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In a time when reducing our carbon footprint is more important than ever, it’s time that we focused on reducing our waste. Not just in terms of food and plastic usage, but also in other areas in our lives that we normally wouldn’t normally think of, such as old clothes.
You probably already have adopted good habits of handing down any unwanted clothes or donating them to charity, or even putting them up for sale on an app or a garage sale. But let me ask you, what do you do with the torn up clothes that are way beyond salvaging?
If your answer is to throw it away, you need to make some changes. With Earth’s dwindling resources, we need to be more conscious of what we buy, and making the most out of our purchases, which includes reusing clothes. And when you can’t reuse them, turn them into an upcycling or recycling project. You might not have any interest in your ratty old t-shirts anymore, but instead of chucking them into the garbage, why not transform them into a tote, or make new clothes with it?
There are endless possibilities when it comes to repurposing old clothes, and today, we’ll be focusing on denim.
So if you have any worn out jeans that you were thinking of getting rid of, here is a list of ways that you can breathe new life into your old denim clothing.
Home Decorative Ideas
Denim Floor Cushions
Got some floor cushions that need new covers? The great thing about denim is that its a durable fabric, so any spills or dirt that sticks on it can easily be washed off with some stain remover or thrown into the washing machine.
Striped Denim Rug
There are several rug ideas all over Instagram and Pinterest, with patchwork denim being a popular one. However, if you don’t the time, skill or patience for patchwork, you can always make a rug using a striped pattern instead. If you have several pairs in different shades to work with, make an ombre pattern.
Wall Denim Pockets
Need more space for your stationary and knick knacks at your desk? Try making these super cute denim circle pockets that you can hang on the wall, then fill with pens, small notepads, your phone, whatever you need to keep your work space organized.
Denim Wreath
With Christmas coming up in the next couple of months, why not make your decorations unique and create a denim wreath? Probably one of the simpler crafts of the bunch, all you really need is a donut shaped cardboard, cut up denim and a hot glue gun. No sewing required.
Stuffed Denim Whale
If you have kids, or need a unique present for your inaanak, then go for this extremely adorable stuffed denim whale. And if you have time, you could even go ahead and make other sea creatures out of your old denim, such as fish, dolphins, sharks, etc.
Upcycled Fashion Ideas
Denim Zippered Pouch
If you’re anything like me, you can never have too many pouches; they’re great as bag and suitcase organizers, and they work well as tiny purses for times you only need your phone and a small wallet on you.
Striped Denim Tote
Denim totes are another popular upcycling project around the web, and while you only need one pair of jeans to make one, this striped variety is actually very pretty and offers much more personality into your everyday tote.
Patchwork Denim Clothes
To execute something like this, you’d need to use chambray and other softer denim varieties, as they make it easier to create new clothing, such as cardigans and midi skirts.
Stationary Ideas
Denim Stationary Pouch
Jean pockets are so handy, aren’t they? Instead of turning them into the wall pockets as previously shown, you can simply make them into pouches and fill them with whatever you need to organize.
Denim Craft/Tool Belt
Gardeners, craftsman and anyone else that generally works with a tool belt will love this awesome design. All you have to do is cut along the waist and the pockets, then line the inside with the fabric of your choice, and voila! You have a great gift for your crafty friend.
Denim Notebook Cover and Pencil Case
Want to give your journal an upgrade? Jean pockets are a nice little touch on notebooks. You can also make a cute little pencil case to match your newly revamped notebook.
What do you think about this projects? Now, if you don’t have the skills for these projects, or simply aren’t into crafts, you can always donate your old pairs of jeans to that artsy friend or family friend who is a sewing goddess. Surely, they’ll find something to make out of your unwanted jeans.
If you need some new jeans to replace your old ones, be sure to check out our denim section!
This article was selected for inclusion in the Zero Waste Month campaign of the Educational resource publisher Twinkl.
Sheena is the lead fashion writer here at Pretty Me Philippines and has contributed articles for numerous lifestyle blogs and online publications. Other than keeping up with the latest trends, she loves baking and home DIY projects.
[…] a men’s polo into a basic loose tee, or as advanced as turning jeans you’ve outgrown into a tote or a patchwork chambray shirt. It doesn’t matter what old clothes you’ve got, there’s at least five different […]