Ideas for Reusing Old Clothes and Textiles in the Garden

Gerard Ortiz

Upcycling previous apparel and textiles in your yard can be a terrific way to find new existence in outdated supplies, and hold those items from squander streams. Creating use of these previous elements can also assist us lessen the items that we may possibly require to purchase to keep our gardens and remodel them into the successful and eye-catching spots we want them to be. 

When thinking about how to use outdated garments and other reclaimed materials in our gardens, the to start with detail to take into consideration is which supplies we are conversing about. The two aged synthetic materials and pure materials can have a variety of makes use of in a garden. 

The makes use of for synthetic materials can be quite distinct from the takes advantage of for entirely all-natural materials, which will crack down and rot in excess of time. Some tips for upcycling both equally of these forms of fabric are outlined underneath:

Upcycling Aged Artificial Textiles in a Backyard garden

In advance of we begin conversing about the works by using for clothing and textiles in a back garden, it is worthwhile using the time to take into account the caveats to this. 

The elephant in the home when it will come to synthetic materials reuse and upcycling is the microplastic particles, which these elements lose by means of their lifetimes and will continue to lose about time. These particles are one particular of the factors that, wherever feasible, we ought to aim to pick out pure materials somewhat than synthetics when deciding on outfits and gentle furnishings for our houses. 

Of course, some fabrics will be worse than other individuals when it will come to shedding microplastics, and it is finest to stay away from making use of these worst offenders in your backyard, to prevent even more contamination of the ecosystem.


Sew cloth pockets or use an previous hanging shoe organizer for a vertical backyard.

Jasemin Abazi / EyeEm / Getty Pictures


Upcycling Outdated All-natural Garments in a Backyard garden

Outdated pure clothes or other residence textiles made from organic elements like linen, cotton, wool, silk etcetera. can also be incredibly handy in a yard, although they will typically not continue to be in position for as long as synthetic materials as they will split down and decompose in a normal ecosystem about time. 

Of training course, outdated cloth scraps can frequently just be additional to a composting process. However keep in mind that these can consider a large amount extended than food stuff squander or normal garden squander to break down. But before we compost them, they might arrive in useful to enable us to stay clear of obtaining new issues.

Upcycling Strategies for Old Outfits and Textiles

Keep in mind, synthetic fabrics can final a very long time and will not rot down promptly. Organic clothes can take a although to break down, but in damp problems in speak to with soil, they will generally do so in reasonably small purchase. 

To Produce New Growing Areas


You could even upcycle a canvas shoe, should you obtain you with a lone one particular.
Elva Etienne / Getty Images

Outdated materials could be applied to build things to enable us generate new expanding parts or containers, these kinds of as:

  • A material planting pocket vertical backyard garden.
  • The membrane layer in a wicking mattress (in between the drinking water reservoir and the soil). 
  • Lining for specified upcycled planters. 
  • Quirky clothes planters. (These types of as a wacky hanging planter made from underwear, or trousers planters, for example). 
  • Fabric improve baggage for a extensive array of crops. 

To Secure Vegetation

Outdated textiles can be utilised to make improvements to the rising circumstances in a presented spot, this kind of as:

  • Cloches or row addresses for vegetation. 
  • Wraps to retain container crops from freezing in winter. 
  • A sun shade for folks or vegetation in summer months. 

For Typical Aid

  • A scarecrow to preserve birds off your crops (or it’s possible just for entertaining). 
  • Ties to tie in vegetation to their supports (for vertical escalating). 
  • Upcycled material tote baggage in which to obtain and have garden make. 

For Furnishing and Fun


Just swap the lawn for a meadow, and voila.

Jonas Rannbro / Getty Illustrations or photos


Previous apparel and textiles may well perhaps also be utilized in ways that assist us create the far more fun and recreational elements of our gardens. They may be utilised, for instance, to build:

  • Hammocks or other garden seating.
  • Outside rag rugs or upholstery for outdoor living parts. 
  • A tent or den for youngsters. 

If you use your creativity, you can soon see that even when clothing, old bedding, or other components are no extended in shape for their original purpose, they may discover, at minimum temporarily, a new lease of everyday living in your garden.

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