As a STEM student at a tech school, I’ve recently found myself needing a creative outlet, and as someone who LOVES clothes and fashion, I drifted towards upcycling. Whether, like me, you simply want a craft to take your mind off academics, or you find yourself growing bored of your current closet, upcycling or simply restyling your clothes can give you a whole new sense of style.Â
Upcycling means “to reuse”; this can refer to fabric, glass jars or bottles, or even old magazines—anything you want to repurpose. For example, you can take a few clothes that aren’t the right size and sew them into a new bag or add new designs to sweatshirts to give them some new pizazz. As college students, some of whom are moving into apartments, you can make trendy coasters, and tablecloths, or DIY some new hot mitts out of old clothes.
Upcycling is a good way to save money and reduce waste. There are huge environmental benefits to upcycling. Not only does it reduce the amount of discarded materials, but also minimizes the need for the production of new materials and consequently decreases the use of raw materials.Â
Here are some ideas to get you started:
Tote Bag from T-shirts:
Wine Bottle Tiki Torches:
Add your favorite designs to your hoodies:
Magazine Wall Art:
This is an easy way to be creative and take your mind off your worries, not to mention good for the environment.