Everybody probably have t-shirts hanging on your closet that haven’t been worn for several months. Why not try to repurpose them instead of stacking them to a corner?
Give new lives to your t-shirts from making them to wall art, pet beds, baby slings and so on. Here are 40 smart ways to give your casualwear new life! So gather up all your old t-shirts and create them to something brand new!
1. Wall art
Have some t-shirts you love but just don’t wear? Try turning them into wall decor. If you want to remember a great concert or vacation, these make a great way to repurpose those souvenier shirts. All it requires is a canvas and some glue, staples, or tacks.
2. Produce bag
A few stitches and some scissors and you can easily turn an old t-shirt into a produce bag. 5-10 minutes of effort and you’re ready for your next trip to the farmer’s market.
3. Baby sling
No need to invest in an expensive sling when they’re often made from the same material as t-shirts. You’ll want to make sure your cargo is secure, so best to take a look at some instructions first.
4. Line a pet bed
Using an old shirt to line your pet’s bed is a great way to make it washable. Just tuck it into the corner and use some velcro to secure it so it’s easy to remove and clean.
5. Sustainable gift wrap
No need to invest in all that wrapping paper if you have a cute shirt around. Save a tree and wrap your next gift in a pretty cotton shirt instead. No sewing required, just some scissors.
6. Cat hammock
Yet another way to make your furry friend happy without having to get too crafty. T-shirts make great cat hammocks. These guys look pretty content in their new hangout spot!
7. Decorative pillows
You don’t have to be crafty to sew (or even glue) in a straight line to make these pillow cases.(Although we have to admit that cutting out that dinosaur pattern and doing your own stuffing is a great project for when you’re feeling experimental.)
8. Dress it up
A large t-shirt easily becomes a dress by cutting the neck to fit your chest and simply folding the sleeves into the bust. Great for a day at the beach!
9. Easy sachets
You can save a lot of money on fancy drawer sachets by simply creating a little pocket out of an old t-shirt and filling it with lavender or your other favorite scent. No sewing skills? No problem. No one is judging something you’re going to stick in a drawer, so go ahead and use staples or glue.
10. Cat hideaway
Very possibly our favorite hack, this takes advantage of the fact that cats love both boxes and hiding. You can watch the video here if you need to, but it really just requires you to cover a box with a t-shirt and let you cat find it’s way in through the hole.
11. Face mask
Painting or cleaning the house and want to steer clear of those fumes? Cut up your old cotton and make a nice, soft mask to tie around your face. Of course, if you’re dealing with truly toxic chemicals or serious germs you’re going to want something professional grade, but if the choice is this or nothing, give the t-shirt hack a try.
12. Soft rags
Want a sustainable kitchen? Ditch the paper towels in favor of old t-shirts for cleaning counters or wiping up other messes. That way you’re not wasting clothing OR paper.
13. Avoid foot blisters
Summertime means flip flops, but they aren’t always kind on your feet. There’s no need to even braid the materials unless you want to because an old t-shirt can just be cut up and used to replace those chafing plastic straps. You can see more instructions here.
14. Avoid splatter with a new apron
You can be as crafty (or uncrafty) as you want with this one – no bells, whistles, or ruffles needed. You can easily turn a old, oversized t-shirt into an apron with a few snips and ties. If you like the more complex version, you can find the instructions here.
15. Cut it out
Cutting a boxy t-shirt into a more fashionable tank top is easy. Just keep trying it on as you go to get a good sense of when to stop cutting.
16. Sleeve cap
Have a tiny, adorably baby around? You can easily make a hat out of an old t-shirt sleeve by simply cutting it off and tying it at the top to keep that new, fuzzy head nice and warm.
17. Get rid of split ends
Towels can be tough on the hair shaft. But before you invest in an expensive speciality towel, try an old t-shirt instead. It’s much more gentle on your hair and absorbs plenty of water.
18. Makeup remover wipes
Don’t waste cotton balls or pads when you can just use scraps from an old t-shirt to remove your makeup. Simply wash and reuse and they’ll even get softer over time. If you’re worried about aesthetics, store them in a cute box or jar next to the sink.
19. Dog toys
Upcycle your old shirts into dog toys by simply cutting them into strips and braiding and knotting them. Then let Rover chew away or play tug-of-war to his heart’s content.
