Easy Ways To Upcycle Clothes

Before discarding those jeans that never fit quite right, consider how you might upcycle the denim. A movement aimed at reducing waste, upcycling has become a Pinterest favorite as more and more users share the ways they have reinvigorated clothes and household items. For those of you looking to dip your toes into the world of upcycling, here are some ideas for your next DIY project.

Why upcycle?

According to Good on You, the New York Times first coined the term “fast fashion” in the 90s when describing Zara’s mission to take a garment from the design stage to clothing stores in only 15 days. Now, as consumers throw around the phrase when looking through digital shopping carts, the term fast fashion is part of our vernacular. However, in the buzz surrounding fast fashion, the phrase’s meaning sometimes gets lost.

Fast fashion brands follow a business model that emphasizes fast production and products aligned with trends. Because of these speedy, cycling production processes, fast fashion brands severely wound the environment. As the United Nations Environment Programme notes, there is approximately “92 million tons of solid waste dumped in landfills each year.” Additionally, an underreported element of the fast fashion model is its reliance on worker exploitation; brands hire individuals to work in dangerous conditions and fail to pay livable wages.

When you upcycle, you take a step back from the patterns of over-consumption that fast fashion brands leech on. Upcycling fights the normalization of waste, and given that 95% of discarded textiles could be reused and recycled, the practice is one that we should consider for most of our garments. While donating clothes is always more sustainable than disposing of items, only with upcycling can you ensure that your item will not go to the landfill.

How much experience do I need to upcycle?

Many individuals have never gathered the patience needed to weave a thread through the eye of a sewing needle. And what could be more daunting than unearthing that sewing machine from the top of a shelf?

Fortunately, upcycling can be as artistic of a process as you want. While some commit to painting detailed swirls on jean pockets (think replicas of “The Starry Night”), others upcycle by simply cutting a piece of clothing in an unfamiliar way. For the purposes of this article, we will stick to some of the easier ways to upcycle clothes; while having an artistic side helps, it is by no means required.

Upcycle by painting sneakers

Perhaps seeing half your school favor the same white sneaker made you resentful of the pair you own (sorry Air Force 1’s). However, nothing can introduce a note of individuality more than custom-painted designs. After grabbing some paint brushes and pastel colors, unwind outside–maybe play a peaceful song or two. Soon, those once-dull sneakers will feel like an element of your personal style.

Though it may be tempting to just dive right in and start showing off your artistic prowess, some measures need to be taken to maintain your sneakers’ durability. First, analyze the material of the sneakers you want to paint; determine if they are leather, canvas, vinyl or a combination material. Next, prepare your shoe with a primer that suits that material best. Leather shoes, for example, can be primed with the Angelus Leather Preparer And Deglazer.

When you’re ready to start brainstorming designs, don’t assume you have to match each feathering branch or cartoon outline that professional artists paint. Color-blocking the sneakers with complementary colors can still create a startling effect. Use painter’s tape to cover the segments that you want to remain unpainted.

Upcycle by painting denim

In contrast to painting shoes, the process of decorating denim takes a little less effort. Though jeans may be the most common selection, the back of denim jackets can also be fine canvases; you can offset the traditional look of the 80s staple with neon hues.

After deciding on a design, cover potential paint targets with painter’s tape. When you finish your masterpiece, remove the tape and let the design dry overnight. To seal the painting in place, flip the denim inside out and iron the design with medium heat.

Upcycle with a pair of scissors

If you have a pair of scissors, you can upcycle. While a DIY project could be as simple as cropping a t-shirt to fall at a more flattering length, you could also try more intensive tasks for your forgotten garments.

For example, if you have a pair of jeans that cannot compete with the comfort and sleekness of your most beloved pair, try adding some distress yourself. Though hyper-distressed jeans do not appear in retail stores as often as they did in the early 2010s, many still purchase jeans with some amount of wear. For a tutorial on how to distress jeans yourself, follow this InStyle guide.

Consider patches

Putting patches on jeans, backpacks or any thick fabric not only adds pops of bright color but also displays the ideas or groups important to you. Founder and creative director of 3×1 denim Scott Morrison told InStyle some of his tips for applying patches. He recommends laying a fabric over the top of the patch, such as a T-shirt, “so you don’t accidentally burn the patch in case of overheating.” Next, iron directly on the “patch-and-T-shirt-combo” for about 90 seconds.

Reminisce past summers with a tie-dye kit

If you ever enjoyed tie-dyeing as a child, splashing old t-shirts with swirled patterns could help you become excited about an old item again.

Before purchasing a tie-dye kit, make sure that you actually intend to use the dyes–this is the kind of item that could easily turn into an impulse purchase. Try to set up your tie-dyeing station outside, and wear gloves as you work. Get creative with how you twist and rubber-band the fabric.