ReMida repurposes discarded materials into community-based education and arts activities. We focus on materials outside standard recycling practices and whose form and structure lend themselves to creative reuse. We divert around 113 tonnes of discarded materials from landfills each year by giving them a second, third, or hundredth life through our materials program.
ReMida works with a network of suppliers to source, gather, sort, and display the broadest selection of materials possible. In recent years, we have expanded this network to include a limited range of materials people can donate from home or school. These items include unused art and craft supplies, fabrics, stationary, and a case-by-case assortment of bric-a-brac. Our core focus is gathering materials that can go straight into a classroom or arts setting with minimal handling. We're a small, dedicated team of staff and volunteers, and the more time diverted to cleaning, sorting, disposing of, or disassembling materials, the less time we have to make the shelves and the space beautiful.
There are two main ways to access ReMida materials. The first is when you become a member of ReMida Perth. There are a variety of annual memberships to the association, which include access to our materials. The second is to purchase your materials at each visit, the price for which is based on the volume and type of materials collected. The benefit of membership is the ability to access the materials throughout the year without additional collection fees. We operate the membership program on a trust basis, which works well overall. The best way to keep this going is to ensure your membership type accurately reflects your material use.
Some commonly asked questions:
What items will you take? The answer to this depends on what else we have in stock, the amount and condition of the items, and our ability to display and store the materials. We'd love to take everything, but we must focus on materials that synergise with our members' needs.
Can I take a whole container of stuff? The counter question is, how do you plan to use the materials? We have many interesting, beautiful materials, and collecting in bulk can be tempting. But, without a plan, the materials may sit on your shelf, which keeps them out of circulation for other people who may need them. If in doubt, chat with the staff and volunteers. But if you have a need and a plan, you can take the materials (just leave the container).
Where's my favourite material? You usually have loads? Ok, that's two questions. Because we work with discarded items, our ability to stock and restock materials is supplier-dependent. We endeavour to hold a reserve of popular materials, which isn't always possible. If you need a specific item, chat with staff who are very good at finding solutions to keep your project on track.
When's the best time to visit ReMida? Ok, this is the most complicated question on the list. Materials can come in anytime, so it's difficult to say this or that time is better. With the steady increase in material donations (as opposed to the scheduled collections), interesting, one-off items can appear on the shelves anytime. If you're searching for something specific, you're most welcome to call us before you visit.
Can I return stuff I don't use? Yes, we love it when materials come back. They just need to be in the same basic condition as when they left. If you're new to ReMida, the best place to start is to visit the centre to check out the materials and ask questions. The staff and volunteers are here to help, and if you have a specific question, you can always contact us via the website.
Have a great week and happy collecting.
