Everyone knows that fast fashion (continuously buying new and cheap clothes) is not good for the environment and society. We consume 80 billion pieces of clothing every year. Do you know it takes 20,000 liters of water to make a single t-shirt and pair of jeans?
What To Do With Your Old Clothes?
Selling your clothing is a fantastic way to update your wardrobe and make some cash. However, upcycling is the best option if there are items you’re attached to or if you have clothes that are too worn out to donate.
There are many innovative ways to recycle your old clothing. If you do it well, you might be able to transform your wardrobe into something you love even more than before. Here are our favorite upcycling suggestions for motivation.
Follow these creative ideas to use your old clothes in the best possible ways:
Making Your Own Glitter Trainers
We have a solution if you have a worn-out pair of Converse that you can’t bear to part with. Cover them in glitter to make them sparkle.
All you need is a ton of fabric adhesive and eco-friendly glitter. The best way to hold everything in place is to mix the glitter with the glue when applying it and put an additional coat of glue on top afterward. The last thing you want to do is walk around with a glittery trail on your shoes.
You can even change the color of your laces to match or even replace them with dazzling ribbons. You now have new shoes for a night out!
Use Your Favorite T-shirts as a Duvet Cover
It’s unfortunate when tour t-shirts you’ve accumulated from your favorite concerts or festivals over the years end up being worn as pajamas. Or perhaps you’re hanging onto some seriously worn-out t-shirts and jumpers that have sentimental value but that you seldom wear.
In either case, creating a stunning duvet cover out of them would be a wonderful alternative to throwing them away and would put them front and center.
This is a bigger project, and to prevent the t-shirts from stretching, you’ll need a “lightweight fusible iron-on interfacing fabric.” But don’t worry; you can get some here at a reasonable price.
However, it could take longer if you don’t have access to a sewing machine, but the extra work will be worthwhile.
Turn Old Jumpers into Cushion Covers
This works for used t-shirts just as much as it does for sweaters since you can make a cushion cover out of anything. Your room will look cozier if you make cushion covers out of old, fluffy sweaters.
You will need some of the fusible interfacings we previously mentioned. By doing this, you can prevent the fabric of the jumper from stretching and retaining its shape. You can make the covers using this technique in a matter of minutes.
And one of the best things to manufacture and sell if you want to make a little more cash is cushion covers.
Bonus Tip: You can use your university hoodies to make a nice souvenir after graduation.
Cut a T-Shirt into a Halter Neck Top
Why not give an old, baggy t-shirt that you hardly ever wear a new lease on life by transforming it into a halter neck top?
Anyone can use this Versace my Body technique because it is so simple to follow. You only need some paper to sketch out your pattern, some scissors, and pins. Again, a sewing machine will simplify this process, but if you have some extra time, you may also hand sew it.
This is the ideal way to recycle some old clothing for the summer.
Making Your Own Chokers
The use of chokers has greatly increased. However, you don’t have to pay cash to purchase them on the main street. Although you may need to buy some supplies to get started, making them yourself is really simple (no sewing is required).
Find a fabric store in your neighborhood and select your preferred ribbons and lace. Even though velvet is a timeless classic and simple to work with, you may use almost anything.
If you want to add more decoration, you can purchase charms to attach to the front of the choker. Once your ribbon has been measured and cut, grab some push buttons and glue them to either side. Thanks to this, you may close the necklace’s clasp at the back.
Save Your Favorite T-shirt in a Frame
You can create art from old band t-shirts, football jerseys, or nostalgic sweatshirts. Simply purchase a stylish new frame and mark out a coordinating square on the shirt with it. This may be completed in a matter of seconds using this DIY method.
To keep the square straight, tape it to the inside of the frame after cutting it out.
Using Material Scraps to Make Hand Warmers
T-shirts, jumpers, and some skirts and dresses won’t work for this, but shirts will. This is a fantastic alternative if you have any unwanted garments made of sturdy material and don’t have much stretch. They also make wonderful Christmas and birthday presents.
Cut the material you have into roughly 5″ × 5″ squares. You can also cut some extra squares of the same size from plain flannel to double the strength of the packs.
Once the squares have been joined and filled with uncooked rice, you may use them as a handy little hand warmer for chilly mornings by zapping them in the microwave for 30 seconds. Using the legs of your pants, you can make longer packs. To keep your feet warm during the winter, lay these along the base of your bed.
Cut Jeans into Shorts
Have no idea what to do with your old jeans? Simply cut them into shorts with a pair of scissors. To make sure you get the proper length, try them on first. The edges can then be folded up or left loose to fray.
Grab any leftover patterned material, and use it to build (or cover) the pockets to customize them further.
Turning a Baggy T-shirt into a Dress
Try experimenting with upcycling techniques if you have a t-shirt that is too big for you or a family member is trying to get rid of one. There are many alternatives with all the extra material to experiment with.
