Instead of throwing them in a thrift store pile, give your favorite pair of worn jeans a second life with these recycled denim ideas!
Have you ever worn out a pair of old jeans? Because I have. And let me tell you where the denim fails first on me . . . in the lower bum and then also between the legs. The portion that rubs together when you walk.
I’m one of those people that will patch things together as long as possible. I had an L.L. Bean sweater in high school that got several tears and I turned it into what I affectionately called “Franken-sweater.” And I wore it proudly.
When my jeans have crapped out, I’ve tried patching them on the inner thighs. Depending on how big the holes are, it may or may not be comfortable.
Sometimes it feels awkward to have an extra patch in that area, so sometimes patching isn’t the solution I’m necessarily looking for.
Which leads me to the entire point of this post.
Sometimes you have a perfectly good pair of jeans that are worn out in a specific area that you can’t fix. And I know I’m not the only one – the Goodwill is loaded with racks of denim in various stages of style and condition.
When the rest of the denim is good, what should you do? I think it’s time to use that jean material in a recycled denim project.
Basically, don’t throw those old jeans away! They can be turned into something very useful so that your favorite pair of pants doesn’t go to waste.
The next time you tear a hole in the knee of your jeans, salvage them and turn it into something beautiful with these 25 recycled denim ideas. Scroll down to get the inspiration!
1
Claire Armstrong
Denim Pocket Organizer
Blue jean pockets make for easy organizing. What better place than a pocket to store those personal things you want close at hand! This is great for a teen bedroom, craft room, or dorm room.
Turn a rainbow of recycled jeans into a beautiful striped quilt. This is a good one to make once you've hit up the Goodwill to get pants in a ton of sizes and colors!
Reupholster a chair and give it a bright and fun new ‘seat.’ This is really easy to do, and we’re going to show you how . . . with a pair of denim pants!
"Stitch" up this stylish dual-toned clutch. Actually, you're going to love this fashion project because there's no sewing involved. Don’t you just love the contrast of the pocket?
Organize your craft room or desk with this copper and denim craft caddy project. It's not just the jeans that are recycled, it's the cans and wood too.
Turn your blue jeans into a cozy throw! This chilled-out quilt has such an easy-going air to it; there are no set measurements for this so make your quilt to whatever size you like.
Just sew seed beads onto a small piece of denim for this project. Amanda also has a post for a matching bracelet. It is linked in the tutorial for the ring.
Jeans, jeans, the magical pants; the more you wear ‘em, the better you dance (right?). Whip up some easy throw pillows with denim and add a rugged touch with a thrifted belt or two. You'll also learn how to make a weekend bag.
These DIY elastic book bands are a fun no-sew craft to make at home. It’s pretty simple as far as crafts go. All you need to do is cut out the pieces and then glue them together and voila, the elastic book bands are complete!
Here’s a fun and simple way to give old jeans a new life. These bowls make perfect catch-alls around the house – and wouldn’t they be a perfect gift for a guy?
Make a colorful beaded necklace with this original technique! This time you're going to paint the denim with acrylic paint colors. It's great for customizing.
