11 ideas to recycle jeans into useful items

With great benefits such as saving costs, reducing waste, contributing to environmental protection, ... the act of recycling old clothes is always supported by everyone and creates many practical values ​​for life. So can jeans be recycled? Are there any unique, useful and suitable ideas for recycling old jeans that can be done right at home? Let's refer to the article below by Celidior.

1. Instructions for recycling jeans into useful, unique items

1.1. Backpack

Prepare:

• Old jeans
• Zipper, needle and thread, decorative accessories
• Needle and thread, scissors, measuring tape, sewing chalk
• Needle and thread, scissors, measuring tape, sewing chalk

How to do:

To transform an old pair of jeans into a backpack, you should choose jeans with soft fabric for easier cutting, sewing and decorating. Next, you can follow these steps:

• Remove all the sewing threads from the two legs of the old jeans.
• Sketch the shape of the backpack on a piece of cardboard so that you can cut the pattern to the correct size. Use a tape measure to measure the appropriate size.
• Sketch the shape of the backpack on a piece of cardboard so that you can cut the pattern to the correct size. Use a tape measure to measure the appropriate size.
• Cut another piece of fabric to make the backpack strap, fold the fabric 4 times horizontally and sew the fixed border inside.
• Sew the fabric pieces together, sew the zipper on the top edge of the backpack.
• Use accessories to decorate the surface of the backpack.

You can recycle old jeans into a cute backpack 

1.2. Short jeans skirt

Prepare:

• Old jeans
• Needle, thread, scissors, mini sewing machine, sewing chalk

How to do:

To be able to recycle old jeans into a pretty denim skirt, everyone should choose a pair of intact old jeans, not choose ripped jeans because it will affect the size of the skirt. The steps are as follows:

• Remove the inner seam of the jeans into two large pieces of fabric, iron the seam straight.
• Estimate the length of the skirt and use chalk to mark the position on the pants and cut off the excess leg.
• Cut a V-shaped piece of fabric from the previously discarded pants leg to sew on the back.
• Fold the two front flaps of the pants into a letter shape and sew them together.

Without much complicated steps, you can still create a pretty jeans skirt

1.3. Autumn blanket from old jeans

Prepare:

• Old jeans
• Scissors, needle and thread
• Cardboard

How to do:

If you have a lot of old jeans and don't know how to handle or make use of them, don't worry, try your hand at a cute and unique denim blanket. The method is also extremely simple, you just need to follow these steps:

• Cut a piece of cardboard into a regular hexagon the size of a hand.
• Cut regular hexagons the same size as cardboard from old jeans in different colors.
• Cut regular hexagons the same size as cardboard from old jeans in different colors.
• Sew the edges of the hexagons together so that the seam is hidden at the back.
• Continue until you have a blanket of the right size.

A lovely fall blanket made from old jeans will be loved by many.

1.4. New jeans

Prepare:

• Old jeans
• Needle, thread, sewing chalk, measuring tape
• Watercolor paints
• Accessories, patterns

How to do:

If your old jeans have faded and are no longer trendy, you can completely renew them into jeans with unique creative patterns. The method is quite simple, you just need to use sewing chalk to draw pictures on the pants and use specialized waterproof watercolors to redraw these images.

If you do not have a talent for drawing, you can use some ready-made fabric patterns or accessories such as buttons, zippers, etc. to sew on the pants with the arrangement depending on each person's creativity.

Just decorate with watercolors and patterns and you have a new pair of jeans

1.5. Pen case

Prepare:

• Old jeans
• Scissors, needle and thread, sewing chalk
• Cardboard
• Decorative accessories

How to do:

Because pen holders require high stiffness, you need to choose jeans with stiff fabric and a standing shape to easily create a standing shape for the box. The detailed steps are as follows:

• Cut a circle on the cardboard to estimate the size of the bottom of the pencil case.
• Cut a piece of fabric according to the cut cardboard, note to cut an extra 1cm on the outside edge to create a seam.
• Estimate the height of the body of the box and cut a rectangular piece of fabric with a width equal to the height of the pencil case, the length equal to the circumference of the cut circle.
• Sew the pieces of fabric together, you can sew two layers to create stiffness for the box.
• Use accessories to decorate the outside.

You should choose sturdy, thick jeans to make a pen box.

1.6. Jeans shorts

Preparation:

• Old jeans
• Taper, scissors, needle and thread, sewing chalk
• Decorative accessories

How to do:

Just like how to recycle old jeans into new jeans, you can create a cute pair of jeans shorts. Just estimate the length of the shorts you want, then use chalk and a tape measure to mark and cut off the excess. You can sew the bottom edge inward and decorate with some accessories to make it look nice.

Sewing shorts from old jeans is quite quick and doesn't take much time.

1.7. Apron

Prepare:

• Old jeans
• Needle, thread, scissors, sewing chalk
• Decorative accessories

How to do:

A jeans apron for use in the kitchen is very convenient and clean. Detailed steps are as follows:

• Remove the thread from one leg of the jeans to create a large piece of fabric.
• Sketch the shape of the bib on the surface of the fabric and cut it out.
• Remove the back pocket of the jeans to sew it to the front of the apron.
• Cut the top of the jeans to create the waist strap of the apron.
• Cut a long piece of fabric from the other leg of the jeans, fold it inward to create the neck strap of the apron.
• Decorate with accessories.

