Upcycling ideas for clothes
How to make new fashion out of old clothes
Too many old, broken clothes in the closet? No problem! We show you clever upcycling ideas for clothes that will give your clothes a second life!
Often enough, worn-out, holey or discolored clothes eke out a desolate existence in our closet … after all, it’s difficult to part with your favorite pieces! But the keyword sorting does not have to be mentioned – instead we rely on upcycling and give our old jeans, worn-out favorite jumper or shirt with holes a make-over. Because basically (almost) every piece of clothing can be upcycled: Be it that it is upgraded or converted with a wide variety of textile techniques, or that the fabric can simply be reused. And you can be sure of one thing when upcycling: You will then hold completely individual clothing in your hands, which will not be found a second time. You’ll be surprised what you can do with old clothes!
Turning old into new: why is upcycling so important?
Upcycling is made up of the terms “up” and “recycling”, which in German means something like Recycling means that an appreciation takes place at the same time. Old things are transformed into new ones. Especially in the area of clothing, the most diverse materials can be used with a little creativity: The whole thing is really fun and lets DIY fans run at their best. And at the same time you are doing something good for the environment: Through recycling, resources are conserved and materials are recycled instead of thrown away in the interests of sustainability.
Upcycling ideas for clothes: 8 clever ideas
Upcycling an old pair of jeans: A visit to the flea market turned up a beautiful pair of jeans – with the catch that they are way too big! Luckily there is a sewing machine: With a little effort, the jeans can easily be sewn into a skirt. Just be aware that thick denim requires a special denim needle (90 and 100 gauge). Universal needles are sufficient for thinner denim fabrics.
Denim is extremely robust and is therefore also ideal for upcycling bags:
The beautiful winter jumper accidentally ended up in the hot wash cycle? It’s a shame about the sweater, but that’s no reason for the dustbin – it’s such a wonderful template for cozy gloves!
Dad’s shirts no longer reflect the spirit of the times? But the little daughter might still like it a lot! With this beautiful upcycling idea, the mademoiselle is guaranteed to be well dressed.
You’ve tried everything, but the shirt just can’t be saved?! Then we come to an upcycling idea at its best: With a certain cutting technique you can make yarn from old or broken t-shirts. On the blog livelifegreen.de you can see how it works. And we’ll show you below what cool things you can do with the yarn!
In fact: To crochet such a large carpet of t-shirt yarn, you really need a few more broken shirts. But just ask your friends and acquaintances … maybe there will be a few more attic finds.
These self-sewn cosmetic pads don’t even take a lot of fabric or time – and yet this DIY is a beautiful and sustainable upcycling idea. Here you will find the instructions for sewing cosmetic pads.
Sometimes it just takes a little imagination to find a new use for clothes you no longer like. See for yourself how fashion can change:
Upcycling Clothes Ideas: Simple Makeover Techniques
tie-dyes
With this dyeing technique, your clothing not only gets a general color refreshment, but also individual patterns and effects. These are created by masking or tying off the fabric. The result is absolutely diverse and your old clothes become an eye-catcher! You can read exactly how the technique works in our instructions: Batiks.
paint fabric
A range of different textile colors are available in stores and online. From fabric paints that can be applied to clothing with a brush or stamp, to spray paint for a gentle color gradient, to tie-dye watercolor, clothing will soon be gleaming in all possible colors of the rainbow.
sashiko
The Japanese decorative technique is a manual technique in which motifs are embroidered with the so-called running stitch. This leads to artistically decorated fashion instead of disused clothing.
patchwork
The original material of the old clothing is cut into many individual parts, reassembled and sewn – that is upcycling de luxe!
Embroider
Clothing can be decorated with any pattern or motif using different embroidery techniques. Not only does it look beautiful, it also makes everyday life a little more colourful!
applications
Appliqués are especially popular for children’s clothing. Patches or patches are sewn onto clothing to repair holes or for decoration.
Insert tip
Sewn-on lace corresponds entirely to the principle of upcycling. Alternatively, lace fabric can also be sewn behind holes – looks classy!
Looking for more DIY and upcycling ideas and instructions? Here we have fancy upcycling ideas for furniture and upcycling ideas for the garden. And here you can find out how to use leftover fabric.