Rethinking & Reusing Textiles

I try and be an eco-friendly fiber artist and seamstress, but since the theme of this year’s National Sewing Month is “Reuse, Remake, Restyle”, I’ve been trying extra hard.

Because textile recycling is only just beginning, if you throw fabric or clothing away, it usually ends up in the landfill.  Not a very good use of resources or land!

I think most of us have garments that are hanging in the back of the closet that we just can’t part with for one reason or another.  Even if it’s been years since they’ve seen the light of day…

So why not remake them into something that will actually get used?

This totebag began it’s life as a shirt – a shirt that no one could actually wear!  The fabric was just too interesting to toss out, but it’s quite crisp – not comfortable for wearing.

Crisp fabric however will work great for totebags.  I cut the body of the totebag out of the torso of the shirt.  One sleeve got made into a handle and the other handle was stitched out of a shoulder panel.  I didn’t even need a pattern, just cut two squares for the bag, and two rectangles for the handles.

I now have a cool looking totebag – and don’t need to send anything extra to the landfill!

image: C Findlay-Harder