Let me tell you the story about a pile of discarded jeans repurposed into useful things.
A few years ago, I was searching for a vintage Sears Kenmore sewing machine. The ones with a solid metal body and a strong motor…one built to last a lifetime, as long as it was well-maintained. After seeing a listing, I drove one hour to meet with the seller. After the typical meet ‘n greet salutations, I went to work examining the machine while chatting with the sellers. Their story is interesting! Both of them worked in the coal mines in Kentucky all their lives and retired to Atlanta. They were salt-of-the-earth people, no pretenses, no hidden agendas, polite, friendly, calm, and honest. They appeared to be in their late 60s or early 70s, but probably were older due to years in the coal mines. Unfortunately, the sewing machine was not working well, and I had to decline. Upon departing, the woman asked me if I wanted a pile of deconstructed old jeans she and her husband had outgrown. Without knowing what I was going to do with them, I graciously accepted.
Fast forward a few years. I am now experimenting with the pile of denim, and it is an interesting process. By reimagining textile waste with paintbrushes and bleach, a new usable fabric is created, which is then repurposed into useful items that everyone uses on a daily basis. Going through this creative process with discarded denim, I am contributing to sustainability, the circular economy, zero waste philosophy, and caring for the earth.
What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of
Dr. Jane Goodall
difference you want to make.
From Textile Waste Headed To The Landfills To Useful Upcycled Items For The Home
Example 1: Denim Coasters
Example 2: Denim Potholders
The Benefits of Upcycling, Repurposing, Reusing, Reviving, Recycling
Tell us your upcycled story! We want to hear about it.
🦈🦈🦈🦈🦈🦈🦈🦈🦈🦈🦈🦈🦈🦈🦈🦈🦈🦈🦈🦈🦈🦈🦈🦈🦈🦈🦈🦈🦈🦈🦈
Discover more from urban HANDmades
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
urban HANDmades 