Rags to Riches
Fact
Up until the 1950s, t-shirts were still considered underwear. Actors such as John Wayne, Marlon Brando and James Dean helped them become recognized as standard clothing. When your favorite t-shirt finally bites the dust, look for new ways to reuse it.
Get Started
- Cut up your shirt to make earth-friendly reusable cleaning rags for around the house.
- Use your shirt as reusable packing fragile items for storage or shipping.
- Slip old shirts of car seats over chairs as seat covers.
Become a Pro
- If you’re the crafty type, have a t-shirt swap with your friends to share potential fabrics and designs for new ways to wear the shirt.
- Give gifts made of t-shirts to your friends and family. With a few simple patterns, you can make anything from baby clothes to pillows while preventing more landfill waste.
- Trim off the sleeves and sew the bottom closed to create a reusable tote bag.
As of June 17th 2011 we have upgraded our comment system to use Facebook comments. The below comments are closed and are listed for historical purposes.
KAP
posted on November 18th, 2008 at 9:39 am
How can I profit from recycling old t- shirts,durning these troubling times
Fay Richardson
posted on July 9th, 2009 at 5:34 am
Those who remember WWII, remember that when the war ended we had those strong duffle bags the sailors carried home. We named them rag bags and hung them in a closet or in the basement and stuffed them with worn out clothing. There were no paper towels on our kitchen countertops but under the sink were rags that worked as well and cost nothing. Colorful T shirts became rag rugs, We cut them into strips and braided or crocheted them.
Seth
posted on October 7th, 2009 at 11:14 am
My Daughter made some really cool pillows for our beds with some old shirts that she grew out of.
Reth
posted on September 15th, 2010 at 3:26 pm
Cut the sleeves off, use them as dusting rags. Then double so the hem of the shirt together and make it into a grocery carry bag. works for me and fun too.