Creative Upcycling: Service and Love for Earth
Have you ever thought about where clothes go when we outgrow them or they wear out? We may donate our clothes to a local thrift store or a shelter. But what happens if they stay too long in the thrift store? Unfortunately, they often get thrown away.
It’s important to think about this topic, because when clothing is thrown away, it starts to pile up in our landfills. One way we can show our love for the Earth is by making small steps to reduce our waste. So what can we do instead? This is where the fun starts, and we can use our creativity!
Upcycling is when we take a piece of clothing or a household item and make some changes to it, transforming it into something new. Sometimes it can be hard to get rid of your favorite pants or top. But if it no longer fits you, you might be running out of space in your closet for what does fit you.
Here are some ways you can upcycle an item you have so that you can still hang onto it! You can turn an old shirt into a headband, scrunchie, or a small bag. Pants can be made into all sorts of bags, such as tote bags, drawstring bags, or duffle bags.
Some of our old clothes might have stains or holes. That’s okay, because we can still use the rest of the item by cutting the good parts into smaller pieces. We can then use these scraps to make a quilt or a wall decoration. For items that are more meaningful to us, we can even make them into a pillow, doll, or stuffed animal that we can keep forever.
My favorite thing to do is to cut my old jeans into square pieces and use them as a design for a tote bag. Bedsheets and blankets are also great items to upcycle because there is more fabric for us to use in case we mess up.
To create this tote bag, I used a pinstriped bedsheet to make the bag, straps, and the pocket.
For this bag, I used the top part of a pair of corduroy pants and left the pockets in place.
This bag started out as a pair of white jeans. I added fabric from blue corduroy pants to create a wave design.
When we’re learning new skills, like sewing, it’s normal to make mistakes. It’s okay to not get it perfect on the first try. Every time you practice, you’ll get better and better. In time, you may be able to work on more difficult projects.
Sewing is used for many of these project ideas. Sewing is for everyone! You can either sew by hand or with a sewing machine. Sewing by hand is a great place to start, because there are certain repairs that can only be done by hand, like sewing on a button. If you don’t feel ready to sew, you can use fabric glue instead for those steps.
Upcycling and designing is a form of art and can be an expression of our creativity. It’s open for everyone to participate in, and every piece you make will be a one-of-a-kind creation!
Try upcycling for yourself with this fun coaster craft!
Sevda Fakhri has a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Washington and is currently studying Fashion Design. After long days of sewing and learning new crafts, she loves coming home to her gray kitty named Toosi.
Top photo by MurzikNata/Getty; project photos by Sevda Fakhri
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