and the environment.
1% for the Planet is a global organization that inspires businesses and individuals to support environmental nonprofits through membership and everyday actions. They make environmental giving easy and effective through partnership advising, impact storytelling, and third-party certification.
With this recognition, Reuse Minnesota has access to a network of 1% for the Planet Business members that commit to donating 1% of annual sales to vetted environmental organizations.
If you are a 1% for the Planet business member, please consider including Reuse Minnesota in your giving goals! Learn more about joining 1% for the Planet.
Reuse Minnesota invited several of its members to share exhibitor space at the Minneapolis Home Building & Remodeling Expo held at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis on January 19-21, 2024. Reuse Minnesota's booth featured home vignettes that highlighted reuse, repair, and repurposing possibilities. We were joined by these members throughout the event: Hennepin County Environment, LumberStash, Minnesota Tool Library, PaintCare, Bridging, Good To Go Cups, Arc's Value Village, PRISM, and Minnesota Technical Assistance Program (MnTAP). Better Futures also had a separate booth.
We enjoyed engaging the community in conversations centered around what reuse can look like inside and outside the home. Bridging shared many copies of their donation list to encourage attendees to donate furniture and housewares they might be replacing during a remodel. Shop for Change discussed how their thrift store takes donations and that the proceeds benefit their social service programs.
We are thankful for Minnesota Tool Library, Bridging, and Arc's Value Village Thrift Store for lending furniture and props for our booth!
Diana from Bridging helped supply the furniture display for our booth.
Jeremy from LumberStash connected with property managers and remodelers, sharing his unique business model and its opportunities.
Olivia with Hennepin County was on hand to share about deconstruction grants.
Kate from Minnesota Tool Library and Gratias from PaintCare shared how their services can help remodelers.
RELEASE DATE: Tuesday, January 23, 2024
A New Reuse Center at the South Transfer Station
Park Rapids, MN, January, 2024 – Hubbard County Solid Waste Department has been accepting reuse items for more than twenty years. For the most part Hubbard County residents and businesses have had opportunities to do material exchange of reusable items at the Hubbard County Transfer Stations in small uncovered areas since the day the stations opened. The South Transfer Station’s most recent Reuse Lane has been located on the opposite of the outdoor express lane. Over the years, the reuse areas have changed and moved around the facility but have always been open to the elements.
In 2022, The Hubbard County Solid Waste Department began exploring ways to:
As a part of a soft-opening, Monday February 5, 2024, the Hubbard County South Transfer Station will move the current Reuse Lane up to the old transfer station building (D Bldg.). The building’s new name will be Hubbard County Reuse Center.
All residents and businesses entering the South Transfer Station must turn right and check-in with a Solid Waste team member at the Transfer Station Building (A Bldg.) before going to the new Reuse Center. After check-in resident/businesses will be allowed to drop-off reuse materials to the Reuse Center during regular transfer station hours.
Hubbard County Reuse Center hours Monday through Friday 8:30 -4:00 Saturdays 8:30 – 2:30
Saturday, February 3, 2024 the current South Transfer Station Reuse Lane will be permanently closed at 3:00 pm.
The Hubbard County Solid Waste Reuse Center goals are to:
Be on the lookout for more information in the coming weeks.
Contact Hubbard County Solid Waste Offices 812 Henrietta Ave S Park Rapids, MN 56470
www.co.hubbard.mn.us/waste 218 -732-9568 solidwaste@co.hubbard.mn.us
We hosted our first Mend-it Clinic and mended 38 items! Three sewing contractors taught people how to mend their rips and holes, fix zippers, darn sweaters, and more! Volunteers assisted with hand mending and members of the community shared tips and skills as they waited in line to have their items mended.
For those that had the mending skills but lacked supplies or equipment, we provided a sewing machine and notions for them to use.
Additional Mend-it Clinics will be added to our calendar. Attend one of our clinics and learn how to mend your items!
Sewists (L to R): Lily, Alicia, Mai
A mother and daughter mend their mittens
Volunteers assist with hand mending
The clinic was made possible by funding from Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's Environmental Assistance Grant Program. We thank Old School for serving as a site host. View additional photos from the event here.
Applications are now being accepted for Reuse Minnesota's business development training! This training is open to individuals interested in starting or expanding a resale business.
This training is being developed by Cat Polivoda, owner of Cake Plus-Size Resale, and will cover topics such as business basics of resale, product procurement, and growth and expansion. Participants will gain a solid foundation for starting a resale-based business, with additional resources provided to guide the next steps. APPLY NOW: http://tinyurl.com/yd2khebx
DETAILS
This training is made possible through funding provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR).
If you’ve ever fixed something yourself you know the feeling of accomplishment it leaves you with. Sometimes it is a small repair, requiring a few squirts of super glue, and other times it is a large feat, requiring hours of careful disassembly and rebuilding. Sharing these skills with young people is an incredibly important part of ensuring that our vision of a reuse-based society continues to come to fruition.
This vision is a large part of why we reapplied for Hennepin County’s Green Partners grant funding this year. Our grant allows us the opportunity to work with high school students to talk about reuse and give hands on time to put what is learned into practice. While much of our grant is focused on time in the classroom, after our partnership with Roosevelt High School last spring, and seeing the student interest in mending, we wanted to expand what we could offer. Using the student-led free thrift store (featured last spring in the Star Tribune) as an anchor, we included a request for funds to offer an extracurricular time for learning mending skills. The school’s club time, which happens midday on Fridays so it is accessible to all students, offered the perfect time to implement this project.
On Friday, December 1, we launched Club Mend. The club will convene twice a month starting in January, and will run through the end of the school year. Our grant allowed us to hire an instructor - Kris - who has a background in costuming and loves to upcycle and modify garments. Kris will guide the students on topics such as learning machine repair basics, how to alter a shirt for a better fit, and more. In the kick off session, students shared what they were interested in learning, their experience with sewing and mending, and got some hands on practice by sewing fabric yo-yos, which may be familiar to people who have seen them as adornments or sewn together by the hundreds to create intricate quilts. We are excited to continue engaging students in building their mending skills in 2024!
Want to get involved? If this kind of thing excites you, we’d love to get you involved. We are seeking a few volunteers to help the instructor with setup, cleanup, and some basic sewing skills such as threading needles and tying knots. Bonus, you get to learn some mending skills! Learn more here.
L to R: Instructor Kris demonstrates for the students; a student's completed yo-yo; RHS teacher Shannon Nordby proudly shows a recent repair made using visible mending techniques learned in last spring's class.
Reuse Minnesota is pleased to share the results of our recent board election. Members used ranked-choice voting to elect the following six individuals who will serve from January 2024 through December 2025.
ReturningAnnika Bergen, 3rd termPetrina Rhines, 2nd termDustin Siemers, 2nd term
NewMargo AshmoreRita ColeEmily Noyes
These individuals represent a variety of sectors including nonprofit, government, and private business. They also bring a wide expanse of experience including fundraising, board governance, and business ownership. We look forward to learning from them and greatly appreciate their willingness to share their skills to help grow Reuse Minnesota!
Reuse Minnesota was founded in 2012 and is a member-based nonprofit that supports repair, resale, and rental businesses, bringing visibility to the reuse sector as a means to lower our state's impact on the environment.
Contact usEmail Reuse Minnesota612-314-6283reusemn.org
© 2025 Reuse Minnesota. All rights reserved. | Reuse Minnesota is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.
