Thursday 12th of February 2009 05:01:42 PM
One fact about the t-shirts in your wardrobe is they will have to be replaced at some point, especially if you wear them to work. But when you buy high quality though cheap t-shirts they seem to have a lot of life left in them even after they are no longer in good enough condition to wear in public. A well-worn t-shirt is a garment that is soft after so many washings, and for some people, holds memories of adventures enjoyed while being worn.
In an age of social consciousness, it might be time to consider breathing new life into those worn tees. Instead of throwing them away, you could consider recycling them in a number of ways. For example, they could be donated to a charity that raises funds by selling rags overseas. But one popular recycling strategy is much more creative, because it involves using worn out t-shirts to make sewing or quilting projects. The fact that older t-shirts have been washed a number of times and the colour you see is the colour you will keep is just one of the many advantages of using older material for sewing projects.
Those memories in your t-shirts can be preserved by turning squares of material into a memory quilt. The t-shirts have a lot of life left in them as mentioned and that life can be built into a comfortable quilt or throw. You can collect your t-shirts and those of friends and family ready to be tossed away and have enough material in a short period of time. The t-shirts can be cut into squares or the material used to block the backs of top pieces. You can make other sewing projects too such as heirloom presents or pillows. Just use the imagination and turn something worn-out into a long lasting gift.
Thinking in terms of recycling means thinking about new ways to avoid throwing an item away. The fashion and textile industry efforts to promote green living are expanding so you can be ahead of the curve. Whenever you can breathe new life into products like old clothes, society as a whole benefits.
(c) Image by Bethany Carlson, www.sxc.hu/
Last Updated: March 03, 2009