Recycling Week – Day 6

Don’t throw your pre-loved clothes away, recycle them into something equally as stunning, just like the talented Hudi @thethriftythinker has done here.

‘If you want to give it a go – I’d recommend focusing on colour and pattern, rather than the shape of the garment, and think about what could actually fit into your wardrobe, and match the clothes you already own, because this can help narrow it down.

‘I scrolled through Instagram a bit for inspiration, looking for similar materials/patterns to the items I had found in Barnardo’s. I also looked for interesting details that I could add in that would not only add some fun twists, but would also use up more material to avoid wasting excess material. Adding in ribbon ties or statement sleeves is a great way to use up material.

‘Upcycling and recycling is really important to me – not only is it a great way to extend the lifecycle of a garment, and keep it out of landfill, but it’s also a really creative outlet and a fun way to reconsider clothing and partake in trends without buying new.’

Recycling Week – Day 4

Recycling week is in full swing, and we still have some amazing challenges to share with you. Are you as obsessed with Hannah Elliman upcycles as we are? Check out another amazing creation below.

“There can be many scraps of fabric leftover after sewing projects so for this Recycling Week I wanted to use all those scraps.

Scrunchies are quick to sew and sewing machines are not required. They are easy to make using any kind of material so are perfect for using up fabric from a bag of random scraps, a cut-off hem or any charity shop items where you just love the fabric ✂️”

This scrunchie is a super easy project to create at home using left over fabric. Why not get crafty and create your own, be sure to tag us.

Upcycling – Top Tips

Josephine is a hairdresser and established charity shopping pioneer thanks to her now retired YouTube channel which consisted of mainly vintage & charity Shop hauls and lookbooks. She was elected the ‘Shop Good Stuff’ Ambassador for Giving Tuesday in 2016 and has continued to spread the message of second hand love, choosing to buy entirely second hand only from January 2019.

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Crochet Love.

Hello everyone! My name is Stevie and today I wanted to share a little bit about how I got into crocheting my own clothing and how charity shopping ties in with that! I’m a huge fan of shopping pre-loved and have been buying from charity shops for years but recently, I’ve got more and more into up-cycling, DIY projects and making my own clothing – crochet being my main craft of choice!

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My Up-cycling Challenge

I was asked by Barnardo’s to join in with Recycle Week by up-cycling an item of clothing surprisingly sent to me, I automatically thought, WHAT A FUN CHALLENGE!

As an avid repairs and up-cycling seamstress with my brand, Soul and Flare, I was excited to receive my parcel. I opened up the box and to my delight there was an indigo wash, women’s denim shirt by Uniqlo. HURRAH!

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From Casual To Formal

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You can almost always find a great smart shirt in Barnardo’s, one like this high-neck number. I love a high-neck shirt but whenever I try one on I just don’t seem to be able to pull it off. Although I can’t pull off the high-neck style I still loved the fabric of this shirt and wanted to make it into something I would feel comfortable to wear for all occasions.

With only some scissors, a little thread and a needle you can chill (like I did) in front of the TV (a favourite pastime of mine) and turn a smart shirt into something a little more casual and comfortable for everyday wear.Read More »

My Market Bag

Recycle Week is in full swing and we wanted to get involved. We set some fabulous thrifty bloggers an up-cycling challenge with some rag found in-store. Be sure to follow the blog and our Instagram this week so see what they created!

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When Barnardo’s contacted me about their challenge for Recycling Week I was so excited albeit a bit nervous. Don’t get me wrong, I have shortened the odd dress but that’s the extent of my sewing abilities but I couldn’t say no to a challenge!Read More »

Reducing Waste By Shopping Pre-Loved

Recycling week might be coming to an end but that doesn’t mean recycling has to. Keep reading to see what little but important changes you can make.

Worldwide, only 9% of plastic is recycled.

79% of the 6.3 billion metric tons of plastic waste plagues our environment in landfills or as litter.

Approximately 19 billion pounds of garbage pollute our oceans, contributing to the creation of “garbage patches” and threatening wildlife.

By shopping pre-loved, we can rely less on plastic or single-use items and reduce our carbon footprint. Below are some ways in which this can be accomplished.

Minimizing Packaging Demand

Purchasing pre-loved extends the life of any given item and creates less demand for the wasteful materials used to produce new packaging. New items are often shielded behind plastic wraps or laden with stickers and tags. The United States Environmental Protection Agency advises that reducing waste at the source “saves on natural resources, conserves energy, reduces pollution and toxicity of our waste, and saves money for consumers and business alike.”

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