How Do I Start Upcycling My Clothing?
A lot of people ask me ‘How do I start upcycling my clothing?’
It is an exciting journey that anyone can embark on. Your results will make you proud. In order to start something new, there are a few things you will need to stop doing.
Step 1. Stop Buying New Clothes.
Pledge to go for 200 days without buying new stuff. You will love it. It is liberating to get rid of this habit and just stop following trends that are never ending, stop paying your money for cheap and not durable. The ads are designed in the way that we are tricked to believe that buying new again and again will make us happier. But it is a short term fix and it makes things worse long term.
I stopped buying new clothes ages ago, I usually go for pre-loved or vintage. The same for my sons. They grow up quick, and its play time and a lot of movement, I am happy to get pre-loved for them too, so I can upcycle it later and extend the life span.
‘We have enough clothing on the planet right now to clothe the next 6 (Six!) generations of the human race. We have to find ways of using what we’ve got’ (Patrick Grant, BBC)
Fashion is someone else’s opinion about what looks good. You will be able to find your own style and express yourself through it. And this is amazing.
Deborah Meaden (Dragons Den) announced on Tweeter she will not buy anythng new in 2020. Good example to follow.
It is just so liberating to stop going to stores to see whats new. As a result, you will realise you don’t need to do that anymore. Life becomes so much easier.
If you have been doing it for a while , it is good time to encourage your family and friends to do the same. It will be a nice opportunity to share your ideas and have this journey together. Pick three to five lucky friends or family members and do it together!
Step 2. Stop Giving away your Clothes.
Either it’s charity shops, your friends or family. Just stop.
Only 30% of all donated clothing is being sold in the charity shops in the UK. The rest ends up abroad at second hand markets , landfills or being incinerated. Keep odd buttons, ribbons and basically anything that might be used as embellishments for clothing.
Only 1% of all discarded clothing is actually recycled around the world. If you give your clothes to the charity it doesn’t mean someone will buy it and will wear it for years to come. Keep all your garments that you don’t wear and it will be your own shop where you will get the garments from for your upcycling projects.
You can use old neck ties, scarves, old lace dresses or tops for upcycling. Anything will come in handy: ribbons, jaquard trims, lace and even odd buttons.
Step 3. Decide what items you would love to work on first.
There are most common issues, why we stop wearing our garments. These issues can be easily fixed and the clothing will be bringing us joy again. Being able to upcycle your clothes is a skill that not everyone has these days. Sign up for my online interactive course Learn to Upcycle Your Clothes A-Z.
Just imagine all these ‘Wow’ moments from your family and friends when you share your new skill and show off your projects, that are going to be your unique items. Follow the link below to learn more.
