What to do with old clothes
Yes, Throwing away clothes is BAD for the environment
What happens to your clothes when you throw them away?
How to save unwanted clothes
25 Awesome ways to repurpose old clothes
- Sell it at a consignment shop - check your local listings. Selling it local reduces CO2 emissions. Other types of resellers include ThredUp, Buffalo Exchange, and Poshmark.
- Donate to animal shelters - because if you cannot adopt, least you can do is let Fido look badass in your old Guns n Roses tee. Image and DIY Instructions by Ed Sobo of Instructables
- Patch them up or repair them - use similar fabric to patch garments. Try some unusual fabrics with pretty patterns. Embellished jeans are very stylish. You can take a pair of your baggy jeans from the 1990's and sew darts in them to create a cuter fit. Experiment with different lengths. Flax and Twine has some great ideas
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Make reusable shopping bags - I found this super cute DIY from a very clever mama Heather Dessigner of Mommypotamus
- Contact the manufacturer - Some brands have begun accepting back their own worn merchandise (Levi's and H&M do this)
- Create cleaning rags from cut up clothes - This is not a new idea but reminds me of the rib knit tank top my father used to polish his motorcycle with.
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Make burp cloths Alli from Taking Care of Monkey Business shares how she does it
- Create beautifully nostalgic Christmas decor with this DIY from Sew Dainty
- Sew together an outdoor movie quilt from multiple articles of clothing and old blankets like this t-shirt quilt by Lil Blue Boo
- Create reusable gift wrap - attach a card including cool ideas for the receiver to reuse the wrapping in their own way. Use this list for help. Check out simple ways to wrap a gift using fabric. Image and Instructions by A Pair and A Spare
- Make decorative pillow cases with Country Living
- Save scrap fabrics for craft projects like creating poms, tassels, or lining
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Make dolls clothing
- Make scrunchies, head wraps or headbands
- Create shawls or scarves
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Craft fabric jewelry
- Donate the buttons, zippers, hook & eyes, and other notions from your clothes to Home Economics class rooms or local sewing groups. You can find them on Facebook, directories, or ask a librarian
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Fabric Book Covers
- Create an attractive Cork Board Cover from Sheets
- Shorten a dress into a skirt
- Turn a matching set into a jumpsuit
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Transform mama's clothes into mini's clothes or use excess fabric from mama's clothes for mini to match
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Create a rag rug
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Create a braided fabric basket
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Bunting flags for party decor
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Create a teddybear from your mini's old clothes
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Sweater lampshades
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Plush Alphabet for baby. Add a magnet to the back for your refrigerator
I'd say this is a good beginning to creatively flowing ideas that will revive your clothes for new uses around the house and even for special occasions. I hope you enjoy! Please comment if you tried any of these ideas. Perhaps you would like to add a new idea to this list? If so, I would love to share it!
What to do with old clothes, ShoptheKei.com