10 ways to repurpose old clothes

Fast fashion seems to be the buzz word at the moment. It’s great that people are becoming more aware of the environmental repercussions of buying poor-quality, cheap clothing that just doesn’t last.

We buy the majority of our clothes from op shops in an effort to be more sustainable. Reusing what’s already been produced and buying nothing new really helps the war on waste.

If your unwanted clothing is still in good condition, donate it to an op shop, post it online to sell or give away or organise a clothes swap with friends. One man’s trash (or questionable fashion choice) is another man’s treasure!

What do you do if your clothes have stains, holes and tears?

Don’t bin them! Put them aside in a dedicated storage place and upcycle them into something new or repurpose in another way.

Take the buttons off old clothes and store them in a jar for repairs or make something crafty with them.

Here are 10 ways to repurpose old clothes.

♥ Make a shopping bag

It’s ridiculously easy and requires no sewing to convert old t-shirts into shopping bags. With the plastic bag ban in place this is a zero-cost option for you. Find the tutorial here.

♥ Cleaning cloths

Cut up your old clothes into squares and use them for cleaning cloths. You will never have to buy another cloth or paper towel again! Some fabrics work better than others – old t-shirts, socks, flannelette pyjamas, nappies, towels and any natural fabric are great for cleaning. Other fabrics might work better as painting or garage rags. Experiment!

♥ Make a headband

Most fabrics will convert easily into a headband. Cut off strips of fabric and tie them anyway you like! If you want to get a bit more fancy, check out this tutorial for a beautiful celtic cross band made from a t-shirt.

♥ Make a doggy coat

If you are a little more advanced with sewing skills and a machine, you can turn a flannelette shirt into a dog coat! Find the tutorial and pattern here.

♥ Save them for dirty jobs or pyjamas

I know this seems really obvious but I am often surprised that some people don’t have ‘old clothes’! Maybe I got it from my mum, but I always change out of my ‘going out clothes’, hang them up and change into my ‘old clothes’ when I get home.

I use old house clothes as dual purpose for pyjamas – who cares if they have holes in them or have a spaghetti stain you just can’t get out? I then have ‘old old clothes’ which are used for painting, gardening and heavy duty cleaning. I’d love to know what system you have!

♥ Make storage buckets

With a no-sewing and sewing tutorial these storage buckets from old jeans are so cute! Find how to to make them here.

♥ Make pot holders

How cute are these pot holders made from old t-shirts?? You could use them for coasters or trivets too. Get the tutorial here.

♥ Make a rag rug

There are so many different ways to make a rug from old clothing and fabric. I like this easy version which involves braiding strips and sewing together.

♥ Make a cushion

That favourite, old, snuggly jumper can become a favourite, snuggly cushion! You could even make them a bit larger and use as a pet bed.

♥ Reshape and restyle

I’m so impressed by people that can restyle old clothing into something new! This top is a no-sew, funky one-shoulder number that was made from a boring boxy mens t-shirt. Pinterest has so many amazing ideas and it’s something fun you can do with the kids and teens too!

♥ Make a plant hanger

This is your bonus tip! There are so many great tutorials online to make a macrame plant hanger from t-shirt yarn. T-shirt yarn is simply cut up strips of old t-shirts. You can use the yarn for so many things around the house!! Check out how to make this hanger here.

I’d love to hear from you. Do you repurpose? What do you make?