Ever wondered what to do with all those old tee shirts? Here are some clever repurposing ideas for recycling those old tees.
It’s that time of year again–the season of the tee shirt. Whether from music festivals, employee softball leagues, charity runs or vacation jaunts, you will add new tee shirts to your wardrobe this spring and summer. We’re not saying there’s anything wrong that–tee shirts are excellent for sleeping in, make great art smocks for kids and are great for doing yard work in–but the question is always, what to do with the old ones? There’s really only so much room in the dresser drawers for the latest additions, so that means getting rid of the old ones.
But before you take those old tee shirts to the thrift shop, consider reusing them. Tee shirts can easily be recycled into fun and functional items from rags to jewelry. The Internet is awash in as all kinds of repurposing ideas for tee shirts and we’ve compiled a round up of some of our favorites.
10 Repurposing Ideas Old Tee Shirts
- Reusable Bags – Turn old tee shirts into useful produce and market bags. With some scissors and a little sewing, you can add to your collection of reusable bags.
- Braided Infinity Scarf – Here’s a very detailed tutorial for turning old tees into a chic infinity scarf.
- Crocheted Rag Rug – Turn old tee shirts into yarn and crochet into a practical rug.
- Tee Shirt Memory Quilt – A great way to keep old shirts that hold special meaning, but are too ratty to wear is to make them into a memory quilt.
- More Market Bags – Another super easy tutorial for making reusable bags.
- Sock It to Me – You can even reuse those old shirts to make super soft and comfy socks.
- Repurposed Tee Shirt Jewelry – Brit+Co shares 15 different ideas for making exquisite jewelry designs from old shirts.
- Pillows – Turn your favorite tee into a pillow to keep long after it’s suitable to wear.
- Washcloths – Use tee shirts to make handy dandy braided washcloths and clean up rags.
- Convertible Shrug – Make a chic shrug from an oversized tee shirt to cover your bare shoulders.
Related on EcoSalon
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DIY: 10 Things To Do With an Old T-shirt
From Rags to Riches: Upcycled T-Shirts Go Couture
Top Image: Brit+Co