People are now finding innovative ways to ensure they are living more sustainably, whether its making their home more eco-friendly, their transport route or what we will be talking about today. One thing that people are doing is ensuring that their wardrobe is more sustainable.
People have now started shopping at vintage/ second-hand stores to ensure they are far more sustainable. Other people are shopping at online stores that only use organic materials; however, this can be far more expensive. With modern technology, there are many ways to ensure your wardrobe is more sustainable. There is no need to shop at those fast fashion clothing stores when there are many other ways to ensure you have an eco-friendly wardrobe.
Another innovative way that people are ensuring they are living a more sustainable lifestyle is by upcycling their wardrobes. Those that know how to sew have started getting creative with their old clothes and making the most of them.
In this article, we will take you through how you can upcycle your clothes. Including those clothes you think are no longer useful because they are damaged.
No Sewing Methods
For those that are unsure about a sewing needle then do not worry. Sewing is a unique skill but it is easy to learn. Nonetheless, there are other ways you can upcycle your clothes without needing to pick up a sewing needle.
Dying Your Clothes
If you remember the TikTok trend with people tie-dying their clothes then you will know exactly what we are on about. To be honest, if you remember back in the early 10s, tie dying was a trend then as well.
Tie-dying is one of the most popular methods when it comes to upcycling, especially for those who don’t know how to use a sewing needle. Nonetheless, it is a fantastic way to make your plain colours more colourful. Furthermore, if you want to do the opposite such as bleach dying and direct dying then you can.
Reverse tie-dying is something that is very much on-trend at the moment. This is when you bleach dye clothes that already have a colour. However, be careful when you are doing this can because it doesn’t look great if you get it wrong.
Last but not least, fabric markers. They are great for upcycling your clothes. The paint that is used in these is designed so it does not easily wash off and can wash numerous times before it starts to fade. Some people will usually use acrylic paint for this but the problem with it is that it can wash off very quickly. The longevity of fabric markers staying on your clothes is much longer than acrylic paint.
Cutting Clothes
We all know how to use a pair of scissors which is why this method is great. When you are using scissors to mend your damaged clothes, you can give your garments a more rugged look to your items. Additionally, they can be used to make an oversized/longline shirt the usual length. You could also get rid of a collar that might bother you whilst you are wearing them. Something else that you can do with your clothes is cut a patch out of an old t-shirt you no longer wear and sew it into another garment. For example, if a piece of clothing has a tear in it, sew the patch onto that garment to mend it.
For The Amateur Sewers
If you have the capability of using a sewing needle then it is time to get creative. There are a few things that an amateur sewer can do. If you are new to this, we would advise you to start watching tutorials to familiarise yourself with a knitting needle, especially if you are going to be modifying your clothes.
If you want to practice before you start on your clothes, get a couple of old tea towels and practice on them. This will help you build your confidence and practice your new skill.
There are two ways for sewing patches onto your clothing. One of them would be to make use of the old clothes that you can no longer wear. The other method is purchasing patches online and these are very affordable.
If you are not overly confident with sewing patches of other fabrics onto your clothes then you can glue them. The only problem with this is that it might not stay on for long and, it could easily fall off in the wash if it has been at a high temperature.
Mend Your Clothes
When people damage their clothes, they throw them away into bins which is understandable, because they believe they don’t have any more use. Nonetheless, there are a couple of things that you can do with those clothes.
A good example would be a pair of ripped jeans. If there is plenty of denim material that can be used then use it. It is pointless throwing all of the material away that can be used on other clothes. Additionally, those ripped jeans might be repairable with another pair of jeans as well.
This can also be done with a jacket or a shirt. If you have a rip on the stitching of those clothes, they can be easily repaired with a sewing needle. Just because they are ripped does not mean they are gone forever. Knowing how to use a sewing needle, learn how to sew clothes and you will extend the life of all of your favourite clothes.
If you own a jacket, shirt, t-shirt, full tracksuit or any other clothing item that is beyond repair, then make use of the little material that you can use. Start cutting out the useful materials and add patches to other clothes ensuring that it does not go to waste.
To Conclude
If you wish to live a more sustainable lifestyle, you should consider upcycling your wardrobe. Furthermore, once you start practising sewing and repairing your clothes, you will feel much better about yourself because you know clothing materials are not going to waste.
Upcycling can give your clothes a unique look that you should make the most of. There are hundreds of fashion brands around the world that design clothes to have a patchy look about them. You have probably come across denim jeans that have two different colours on either side as this is a massive trend at the moment. It is time to start creating a sustainable capsule wardrobe and start upcycling your clothes.
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