10 Ways to Reduce Waste When Working with Epoxy Resin

Craft responsibly without compromising your creativity.

Epoxy resin is a beautiful medium—but let’s face it, it can also generate a lot of plastic waste, leftover drips, and one-use supplies if we’re not careful. As artists and crafters, it’s important to protect both our creative space and the planet.

Here are 10 smart, sustainable ways you can reduce waste while working with epoxy resin—without sacrificing quality, style, or fun!

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1. 🎯 Measure Carefully to Avoid Excess

Always measure your resin and hardener precisely based on your mold’s volume. Overmixing leads to leftovers that harden in your cup—and go to waste.

Quick Tip: Use a volume calculator and mix small batches if unsure. You can always make more!

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2. 🧼 Reuse Silicone Mixing Cups & Tools

Instead of disposable plastic cups and sticks, switch to silicone versions. Once cured, leftover resin peels right out, and your tools are ready to reuse!

Great reusable tools:

• Silicone mixing cups
• Silicone spatulas
• Silicone stir sticks

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3. 🧃 Save Resin Leftovers in Mini Molds

Got a bit of resin left in your cup? Don’t toss it—pour it into mini molds like hearts, letters, or cabochons. Later, turn them into jewelry, charms, or magnets.

Creative idea: Mix colors and save leftovers in a “scrap shapes” jar for future collage pieces.

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4. 🧤 Wear Reusable Nitrile Gloves

Latex and vinyl gloves get tossed after every pour. Consider switching to heavy-duty reusable nitrile gloves. Just wipe them down with isopropyl alcohol and reuse for your next project.

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5. 📦 Repurpose Packaging for Mixing or Molding

Don’t throw away small yogurt cups, takeout containers, or blister packs—they make excellent mixing containers or experimental mold bases.

Try This: Use packaging trays to pour swatches or color tests before committing to a big project.

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6. 🧽 Clean Tools Instead of Tossing Them

Instead of tossing brushes and spatulas, clean them immediately with baby wipes or isopropyl alcohol before the resin cures.

Tip: Store alcohol-soaked cloths in an airtight container to reuse multiple times before disposal.

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7. 🔁 Repurpose Unsuccessful Casts

Got a resin piece that didn’t turn out? Don’t trash it—cut it up, sand it, or embed it into a new project for a cool layered or terrazzo-style effect.

Bonus: Use a rotary tool to reshape or polish pieces into something completely new.

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8. 🪴 Turn Resin Drips into Art

Instead of peeling and tossing resin drips from your workspace, collect them and glue into mosaic artwork, photo frames, or resin sculptures.

Idea: Start a “drip collage” canvas where every spill becomes a brushstroke.

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9. 🛠️ Invest in Long-Lasting Molds

Cheap molds warp, tear, and become unusable quickly. Invest in quality silicone molds that last through dozens of pours—saving money and reducing waste over time.

Care Tip: Clean molds gently and store them flat to extend life.

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10. 🧪 Use Eco-Friendly Resin When Possible

Some brands now offer bio-based or low-VOC resins made with plant-based ingredients. These reduce the overall environmental footprint of your project.

Popular eco-conscious resin brands:

• EcoPoxy
• ArtResin (non-toxic, low-VOC)
• Naked Fusion (FDA compliant)

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🌿 Final Thoughts: Craft With Care

Being mindful while working with resin doesn’t mean compromising on creativity—it just means getting a little smarter with how we use materials. From measuring more carefully to turning waste into art, every small step adds up.