We love our t-shirts, but even the best-quality shirts have a life expectancy. The brightest, newest t-shirt, after being exposed to sun, weather, countless wash cycles and sharp cat claws, will unfortunately begin to fade and tear. You can keep an old t-shirt as a workout top or paint smock, but it will eventually become unusable even for that. So what do you do with your ratty shirts? Instead of tossing them in the bin, here’s a fun list of sustainable ways that you can upcycle your old t-shirts:

1. Turn them into rags – This may not be ideal for your favourite shirt, but for the really ripped and ragged shirts, this can be a good option. You never know when you’ll need a rag to mop something up!

2. Make tote bags – It’s very easy to sew old shirts into tote bags. Have a look on YouTube and Pinterest for some fun tutorials and inspiration.

3. Make pet toys – Knot/plait strips of shirt together to make a fun chew/tug of war toy for your pet.

4. Make headbands – T-shirt material is super stretchy, which is perfect for making headbands. This is fun to do with colourful, patterned shirts.

5. Get creative with tie-dye – If you have a white shirt that’s turned grey in the wash, jazz it up with some old school tie-dye.

6. Make pot hangers – This is a fun project! Cut strips of shirt and weave them into a pot hanger using macrame methods. Check out YouTube tutorials for different designs.

Have you upcycled your old t-shirts? Share your creations in the comments below!