Sustainable Fashion Hacks: How to Repurpose and Upcycle Your Wardrobe | The Lillee

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Upcycling clothing is a process where you take worn-out, discarded pieces and transform them into something fresh, fashionable, and unique.

Aside from being resourceful and creative, upcycling clothing can lessen your environmental footprint. It is a sustainable option since it lowers the need for new raw materials and contributes to the reduction of textile waste. Upcycled clothing is essential, particularly if you don't want to discard outdated items.

Whether for upcycled or sustainable fashion choices, you can do much with your recycled clothes and turn them into various fashion trends. Below, we've compiled 6 sustainable fashion hacks to repurpose and upcycle your wardrobe.

Assess Your Wardrobe

One of the most crucial steps when upcycling clothing is to evaluate your entire closet or wardrobe. Doing this will help you sort through your pieces and assess whether you can still repair an item or turn it into something new. The beauty of upcycling is that you can even use garments with rips or stains to create recycled clothing gems.

You can have a worn-out pair of slacks or jeans. Be creative and make it feel brand new.

Identify Your Style

Before getting into the enjoyable part of looking for fantastic tutorials and making or mending clothing, it's crucial to identify your style. It will spare you the headache of embarking on new endeavors and finding that your new wardrobe differs from your style. The abundance of original ideas can easily sway you, but you must remain true to your brand.

Making new pieces or other items that reflect your style and personality is the definition of staying true to your brand. Having new clothes that you won't wear is pointless. You can make mood boards with items that pique your interest if you're unsure what your taste is. This is also equally important when creating clothes for special occasions like a wedding or planning for your halloween costume.

You are also not required to push yourself to conform to a specific mold. You may find yourself drawn to different pieces, but whether they are new or used clothing items, pay attention to those you would grab without thinking twice.

Gather the Necessary Materials

The materials you'll need depend on the kinds of upcycling tasks you wish to do. For instance, you can use a sewing machine for specific upcycled clothing projects, but you only need paint or fabric adhesive for others.

You can even repurpose your old, faded pants from a vintage brand into a stylish new purse. Whichever option you select, you can be sure to pull something new from the outdated.

Also, having a designated workplace lets you see all your upcycled creations organized. If you're more of a planner, you can give your project a deadline. Upcycling is still enjoyable when you have a plan; it just helps you get things done.

Start Simple

If you're new to upcycling clothes, you don't need to learn the most intricate stitching techniques immediately. There are numerous easy methods for repurposing clothes. While some demand a basic understanding of sewing, others don't require sewing skills. Thus, repurposing clothing can be a simple undertaking.

You can begin with easy projects like painting a jacket or skirt, putting patches on trousers, and turning an old shirt into a tank top. You can then learn more intricate methods of upcycling textiles or clothing over time.

Gather Ideas and Inspiration

You can find inspiration anywhere. While out and about, you'll come across something that immediately inspires you to upcycle an old, vintage denim skirt. You can even create something for the summer by what you see in nature. Whatever it is, it's wise to maintain an open mind at all times.

But if you prefer convenience, there are online resources that provide excellent guides on upcycling clothing and material. You can find instructions for upcycling an old blazer with a few leftover fabric pieces, sewing pants with back pockets, and creating tote bags out of t-shirts.

More comprehensive guides are also available, like creating patterns and patchwork with textiles. In any case, you'll be repurposing your old clothing and reducing the dump in landfills.

Create Timeless Pieces

Creating timeless pieces differs entirely from adhering to passing fashion trends. Designing clothing that will last should always be in mind when upcycling clothing.

Don't only go with the latest fashion trends. Remember that upcycling isn't merely for producing additional clothes. Instead, build unique pieces to wear or use by combining classic styles with your taste.

You can make clothing, purses, pillowcases, aprons, among other things. Alternatively, find an antique wedding gown and upcycle other clothes with lace and frills. Since most wedding dresses are only worn once, they can be found in plenty at thrift shops and on eBay.

It will not only save you a ton of money on new purchases, but it will also enable you to upcycle unwanted clothing into distinctive, classic, and sustainable fashion pieces.

Final Thoughts

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Upcycling clothing is an inexpensive and enjoyable way to add originality to your wardrobe. It creates fresh ensembles that might otherwise be destined for the trash.

Upcycling and reusing clothing that you currently own are effective strategies to embrace more sustainable fashion. You also receive the satisfaction of knowing that your ensemble is genuinely unique.

Additionally, upcycling clothing doesn't have to be complicated. You can learn how to sew, or you can altogether avoid using a needle and thread.

There are plenty of fantastic resources available on the internet; start by using our guide to get your creative juices flowing.

Written by Kat Sarmiento for The Lillee by Lillee Jean

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