Bored with your old shirt? Here are 5 ideas to give it a second life

Kelsi Walker

2 September 2021

It takes approx. 3 minutes to read this article

An old shirt doesn’t have to be thrown in the trash. You can give it a new life by making everyday items or creative accessories out of it. Let your creativity run wild!

Rugs

Although the idea may seem improbable at first, it can be done. Your favourite shirt can be transformed into a rug with a little bit of modification. The more shirts you use, the more interesting the effect will be

Cut off the bottom of all the shirts that you intend to use as rugs.
Turn them over and continue cutting along the length of the shirt. When you are done, you should have one long strip made out of the shirt.
Stretch out all the strips and connect using one knot at the top
Braid all the strips together alternately until they form one thick braid
Fold the braid like a snail.
Sew them together from the inside out to connect the braids together one by one.

Pillowcases

To make stylish and original pillowcases, you don’t even need a needle and thread. It’s a quick and easy way to give your interior a unique touch, and all in the spirit of zero waste!

Place a pillow (preferably white) on top of your shirt.
Cut out a piece of fabric in the shape of a pillow, leaving an 8-10 cm margin on each side.
Cut the edges into rectangular strips – this will allow you to easily connect the fabric pieces on both sides with simple knots

Shopping bag

A shopping bag made from an old, unused shirt is another original and ecological solution. Not only will you give unused clothing a new life, but you won’t generate new trash in the form of disposable bags.

Cut off the bottom of your shirt. Set this piece of fabric aside – it will come in handy in the next steps of making the bag
Cut off the neckline and sleeves.
Using the previously saved piece of fabric, tie the bottom part of the shirt.
You can sew the bag with a machine, but if you tie it well, you can easily transport lighter things this way

Hairband

This extremely stylish accessory is sure to spice up your everyday hairstyle and effectively prevent unruly hair

Cut your shirt into 5 strips 5 cm wide. The length should be twice as long as the circumference of your head.
Place the strips one on top of the other and sew them together at one of the shorter sides.
Stretch each strip so that the fabric curls up at the edges.
Tape the sewn end to the table with tape.
Divide the strips into two groups (3+2).
Braid the strips into a braid
When you are done, sew the loose ends of the strips together
Overlap the two ends of the band and sew them together.
To cover the seam area, cut a rectangle from your shirt (about 4 times the size of the area you want to cover), wrap it around the seam and sew