As Australians continue to grapple with rising living costs, many households are rethinking how they spend, decorate and furnish their homes. Rather than buying new, a growing movement is encouraging people to look at what already exists. That’s the idea behind DIY July Edit, a new collaboration between Cricut and Salvos Stores.
Launching throughout July 2026, the initiative invites Australians to transform preloved clothing, furniture and homewares into personalised creations, blending creativity with sustainability while supporting the circular economy.
Creativity meets affordability
The campaign encourages people to visit one of more than 400 Salvos Stores locations across Australia, find an item with potential, and give it a new lease on life using creativity, whether that’s painting, sewing, personalising with Cricut vinyl, or completely reimagining its purpose.
To inspire participants, Australian content creators are showcasing projects across three themes:
- Wedding Edit
- Home Renters Edit
- Kids’ Room Edit
Ideas range from personalised wedding welcome signs created from vintage artwork through to children’s room décor, renter-friendly organisation solutions and customised furniture.
The message is simple: meaningful design doesn’t have to start with something brand new.
Addressing Australia’s growing waste problem
The initiative arrives as concerns grow around Australia’s consumption habits.
According to figures highlighted by Cricut and Salvos Stores:
- Australia is now the world’s largest consumer of textiles per capita.
- Australians purchase around 56 new clothing items each year on average.
- Around 864 tonnes of textiles are discarded every day.
- Approximately 95% of commercial furniture waste ends up in landfill.
- Sydney’s landfill capacity is projected to be exhausted by 2030.
While many Australians say sustainability influences their purchasing decisions, disposal rates continue to rise, particularly in fashion and furniture.
DIY July Edit attempts to bridge that gap by making reuse both accessible and aspirational.
More than just upcycling
For Cricut, the partnership extends beyond promoting its cutting machines.
The company’s products have increasingly become tools for personalisation rather than simply crafting from scratch. Applying vinyl to glassware, restoring old frames, creating custom signage or refreshing tired furniture demonstrates how digital design tools can extend the lifespan of existing items.
Meanwhile, every purchase from Salvos Stores helps fund The Salvation Army’s community programs, meaning each project delivers both environmental and social benefits.
A growing maker movement
Initiatives like DIY July Edit reflect a broader shift occurring within the DIY community. Rising household costs have pushed many Australians towards repairing, restoring and customising rather than replacing.
Social media has accelerated that trend, with creators sharing furniture flips, thrift-store transformations and personalised décor projects that demonstrate how creativity can often replace spending.
By combining Cricut’s creative ecosystem with Salvos Stores’ nationwide network of donated goods, the campaign hopes to encourage Australians to view second-hand shopping as the beginning of a creative project rather than a compromise.
Better for the budget, better for the planet
The strongest aspect of DIY July Edit is that it addresses two challenges simultaneously.
For households, repurposing second-hand items can significantly reduce the cost of decorating, gifting or furnishing a home.
For the environment, every reused item represents one less purchase requiring new manufacturing and one less object heading towards landfill.
It’s an approach that aligns well with Cricut’s growing emphasis on creativity with purpose and Salvos Stores’ long-standing role in Australia’s circular economy.
As DIY July unfolds, Australians are invited to share their own transformations using #DIYJulyEdit and #MakeItWithCricutANZ, demonstrating that sometimes the best design starts with something someone else no longer wanted.
