Giving Your Wardrobe Another Life: Ways to Repurpose your Clothes
Ways to Repurpose Your Clothes
The lockdowns and social distancing of the pandemic gave us time to gasp at all the clothing in our closets, clothing that we wore too much or never really appreciated in the first place.
Deep down, we know we won’t wear that rainbow sequined top that we had thought would be cute for a Friday night out or that white blouse we liked but had washed five different times and still couldn’t get that ketchup stain removed. Fear of detachment from our personal items and, well, laziness often prevent us from making the decision to repurpose some of these clothes.
A well-known author you might think of when reading this piece is Marie Kondo; however, this article adopts a slightly different perspective than hers. While Marie Kondo’s advice is clearly articulated and very influential, there is one concept this author does not fully agree with: the three piles.
Kondo came up with three piles — keep, donate and throw away — to help individuals organize items in their homes. Of course, donating clothes is a good deed that helps people in need and generally prevents textile waste; hence, the “donate” pile should always be an option. The “throw away” pile, on the other hand, should be a last resort.
There are many ways clothes can be repurposed. This article doesn’t promote minimalism or condemn consumerist society. Instead, read it as a seven-piece list of ways you can give your overused or unwanted clothes another life, rather than condemn them to a dumpster funeral.
1. Donating to organizations!
Again, donating is always a good option and a virtuous deed. When possible, try prioritizing local organizations; although larger organizations like the Salvation Army and Goodwill are always a possibility, they often have so many excess donations that most of the donated clothes they receive end up in textile recyclers.
2. Thrifting them up!
Thrifting is incredibly popular these days and has become one of our favorite bargain-hunting shopping methods. And if we want to continue our thrifting sprees, we should support these stores by selling them some of our own clothes. Your underused sweater might be someone else's next favorite thrift store find!
3. Clothing swap!
We all have clothes we think of as overused, but these can seem brand new to people who haven’t had them in their closets for years. Having a clothing swap with friends or family once or twice a year can be a terrific way to repurpose your clothes. It’s free of charge, and you know your beloved clothes are going into good hands.
4. Online Platform Selling!
If you’re looking to make some money from your clothes and outside of thrift store offers, consider selling your clothes on online platforms like Depop, Vinted, Etsy and others. For luxury items, there are numerous second-hand luxury clothing online platforms like Vestiaire Collective or EKC Luxury. You’d also be surprised by the prices on these websites — everything is definitely more affordable than if you shopped in-store, so take advantage of these mark-downs for yourself.
5. Donating clothes to retailers!
The apparel industry has recently received widespread backlash from environmental and social movements, as research from the World Bank has found that clothing companies are responsible for around 10% of global carbon emissions. Apparel companies have subsequently become — or are now socially required to be — more environmentally responsible. This is good news for the closet cleaner; now, you can donate your used clothes to retailers! Reformation or Madewell, for instance, have developed an effective textile recycling scheme: you can donate some of your used clothes to these stores in exchange for an in-store discount. Also, be on the lookout for textile recycling signs in other stores you shop at — companies like Levi’s will make customers new jeans out of any old pair you might have.
6. Remodeling to something new!
If you’re in the mood for DIY and are not ready to let go of some of your clothes, consider creating a new style out of them. If your unwanted pair of jeans fit well and summer is around the corner, cut those pants into a pair of shorts! Turn that plain white shirt into a crop-top and add patches or designs! If you need a blanket for the cold winter season, DIY some of your old shirts and other articles into a stylish duvet cover! The possibilities are endless.
7. Textile Recycling!
Sometimes our clothes are so ruined, we know they are no longer wearable in that state. Instead of just throwing your worn-out clothes away, bring them to a textile recycling bin. Americans discard around 11 million tons of unwanted fabric per year according to the EPA, so anything you can do to prevent landfill waste is something you should feel good about.
As you can see, there are many ways you can repurpose your old clothes. And we shouldn’t feel bad about wanting to get rid of unwanted or overused clothes! Instead, we need to adopt a new perspective: it isn’t “getting rid” of clothes but, rather, “repurposing” them
Also, the above list is not exhaustive. Be bold and creative!
Strike out,
Sonria Willis
Edited by Kimani Krienke
Athens