20. Easy t-shirt headband
There are all sort of ways to use a t-shirt to make a headband, but if you’re looking to hack it quick instead of get your craft on, all you need are some scissors. Use an extra scrap to tie it in the middle if you want a little more detail.
21. Memory scarf
Old concert or event tees you don’t intend to wear but can’t bear to get rid of? Try making them into a scarf. It requires a lot less effor than the infamous t-shirt quilt and is a great conversation piece!
22. Baby bib
You’ll have the coolest baby on the block after turning your old logo tees into bibs. It might be hard to see that old college tee get pureed peas spilled on it, but it’s better than letting it sit in the back of a drawer forever.
23. T-shirt pochette
Show off your sustainable lifestyle with this cross-body bag. If you’re feeling extra crafty, you can check out the video turorialhere.
24. Upcycled baby toy
This sweet, soft, stuffed toy is a great way to reuse an old t-shirt instead of tossing it in the trash. You can either free-hand the design or find a more sophisticated tutorial here.
25. Two t-shirt dress
We love this dress made out of two old t-shirts. The bottom appears to take advantage of the larger, boxy shape of most men’s t-shirts for use as a skirt while the top is made out of a more flattering women’s t-shirt. After just a bit of measuring, cutting, and sewing you can upcycle two shirts at once!
26. T-shirt dream catcher
We love how easy this dreamcatcher is to make. You can use an embellished t-shirt or cut your own design and from there it’s just popping it into a $3 hoop, snipping some strips and adding some beads (or just tying knots) and you’ve got great new wall or window decor.
27. Clever coffee sleeve
Cutting t-shirts into strips to make yarn is a popular craft. If you’re not geared up for a big project, you can work on your skills by “knitting” this small drink koozie out of cotton strips for starters.
28. Plant hanger
Macrame plant hangers can set you back a few bucks, so why not make your own out of strips of an old t-shirt? It’s mostly braiding and tying, but if you’d like some more instructions, you can find a mini-tutorial here.
29. T-shirt tassel
Tassels are big right now, but you can easily make your own with – you guessed it – strips of old t-shirt. It’s an easy project, but if you’d like some more guidance, you can find step-by-step instructions here.
30. Cotton strip mop
Speaking of tassels, don’t they look a lot like mops? It turns out you can make one of those with your old t-shirt as well. If your old mop head isn’t doing the trick or is wearing out, try making one out of a cut up shirt. You can find instructions in this video.
31. Workout buddy
This clever t-shirt hack does require some sewing to make sure your electronic device stays safe while you’re working out, but it’s a simple project that turns your t-shirt into a free armband to hold your phone or music player in place while you go for a walk or run. Find the instructions here.
32. Infinity scarf
There are lots of ways to make a decorative infinity scarf out of your old t-shirts. Whether you want flowers, pom poms, or tasseled edges, this site has 14 different sets of instructions.
33. Relaxing eye pillow
Whether you add beans, rice, or lavender, an old t-shirt is easily folded and glued or sewn into a relaxing eye pillow for yoga or meditation.
34. Skirts for days
Nearly any t-shirt can become an adorable skirt. Whether you’re making it for someone small or for yourself, it only requires simple sewing skills and a bit of elastic for the waist.
35. Shopping totes
There’s no need to increase your collection of plastic bags if you can repurpose some old t-shirts into shopping totes. Simply sew the bottom and cut the sleeves or follow these no-sew instructions to just cut and knot.
36. Unique necklace
Step up your style game with this unique accordion necklace. While the original instructions use an old scarf, other bloggers have made theirs out of t-shirts – you’re sure to get copycats if you make your own.
37. Storage bag
If you can sew the bottom of a t-shirt together you can make this pretty bag to store laundry, recycling, or even trash using just a hoop. You can also recycle pillowcases and other old material for this project.
38. T-shirt “yarn” bracelet
Once you make your yard out of thinly cut t-shirt fabric, the projects are endless. Braided bracelets are a great way to add character to an outfit and make sure your style is uniquely yours.
39. Braided belt
Now that you’ve made a bracelet, you can make a great belt to match it. Here’s the easy tutorial. People will be asking you to make them gifts in no time!
40. The infamous t-shirt quilt
Does anyone ever end up making that t-shirt quilt? It’s one of the more common excuses for keeping old t-shirts around, but it’s a project very few people ever get around to finishing. Maybe this is your year with these DIY “for dummies” instructions that don’t require super-sophisticated quilting skills.