What to Do With Old T-Shirts

what to do with old t-shirts

As humans continue to seek more sustainable and eco-friendly ways of living, upcycling and repurposing old materials has become an increasingly popular option. It just makes sense!

One such material that can easily be repurposed is the humble t-shirt. Instead of throwing out old t-shirts that no longer fit or have seen better days, there are several creative ways to give them new life while also reducing waste.

What To Do With Old T-Shirts: 8 Awesome Ideas


Let Your Dog Have Them

Let Your Dog Have Them

Now, your dog probably won’t look great in a t-shirt but if you tear them a little, knot them up a bit, then boom!

You have a dog toy that any dog would be proud to play with!


Put Them To Bed

Literally! You can always make pillow cases out of an old t-shirt, in fact, some of our favorite t-shirts have found new life that way.

But you can also make a pillow out of them – as this woman did.


Let Them Do They Heavy Lifting

You can also turn some t-shirts into a backpack and it’s super easy to do. 

Shred them, braid the strands together and then knot them together and you have a stylish backpack that will look great anywhere. 


Make Them Into New T-Shirts

Of course, if they’re still in reasonable shape – you just don’t like the look of the shirt anymore, you could always grant your t-shirts a form of rebirth.

Yes, you could tie dye them and present your best hippie vibe and it’s a lot of fun to do the dyeing. 


Let Them Be The Ground You Stand On

Let Them Be The Ground You Stand On

No, not in a landfill – we’re not throwing them out here. 

What we are talking about is rendering them down into fibers and then turning them into a cute and hard-wearing rug for use anywhere in your home. 


Hang Them From The Wall

Well, hang them anyway. You can take those t-shirts and separate out the threads, braid them a bit, and then make your own stylish wall hanging from the fabric – like this one


Wrap Your Wrists In Them

This is super easy. Slice the t-shirts into thin strips and then make yourself some cool friendship bracelets out of them. 


Go All Easter Bunny On Them

We’re not sure why we associate baskets with the Easter Bunny but we do. 

Anyway, you can always learn to turn t-shirt yarn into baskets and it’s surprisingly easy – find some lessons here


recycled t-shirt

Old t-shirts are a versatile material that can be easily repurposed and reused in a variety of ways. Whether it’s through simple DIY projects or more complex design work, there are countless options for giving old t-shirts new life.

By embracing the principles of sustainability and upcycling, we can not only reduce waste and environmental impact but also create unique and personalized items that reflect our own personal style and creativity.

So, the next time you find yourself with a stack of old t-shirts, consider the many ways they can be repurposed and transformed into something new and exciting.