The other day, I finally had to surrender one of my favorite pairs of jeans to the great Rag Bag in the sky. They were far past faded and saggy in all the wrong areas, but what really did them in was the always-growing hole in the knee.
And I got to thinking, there’s got to be a more creative way to recycle old jeans than just cutting them as rags. Turns out, I was right.
Here are six unique ways to repurpose your old denim jeans:
1. DIY potholders: We moved a few months ago, and somehow, none of our potholders came with. Denim is a thick, durable material in its own right, which makes it perfect for making potholders.
2. Hanging sleeve for storing plastic bags: This is a brilliant idea put forth by Wisebread. All you’ve got to do is lop off the legs (hole-less if possible) and sew up one of the ends. Attach a ribbon for hanging, and you’ll never suffer from a cabinet full of messy plastic bags again. Love.
3. Reuseable Coffee Coozy: Dozens of scalded fingers taught coffee shops that they have to provide something to protect your hands from the paper thin (literally) side of the coffee cup. But you don’t have to settle for the boring carboard versions they give out for free. Save some paper and your hands by making this raw denim coffee coozy!
4. Eco-friendly Insulation: If you’re planning a home remodeling project, there’s no need to use fiberglass insulation that’s bad for the planet and contaminates your indoor air. Ecolocalizer has a great article about a company that recycles used jeans into sustainable insulation material. You can also call or email Habitat for Humanity to donate jeans. They are using the green insulation to build homes and can direct you to the places that will accept your old denim.
5. Holiday Stockings: Winter is right around the corner, so I had to include this crafty gem. Using the leg of some old jeans, Cindy from MyRecycledBags.com created a festive stocking that’s worthy of holiday goodies! Decorating the stockings together can be a fun family activity as well.
Have you given denim jeans a second life in the past? Share your ideas in a comment!
Image Credit: Flickr – lifecreations
I love the idea on the holiday stockings. I’ll ask my mom to try this. Thanks for the idea!
No problem Halley! Be sure to post pictures of your finished stockings on our Facebook page so we can see how they turned out!
Great article. I would never have thought of it. I especially like the idea of donating to Habitat for Humanity. i work with them on a regular basis here in Louisville, Ky and have found that they are a great organization to work with. Thanks for the tips and i will visit your blog often.
Thanks Louisville guy!
How about grocery or tote bag, bigger the better.
https://www.oasisoriginals.net/recycled.html#shoppingbags
I love working with denim.
barbara