When it comes to being eco-friendly and savvy with your money, one of the top ways that have been sweeping the internet at every corner would be upcycling. Upcycling is essentially giving second life to something in hopes of pushing it off from going into a landfill. Thanks to trends on social media, fast fashion has been coming on strong. In fact, fast fashion is stronger now than ever before. You can bet that mass-produced clothes all look the same and the condition of the clothes is pretty debatable.
Buying less and making more is key to being eco-friendly, but with the power of upcycling, you can still look incredible and fashionable. Upcycling clothes is not as difficult as it seems. There are many ways that can be used to make a fashion statement by reusing old clothes. So here are some ideas of what you can do if you’re interested in upcycling clothes.
The Problem with Clothing Waste
Clothing is a huge part of our lives and the average person tends to have so many clothes to choose from. It’s a bigger issue now than ever before. The problem with clothing waste is that it can take up a lot of space in landfills. It accounts for over 10% of global waste. With climate change, environmental issues, and even how people in other countries need to live due to this textile waste, it’s time for a change. Upcycling clothes is a form of sustainable fashion that simply shouldn’t be overlooked.
Buy secondhand clothing
Buying secondhand clothes is one of the best ways to upcycle your old clothes because you get to find new and unique styles that you wouldn’t have found otherwise. You just may be able to find some lovely high waisted jeans there as well.
Use what you already have in your wardrobe
Fashion has seen a major shift towards minimalism in the last few years. There are plenty of benefits of wearing what you already have in your wardrobe and how to incorporate it into your daily life. Plus, it’s a way to fall out of those pesky trends. If you have something such as a worn-out pair of jeans, you can easily just upcycle these and turn these into shorts. The same can be said for old oversize shirts that you may own, these could easily be transformed into muscle tees.
Let your creativity run free!
While owning a sewing machine is going to seriously allow you to be as creative as you’d like, you don’t necessarily need one for upcycling. However, there will be some limitations of course. You can even upcycle and change something as simple as a jacket with some iron-on patches or whatever else to your liking.