Crafters Co-op isn’t your average crafting store. Instead of rows of acrylic fabrics and synthetic crafts, the new shop on Pioneer Way offers a breath of fresh air with natural fibers, rugs made from recycled T-shirts, vintage buttons and fabrics and a homey studio with everything needed to make hundreds of unique crafts.

Crafters Co-op is packed with eco-friendly finished products and supplies for sewing, spinning, weaving, knitting, crochet, embroidery, felting, rug making, scrapbooking and much more.

But two aspects propel Crafters Co-op far beyond other craft stores: the reduce, reuse, recycle mindset of the six ladies who formed the co-op, and the studio packed with supplies and equipment open to the public.

The craft artisans making up the co-op are Dena Royal, Glennda Wright, Agatha Nicolle, Jessica Fisher, Kathy Hawkes and Ana Locicero. They range in age from mid-20s to late 60s.

“We wanted a place to have families do fun crafts with their kids or by themselves,” Wright said of their decision to open the shop. The goal is to show people how to get back to small crafts and realize their value, Wright said.

Crafters Co-op, located at 910 Pioneer Way, opened in April. The co-op members have been working together to remodel the space since February.

Crafters Co-op has already earned its Whidbey Green Seal, a program that recognizes organizations that practice environmental sustainability. At least 75 percent of Crafters Co-op’s supplies are recycled, reclaimed or vintage.

“We’re trying to change the younger generation from being a throw away society,” Royal said.

For example, Wright makes reusable dusters out of bathrobes and colorful braided rugs out of T-shirts. At Crafters Co-op, you’ll find aprons made out of blue jeans and purses made out of sweaters. Fisher repurposes children’s clothing to make exciting new outfits, such as cutting off jeans and adding frills to make a fancy child’s skirt.

Another aspect of being environmentally friendly is not being wasteful. Crafters Co-op sells individual needles and single yards of trim so shoppers don’t have to buy large amounts that they won’t use, Royal said. This also reduces packaging waste.

The members find materials at thrift stores, estate sales and in their own homes; why waste something that can be used to create a useful item?

Each co-op member also teaches classes, which cost $10 per hour, plus materials, which are often as simple as bringing a few old T-shirts, the materials for Wright’s rug-making class.

But you don’t have to wait for a class to try making these crafts. The studio is open to the public for $3 a day for elementary-age students and $5 a day for older children and adults. The studio is equipped with sewing machines, an embroidery machine, scrapbooking materials, fiber arts materials and equipment and much more. The members plan to offer birthday parties soon.

A local art teacher said she was “in craft nirvana” in the studio, Royal said. She even sees Skagit Valley College students stop by to create between classes.

“It’s a chance for people to try out and use equipment without buying it for themselves,” Royal said.

Directions for simple projects are available for free and families can spend time together making felted beads, woven bookmarks and much more for just the small cost of the materials and the studio fee. As a bonus, parents bringing elementary-age kids don’t have to pay their own studio fee.

“You can spend a couple hours together for under $5,” Royal said.

The shop is open until 8 p.m. to offer family activities in the evenings, too.

The shop also offers a crafting library of 200 books. For the studio fee, people can read, take notes and trace patterns.

“We really want to share that knowledge,” Royal said.

And that’s what the co-op members are focused on, bottom line. One day, Royal said, a lady came to the shop looking for iron-on letters, which Crafters Co-op doesn’t carry. Instead, Royal showed her another way — a less expensive way — to apply letters to baby clothing. Later, the lady returned to say how wonderfully that worked out.

“We didn’t make a big sell out of that, but it was very rewarding to show someone how to do that,” Royal said.

The members are constantly showing each other something new as they attend each others’ classes. They hold classes nearly every day; a schedule is available at www.facebook.com/whidbeycrafts. They also do private lessons.

Crafters Co-op does not sell crafts made by non-co-op members.

For details, call 360-632-4200.