You can recycle your jeans into an apron to use in the kitchen.

1.8. Phone bag

Preparation:

• Old jeans
• Needle, thread, scissors

How to do:

Making a phone bag from old jeans is quite simple and does not require too many steps. You just need to cut out the back pocket of the old jeans, you should choose a bag that is the right size for your phone. Then, cut a long piece of fabric to make a strap for the bag and you have a cute and extremely convenient phone bag.

Just a few simple steps and you have a cute little phone bag.

1.9. Handbags

Preparation:

• Old jeans
• Needle, thread, scissors, measuring tape, sewing chalk
• Decorative accessories

How to do:

To make a recycled bag from old jeans, you can follow these steps:

• Determine the size of the body of the tote bag and measure the length of the pant leg, cut off the excess leg.
• Cut open the seam on one side of each pant leg to create two large jeans pieces, adjust the size to fit the original intended bag pattern.
• Turn the fabric inside out and sew the three inside edges of the two pieces together.
• Cut a long piece into two pieces about 10cm x 50cm and sew them together to make the bag handle.
• Attach the bag handle to the body of the bag and use accessories to decorate as desired.

Bags made of jeans are quite durable, beautiful and convenient.

1.10. Stuffed animals

Preparation:

• Old jeans
• Needle, thread, scissors, ruler, sewing chalk
• Cotton balls
• Plastic eyes for stuffed animals

How to do:

If you have a pair of unused jeans and want to turn them into a cute stuffed animal, let's learn with Celidior the steps to turn old jeans into a whale.

• Remove the thread from the old jeans to create two large pieces of fabric.
• Use chalk to draw the parts of the whale's body including: 1 back piece, 1 belly piece, 2 tail pieces and 4 fin pieces.
• Cut the pieces of fabric according to the drawn shape.
• Sew the pieces together to create the fins, body, and separate tail.
• Fill the pieces with cotton and sew the tail and fins to the whale's body.
• Attach eyes to the whale or use dark thread to sew the eyes.

Whale made from old jeans is very cute and lovely

1.11. Carpets

Prepare:

• 3 pairs of old jeans
• Needle, thread, scissors, sewing chalk  

How to do:

Turning old jeans into a floor mat is extremely simple and does not take much time, you can do it right at home. The detailed steps are as follows:

• Remove the seams of the jeans to create 4 large pieces of fabric.
• Cut along the length of the pant leg into long rectangular pieces of fabric, about 3cm wide, depending on the size of the rug, you need to prepare more or less fabric.
• Arrange these pieces of fabric in alternating horizontal and vertical lines and then sew them in place.
• Use the excess fabric to sew the outer edge to fix the rug.

Floor mats made from old jeans are very stylish and unique.

2. Other unique suggestions for recycling old jeans

Besides the above ideas, you can also freely create and transform old jeans into many decorative items and useful household items such as recycling old jeans into shirts, denim flowers, picnic bags, wallets, bracelets, necklaces, boxes, pillowcases, coasters, book clips, etc. Let's refer to the recycling ideas with Celidior below.

Old jeans can be recycled into cute hats

Cute storage baskets made from old jeans

Have you ever made a belt from jeans?

A beautiful tank top from old jeans

There are many household items that can be made from old jeans.

A pen holder pocket outside the book cover will be very convenient for everyone.

A pair of slippers made from old, unused jeans

Recycle jeans into bookmarks

Do you have a wallet made from old jeans?

Cute hair bows made from old jeans

3. Some tips and notes when recycling old jeans into new ones

• Choose the right jeans material: Prioritize pants with soft fabric, not too thick and stiff, and moderate elasticity, which will make cutting, shaping, and sewing much more convenient. Fabric with little elasticity also helps recycled products keep their shape better, especially with bags or boxes. 
•  Wash jeans before recycling: Don't skip this important step! Washing jeans helps remove dirt, bacteria, and softens the fabric, ensuring hygiene and making it easier for you to work during the cutting and sewing process. 
•  Iron the fabric before and after sewing to make the product flat and beautiful: Ironing the jeans before cutting will help the cut more precisely, and ironing the seams after each step will help the final product look neat and more professional. 
•  Use specialized scissors, sturdy sewing thread: Jeans are quite thick, so invest in a pair of sharp fabric scissors for smooth cuts. Also, choose a durable sewing thread (cotton polyester core thread or denim thread) to ensure the seams do not come loose during use. 
•  Add accessories such as lace, buttons, leather to enhance the aesthetics: Be creative by adding small details such as lace, ribbons, fancy buttons, leather tags or cute patches. These accents will help your recycled item become unique and full of personal touch.

Some tips to keep in mind to make recycling easier

Conclusion

Recycling old clothes brings many benefits to people and the surrounding environment. If you have old jeans in your house that you don't use, please refer to Coolmate's ways to recycle old jeans and unleash your creativity into practical household items.

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