Discover creative and eco-friendly ways to upcycle thrifted clothes with these 8 fun and simple ideas!
Shakespeare once wrote that there’s nothing new under the sun. What makes material original is how you reuse it in innovative and creative ways. Upcycling thrifted clothes is a fabulous way to refresh your wardrobe or do a number of creative crafts.
All you need is a little inspiration, so whet your appetite with these ideas, empty your spare change jar for some retail therapy and fire up the sewing machine.
Why Support Your Local Thrift Shop?
Buying thrifted clothes makes sense for the planet. It assists in the shift toward a circular economy while minimizing resource consumption. The fashion industry is the second-largest water consumer and contributes 10% toward global greenhouse gas emissions. Mass-producing inferior garments creates tons of landfill waste that releases methane — not to mention the moral outrage of throwing away perfectly good new clothes while people remain in need.
However, there’s more to patronizing your local thrift shop as your first choice for fashion shopping than saving the planet — even if that is the most wide-reaching benefit. Check out what else your simple act of good judgment can do:
- Benefit local charities: Many thrift shops do more than peddle secondhand clothing. They operate as nonprofits, using any money earned by their enterprises to support other causes, such as the Humane Society or Habitat for Humanity.
- Get quality for less: Inexpensive brands often contain questionable chemicals such as PFAs that may threaten your health in multiple ways. Thrift shopping allows you to select high-quality items made from natural fibers while paying pennies versus designer prices. One savvy thrifter recently saved nearly $500 on a to-die-for dress.
- Declutter, guilt-free: Part of the pain of decluttering your closet is facing bad past decisions, like conspicuous overconsumption. However, donating unwanted items to the thrift shop lets someone benefit from your mistake without creating waste.
8 Fabulous Ways to Upcycle Thrifted Clothes
You recently returned from the thrift shop with an overflowing bag of inexpensive booty in hand. Consider one of these approaches if you need ideas on how to transform thrifted clothes into new treasures.
1. Doggone Cute
Does your chihuahua shiver in the winter’s cold — or make a beeline for under the bed when summertime thunderstorms roll? Upcycle your thrifted clothes into stylish fashion for your pup. A little bit of velcro and the right pattern are all you need to transform that flannel into a thunder shirt for your puppy that will comfort them when things outside get noisy.
However, you don’t have to stop there. Denim is a fabulous fabric for transforming into pet toys because it’s hearty and hard to shred. Does your dog’s bed invariably get as furry as they are? Sew a few slipcovers so you can toss the soiled ones in the wash and have a fresh place for Fido to rest his head.
2. Sew New
Even holey thrift shop shirts can see new life when you spin them into yarn. It takes a bit of skill to get the cuts just right, but that’s the beauty of using thrifted clothing. There’s no need for heartbreak if you make a mistake. Simply put the unusable bits in the compost bin and try again.
3. Heavy Tomes
One of the most expensive parts of attending school is buying textbooks. Protecting the value of those volumes helps you recoup some of what you spent when it’s time to resell them to incoming students. Use the fabric from thrifted clothes to custom-fit a book cover that will protect the binding from ink and spills, netting you a better return on your investment.
4. Reformed Shopaholic
Do you plunk your items in plastic when you go to the store? Reusable bags are far kinder to the environment. Upcycle your thrifted clothes into fabric versions you can trust to carry your eggs without spilling them all over the sidewalk.
5. Trick or Treat
Upcycling thrifted clothes into Halloween costumes is super fun when you score some authentic ‘90s fashion and go out with your BFFs dressed at NKOTB. What if you can’t find that perfect dark suit for your Count Dracula imitation? You can still use the fabric to create a sack for your kiddos to carry their candy.
6. A Doll’s House
Full-sized thrifted clothing with a few flaws can transform into smaller doll fashion without the offending hole or ink mark. It can also become pillows or slipcovers for dollhouse furniture, tents for G.I. Joe and his troops, or custom flags for toy race cars.
7. Keep It Clean to Code
Are you planning a messy project? That size XXXL shirt you found at the local thrift shop makes a perfect smock. What if your work involves food? Keep the strands on your head from getting in your meatloaf by crafting a hair net or wrap.
8. Accessorize, Baby
You can upcycle thrifted clothes into any number of accessories, including:
- Hair ties and scrunchies
- Belts
- Scarves
- Handbags
- Pocket handkerchiefs
Give Old Clothes New Life
Regularly patronizing your local thrift store benefits the planet and fills your closet with designer duds for less. A little customization results in one-of-a-kind pieces you’re proud to show off, even if they look quite different from the original. Whet your appetite for upcycling thrifted clothes and see how you can transform someone else’s trash into treasure.
Cora’s passion is to inspire others to live a happy, healthful, and mindful life through her words on Revivalist – wholeheartedly convincing them that everyday moments are worth celebrating. Cora has spent 5+ years writing for numerous lifestyle sites – hence her sincere love for both life and the beauty of style in all things. Keep up with Cora on Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook.
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