How to recycle old clothes? 4 different ways that help you

We live in a world that is saturated with garbage and pollution. How to recycle old clothes? There are many ways to reduce our impact in this sense and one of them goes through recycling, which is nothing more than reusing waste by reintroducing it back into the life cycle of things.

At the time of recycling, you can recycle almost anything. One of these things that can be recycled quite easily, in a very creative and responsible way, is clothing. If you want to know how to recycle old clothes, keep reading.

How to recycle old clothes

When we talk about recycling used or old clothes, we are referring to clothes that no longer serve to be worn. That is, clothing that, due to the passage of time or an accident, is no longer valid for us to put it on, neither we nor other people. In these cases, the most usual thing is to throw it away. However, old clothes can have much more varied uses than you might think at first. To do this, we must take into account the type of clothing in question, as well as the state of the fabric and the possibilities it offers. Some of the best ideas for recycling your old clothes are the following:

Make cloth napkins

Incredible as it may seem, cloth napkins can be made from used clothing. For this, it will be enough to cut the clothes in pieces of cloth that are usable. Discard parts that are in poor condition or do not work, but when we have enough pieces, we can sew the edges in a square or rectangle to make reusable cloth napkins that, in addition to being original, are much more respectful with the environment than paper ones.

Make cloth handkerchiefs

In this case, the technique is the same as in the case of napkins. In fact, the way to cut the fabric and make the handkerchief will be the same, only the final use that we give to this piece of recycled fabric will change. The handkerchiefs are complements that can go perfectly in the pocket of a jacket and that, in addition, are very useful in the case of going cold. To wash them, they are introduced directly into the washing machine and will be as good as new. Much more respectful with the environment than disposable paper handkerchiefs!

Make patchwork

This type of sewing is based on the union of pieces or remnants of different types in order to create pieces of very different types. It is a great way to recycle old clothes, because, taking advantage of pieces of fabric that are in good condition, we can make carpets, curtains, tablecloths, cushions or practically anything that comes to mind … it is even possible to make a quilt with patchwork!

The best thing is to keep the pieces of cloth in a box or bag and, when we have enough cloth, to sew to create any garment that we need, either for the house or to dress. A good way to start is by making a scarf, which is a simple compliment to elaborate and tremendously useful in winter.

Recycle clothes that are still new

On the other hand, when we have clothes that we want to get rid of but that is in good condition, instead of breaking it to recycle it, the best thing we can do is reuse outdated clothes. For this, the most advisable will be either to give it away or to sell it. The clothes in good condition can be given to people who have the same size and who will be able to use it, which will allow a new use and better use of each garment.

Likewise, another available option is to sell it. We will not get much money since they are paid at cheap prices. However, it is a very responsible way to make a profit (even if it is small) and satisfy demand without the need to produce new goods. To sell it, you have many options, from second-hand stores to collaborative economy applications that put buyers and sellers in contact. If you are interested in this last option, you can read this other article on How to sell second-hand clothes. Keep reading:What to wear with mustard pants?

Finally, another option would be to donate used clothing. There are many shops that receive second-hand clothes in good condition, in addition to containers on public roads and green points, which are responsible for collecting this clothing and manage it so that it can be reused by other people, which has a Both social and ecological benefit.

The importance of reducing our consumption of clothes

Before finishing this article on how to recycle old clothes, it is important to think about a fundamental issue. Today, we have a lot more clothing than we need and, in most cases, it’s about clothes that are not even going to be used more than 2 or 3 times. This should make us reflect on the way we have to consume because our consumption habits affect everything that surrounds us and ourselves. In this sense, if you avoid buying unnecessary clothes, you will do a great favor to the planet, your economy and your own mental health, since many times the purchases of clothes respond more to problems of anxiety or stress than to closet issues.

In this way, reformulating the consumption we make of this type of goods, we will have a healthier relationship with the environment, we will save a lot of money that we can allocate to activities that really make us grow as people and, in addition, will save us emotionally depending on an activity (impulse purchases) that only benefits clothing manufacturing companies.