We all just love denim… There is something about it that keeps up with everybody’s taste and stays in fashion for decades. Jeans, jackets, shorts, shoes, hats, shirts, skirts… Any part of our outfit can be made of denim! And bags and backpacks! Oh yeah, denim handbag – bring it on!
Some of your clothes and accessories you can actually make yourself! DIY things for your wardrobe or your house, or gifts for your loved ones – what an awesome idea!
Here is 10 reasons WHY:
1. Helping Mother Nature
Making stuff out of old jeans helps the Nature in a big way. It is well known now that the less you buy – the less is produced and the less natural resources are being used. To produce just cotton for one pair of jeans takes about 1800 gallons of water (this is without dyeing and manufacturing). “The true cost” movie – is a must watch for every one of us! This documentary will change the way you think about the clothes you wear.
2. Less waste
In 2018, 17 million tons of textile waste ended up in landfills, according to data from the Environmental Protection Agency. After manufacturing, the pollution is another side of the environmental impact of the fashion industry. Jeans are quite hard to recycle and they are toxic if left to decompose. By not throwing away that pair of jeans you are saving the waste impact to our Planet. If you are not a crafty fingers, at least you can donate the jeans to a charity.
But if you have a sewing machine and willing to use it, there are tons of sewing projects you can make using old shirts and jeans. I have some free on this website in the tutorials. And if you think your scraps are too small, you can still make stuff with this easiest ever crazy patchwork method to make super cool stuff using smallest denim scraps.
3. Easy accessible
Used jeans are so easy to get. Second-hand shops, car-boot sales and flea markets. Second-hand denim is usually cheap to buy. Sometimes it’s even free (if it’s your own outdated pair of jeans) or it comes to your door without any effort (when your friends and family pop in with a few unwanted pairs).
And don’t worry about it being worn, dirty or stinky. There is a really good and simple method to wash garments to “erase the memory” and enjoy working with it. Read about it here >>>
4. Denim is always on trend
Denim is so fashionable and it is amazing to see that it always had been and it always will be! Since Levi’s jeans were first introduced in 1873 until now, fashions change and society evolves, but women continue to love jeans. There is a great article about the history of jeans, which you might enjoy: www.fashionista.com/2017/03/levis-jeans-womens-denim-history
5. It always looks right
No matter what style you love, somehow denim goes with anything. Greasers, cowboys, hippies, rappers, rockers – all fashion styles are using denim according to their statements. Boho, casual or street style followers – everybody has their match with denim. So you will never go wrong if you make something to wear using old jeans.
6. Made to last
Denim is durable and will last for years even with a lot of usage. Most jeans are primarily made of cotton. If the jeans are stretchy – it is usually because some spandex added and this is when the denim becomes not so durable. Choose non-stretchy denim to create with and the new item will last you for years!
7. Easy to work with
Denim is easy to work with. Comparing to some other fabrics, denim is really a pleasure to iron, cut and sew. It doesn’t stretch and slip away. Some of you might think it’s tough and hard to sew through. Well, give it a try and you will see that it isn’t so bad. Especially that nowadays denim fabric isn’t so tough any more (as when it was made for miners and cowboys) and most jeans are made with thinner but still strong denim. The only trouble you might come across are the bulky places, so keep it in mind when planning your design. Learn more about working with denim here >>>
8. Easy to achieve “the look”
Adorable thing about denim is the washed effect! This worn effect however is not so easy to achieve at home. This is why it is great to use the actual jeans parts rather than create from new bought denim fabric.
If you want the bag you are making to look cool – choose some cool jeans! It is dead easy to achieve great looking results when your are using great looking materials! And keep in mind the style too – ripped and grungy or plain and classy – the jeans must be the same style you want your creation to be. If there are some funky wash effects, rips, cute pockets – try to fit them in your design.
9. Any DIY develops your skills and creativity
Creativity is one of the things that makes our life brighter. What you create doesn’t have to be perfect! Just enjoy it!
10. DIY adorable gifts
Just imagine that you can make gifts for your loved ones and decorate your house upcycling denim. The things you can make are eco-friendly, recycled, reusable, unique and always so trendy! Check out some easy to make denim gift ideas >>>
Have you thought of some more reasons Why to DIY using old jeans? Share in the comments below! Visit the Tutorials page for simple and lovely ideas what you can make using old jeans!
