Have you ever loved a piece of clothing so much that you literally wore it to shreds… Overtime, the fabric weakened, and the seams loosened… Then, next thing you know, it’s withered down to remnants of what used to be a shirt or pants…
What do you do with it then? Throw it in the trash…?
No, no, no, no, no. Did I say no?!
In today’s day, society seems to be fairly well versed in the whole idea of shopping second hand, while also donating clothes when they no longer have much use for them. Not to mention, there is a booming market of online resale with places like Depop, Curtsy, Poshmark, ThredUP, etc. But what do we do when we have clothing that’s ripped, worn down, and seems past the point of repair? If you try and donate them, a lot of thrift stores (both physical and online), won’t even bring your product to the sales floor, ultimately ending up in… you guessed it, a landfill.
So, what do we do?
Well, a few simple ways to repurpose old garments include:
- Making them into rags
- It’s quite simple actually – you can keep the garments whole, or cut them up into smaller pieces so you have more rags stocked for future cleaning days!
- Repurpose them into accessories
- Headbands for example, are super quick and easy… cut it into strips, tie into your hair, and you’re done! If you’d prefer to have cleaner edges and know how to sew, simply fold over each end and give it a finished edge!
- Keep for future painting or planting days
- Speaking from personal experience, in the past, I have gotten rid of old t-shirts with holes in them because I never thought I’d need them again… That is until I decided to completely redo my room and repaint all of the walls and ceilings
- If you are one who likes to get your hands dirty and plant a garden, or paint your kitchen a new color, these old garments might be worth keeping. They simply become your designated painting/planting clothes!
While all of those are great options, I fully understand that sometimes, it’s just easier to get them off your hands! So, I want to introduce you to the Take Back Bag, a program run by sustainable clothing company, For Days.
What is accepted in a Take Back Bag?
- Literally anything except for undergarments! The best part? Condition doesn’t matter!
What happens to the fabric/clothing sent in a Take Back Bag?
- For Days works with several different recycling partners to repurpose each item and divert them from landfills.
- Most items are turned into rags, insulation, and shoddy.
How do I get a Take Back Bag?
- Visit Take Back Bag – For Days
- Disclaimer: you do have to pay $20 for your Take Back Bag
- This covers the cost of both shipping the bag to you and then shipping the bag back to For Days
- BUT, that $20 goes straight into your Closet Cash credit on For Days, so you are able to use that money for any purchase with them!
- Think of it like making an investment into doing something good for the planet and contributing to change in the fashion industry
As my semester begins to wind down, I plan to buy a Take Back Bag of my own in the coming weeks. If you decide to buy one of your own, DM @theenvironista on Instagram, I’d love to hear and share all about your experience!
References: https://media.istockphoto.com/photos/old-clothes-disintegrated-isolated-on-white-background-picture-id615393854?k=6&m=615393854&s=612×612&w=0&h=2gDTbGVbotpqj0_aWOF_0Fh7Fhq2qWLYGMMzrzOa1ZQ=, https://live.staticflickr.com/3003/2988795145_dd42ed2685_b.jpg, Take Back Bag – For Days
