One of the most common and well-stocked sections in thrift stores is the clothing department. As a society, we go through clothing at an untenable pace, mostly because it’s cheap and poorly made. And while we used to be able to dump it all at thrift stores, that convenience is rapidly changing due to current world events. With so many thrifts no longer accepting textile donations, I thought you might be looking for ideas for upcycling clothes.
When it comes to wearing, thrift store clothing can be hit or miss. Sometimes the pieces are in great condition, and perfect for whatever kind of outfit you’re shopping for. But if they’re stained, snagged, shrunk, or stretched out- then game on, when it comes to crafting! For instance, a stretched out sweater is perfect for upcycling into pillows.
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
And that favorite flannel shirt that’s showing its age? Ideal for upcycling into reusable hand warmers.
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
And you already know how much I love upcycling flannel shirts. Heck, my first book is all about crafting with flannel!
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
But shirts aren’t the only piece of fashion I’ve upcycled with. I also love repurposing scarves and have made several projects with them, including these suncatchers.
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
But, obviously, there is a LOT of clothing out there to be recycled into completely new things. From jeans to sweaters, to neckties and shoulder pads, there are countless ways to upcycle clothing.
Because while you may not be able to donate old clothes to your favorite thrift right now, you can still repurpose them! Or at least…parts of them, like these drawer sachets!
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
And this is by no means a comprehensive collection of upcycled clothing ideas. But, I tried to capture a wide variety of ideas for different types of articles of clothing in order to touch on all sorts of creative inspiration.
Inspiration that runs the gamut from complete repurposing down to something as simple as getting more mileage out of old work shirts, like this.
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Ready to find your next upcycled clothing project?
Ideas for Upcycling Clothes
So, what do you think? Are you inspired by one (or several) of these ideas for repurposed clothing? And these are just the tip of the iceberg!
And let’s not forget about the fabric face masks we all wore in 2020 and 2021! Time to repurpose a few of those into things.
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Whether you use them as home decor (like this winter wreath), for organizing around the house, or create a completely new wearable item, upcycling clothes is always on trend.
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
And if you enjoyed these upcycled clothing ideas, then you may also be interested in creating a hip purse for hands-free shopping by upcycling a traditional handbag!
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Craft on!
S
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Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Sarah Ramberg is the owner of Sadie Seasongoods, a website that celebrates all things secondhand. From upcycling ideas and thrifted decor to vintage-centric travel itineraries, Sadie Seasongoods is a one-stop shop for anyone who loves thrifting and approachable repurposing ideas. Sarah is also the author of “Crafting with Flannel” and has been featured in numerous media outlets and magazines.
What great ideas.
So many projects, so little time! 😉
Great collection of projects. One of the few good things about “lockdown” is that we are going to become more less wasteful and more self-sufficient like our grandparents were!
I sure hope that’s the case!
Love them all! Lately I have been making fashion projects! Fun
Thanks, Maria!!