Whether it’s an old shirt or pair of jeans that just don’t fit anymore, we all have clothes that we never wear, yet we just can’t seem to part ways with them! Maybe it’s our optimism that one day we’ll fit into them again, or maybe it's because we’re clinging onto the memories they’ve left behind. Either way, we start to convince ourselves that we need to keep them around JUST IN CASE - But the reality is that they end up being tucked away in the back of our wardrobes until the next time we stumble upon them and are faced with the same dilemma.
It wasn’t long before I found myself digging through old clothes that were last worn in 2016 and I finally decided that enough was enough! Of course, if you’re stubborn like me and aren’t ready to say goodbye to them just yet then you’ve come to the right place!
Join us and get creative with your style this spring! Not only will you give your old clothes a new lease of life - but you'll also save money while helping the environment in the process! That sounds like a win-win, right?
Rather than just throwing them out and splashing money on the latest trends, learning to upcycle will help to reduce the amount of waste you produce and it brings us one step closer towards a future of sustainable fashion.
To help you get started we've decided to share our favourite tips on how you can upcycle your old clothes in time for summer!
Here are 3 creative ways to upcycle your old clothing:
Patches are all about having F-U-N, which is what makes them one of my favourite go-to's for personalising my outfits. Adding patches to your clothing (or even backpacks) is a great way to not only cover up any wear or tear, but it also gives you the opportunity to get creative with your style and create something no one else will have!
A needle and a little bit of thread can go a long way for reinventing your wardrobe - but if you're like me and you're looking for a quick and easy alternative then don't worry! There are also iron-on patches available too which are perfect for beginners!
As time goes on our attachment to our clothes may not change but our bodies do, or worse yet, we pull our favorite shirt out of the dryer just to find that its 2 sizes smaller than before it went in! No matter what the reason, we often find ourselves disappointed and wanting to wear that shirt that just doesn't fit anymore. But why should we let it go to waste? It's time to grab those scissors and get to work!
First, you'll need to decide what fabric you want to use to fill in the gaps. You can buy the fabric in store or simply create your own from any old clothing. Use the scissors to cut up through each side of the shirt, continuing until you've cut through the bottom of the arm. Using a sewing machine or a needle and thread, sew on the new fabric ensuring that it enlarges the shirt to the size of your choosing. Cut off any extra fabric and voilà, you can now keep rocking your favorite shirt again!
For those of you feeling a little more creative why not dive straight in and bring your clothes to life with your own creations? Fabric painting is a great way to transform your wardrobe and brighten up any plain white shirts hanging around the house. Whether you're a professional artist or simply looking to pass some time on a rainy day, all you need to get started are some fabric or acrylic paints, a pencil and a paintbrush. If you're not yet comfortable drawing your own design, you can pick from an array of stencils and shapes to create the perfect look!
Regardless of whether you're upcycling old clothing to become more eco-friendly or simply to save money, we hope this helps you come up with some great ideas!
To learn more about sustainable fashion and how you can get involved click here!