Many tutorials are available online, so start searching YouTube and visiting Pinterest for some fantastic how-to articles and images. For example, if they are extremely large shirts, they can be worn as jersey dresses.
Turn Your Cotton Shirts into Makeup Removing Pads
Have any cotton shirts in your closet that you simply don’t wear anymore? Don’t abandon them! They are a simple alternative to single-use cotton pads in your regular cosmetic regimen. Simply cut identical-sized rounds or squares from whatever old cotton fabric you find, then stitch the edges of the pieces together.
As long as the stitching will stand up to a washing machine, it doesn’t need to be neat or perfect. There are a ton of simple tutorials available online. You may reuse them repeatedly by tossing them into your next load of laundry with your towels and bed sheets after usage.
Stretched T-shirts to Headbands
Right now, cute hair accessories are widely available. And if you’re smart enough, you won’t even need to buy them brand-new. You may make headbands out of old clothes in a variety of ways. No negatives! An old t-shirt and a short period of time are all you’ll need to turn something you no longer love into something you’ll like wearing again.
Turn Your Old Tees to Reusable Grocery Bags
Make produce or supermarket bags from your old t-shirts for harvesting or grocery shopping. When making them at home is so simple, why bother going to the store to buy them? Put your produce in homemade bags to save money and avoid single-use plastic bags. Who knows, coming out of such responsibly and ecologically constructed bags, they may taste a little better.
Old Clothes to Reusable Food Wraps
Foil? Wrap in plastic? They are very outdated. Any type of old clothing can become your accomplice when it comes to hiding leftovers and wrapping food. All you need is a cloth scrap of the right size and form, along with some honey from our fuzzy little bee buddies.
You can get grated beeswax or beeswax pastilles at your neighborhood pharmacy or supermarket shop. You just need to melt it at home with some jojoba oil and pine resin (to give your fabric that customizable texture) in a measuring cup set in a saucepan, then use a special paintbrush to spread the melted mixture evenly on your cloth.
Before first use, simply hang your finished wrap to dry in a cool, dark place. Then, bend it to your preference to cover leftover veggie lasagna or wrap a sandwich for takeout!
Give it to Your Dog
Your pet will adore the fact that you made it scent like you by upcycling old fabric into anything from a pet bed or blanket to a toy or even a pet-sized T-shirt. Use an old pillowcase to build a bed for small dogs and cats.
Cut up some old clothing into strips, and stuff the pillowcase with it. Sew the pillowcase opening or use a needle and thread to stitch. It is a method that can be completed with only some creating tying and no sewing machine.
Remove Tough Stains from Your Old Clothes
Everyone has a favorite shirt that attracts spills and stains like a magnet. You might want to throw it away afterward. How many times can you wash it before it becomes unwearable, after all?
Consider attempting home remedies to remove stains on your clothes before throwing away half of your wardrobe. Adhesives, wine, cosmetics, oil, and sweat are just a few examples of typical stains. But each kind of stain might respond better to a different cleanup technique.
For example, placing your clothing in the freezer for 30 minutes will help the fabric solidify and make it easier to remove gum stains. It’s critical to wash the item of clothing as quickly as possible in the hottest water possible to remove fruit stains like watermelon juice.
Exchange Clothing with Friends, Family, and Neighbors
Last but not least, remember that sharing is caring! Although that may sound cheesy, it is a simple reality. What you no longer enjoy could be a treasure for a loved one. Therefore, invite your family, friends, and neighbors to a little clothing exchange, and let everyone bring anything they have leftover in their closet.
In addition to being a fantastic suggestion for upcycling clothing, it will make everyone smile because sharing, swapping, and exchanging are always a lot of fun. And used is awesome!
These are just a few of the countless suggestions for reusing and upcycling used clothing that you may find online. Consider these suggestions as some inspiration, particularly if you feel you lack the knowledge, time, or finances to transform your old clothes into something that serves a new purpose. Always remember that small daily life changes speak loud, and upcycling the clothing we once loved is a big part of sustainable living.
Final Words
Of course, all these ideas are just starters. You may recycle used clothing in your house and yard using a variety of other fantastic methods. Without a doubt, there are a ton of creative things you might do with frequently discarded goods. Therefore, the next time you consider dumping something, stop and reconsider.
Keep all these ideas in your mind and give your old clothing a new life. You may be wondering why you should do this, but try it once, and you’d love to do it again. There are many other great tips and ideas that we will be sharing with you in our blogs. If you have any innovative suggestions to upcycle old clothes, please let us know in the comments.
FAQ
Can We Reuse Old Clothes?
Giving clothes away keeps them in circulation and spares your friends from having to make new purchases. Repurpose outdated clothing. Donate your old garments to a reliable textile recycling program. Almost 73% of used clothing is burned or dumped in landfills, even though nearly 95% of it can be recycled.
How Long Do You Keep Clothes?
Generally speaking, it’s not a bad idea to look over your clothing and do some removal every six months. Even though you are aware of this, it is simple to disregard or ignore it.