12 Ways to Upcycle Your Old T-Shirts (With and Without the Sewing Machine)

It’s pretty common to have a shelf or drawer in your home designated to the old t-shirts you’ve accumulated from concerts, family vacations, and summer camps of days past. Occasionally, you might even sort through the pile for nostalgia’s sake, only to be hit with a sense of overwhelm when you realize you don’t wear them anymore and have no idea what to do with your old t-shirts. “Old t-shirts can be hard to part with, not only because they’re such a consistent outfit staple, but also since they’re versatile, comfortable, and often tied to special memories like events or nights out,” says Lindsey Bernay, fashion expert, stylist, and author of You Can’t Leave the House Naked.

Sound familiar? Decluttering your closet can be an intimidating task, especially if the pieces in your collection hold sentimental value. Just because you don’t wear your old t-shirts anymore, though, doesn’t mean you have to get rid of them. There are plenty of creative ways to repurpose the old t-shirts that mean the most to you so you—and your family and friends—can enjoy them, even if you’re not wearing them anymore. We spoke with fashion and textile experts about what to do with old t-shirts and how you can make the most out of them—and even get rid of them, if that’s on your agenda.

What to do with old t-shirts without sewing

Not everyone can (or wants to) take out the sewing machine to repurpose an old t-shift. If this sounds like you, experts shared a few no-sew upcycling options you can do today. All you need is a little bit of time, and maybe a pair of craft scissors.

1. Upcycle them

If you are wondering what to do with old t-shirts, then you will want to consider upcycling them. According to Merriam-Webster, upcycling refers to recycling something in such a way that the resulting product is of a higher value than the original item. In this case, the recycled item would be an old t-shirt that’s transformed into something else, whether that’s a headband, a cat hideout, or tote bag.

2. Donate them

For old t-shirts that are still in good condition, Christy Dawn, co-founder of Christy Dawn, recommends donating your clothes to shelters or thrift stores which not only helps those in need but also promotes a circular economy. “Please be mindful to only donate clothing that is of the quality you would wear,” says Maggie Gillette, fashion expert and co-founder of Chicago Fashion Week. “Stained, damaged, or torn items should not be donated.” If your shirts are stained, damaged, or torn and you don’t intend on keeping them, it’s best to throw them away.

3. Sell them

Need some spare cash? You can sell your old t-shirts online—eBay, Mercari, and Depop are all great resale options. “Reselling old t-shirts is a particularly good idea if you have a shirt with something like a band logo that might be popular or is from a well-known brand,” says Gillette.

4. Bead them

Ditch the needle and thread and grab some beads instead to spruce up an old t-shirt. After using craft scissors or fabric scissors to cut vertical lines along the hem, string each piece of fabric with the beads of your choice and tie a knot at the end of each strip to seal it off. For example, if you’re going to see Taylor Swift, then use some of the beads from your friendship bracelet-making kit to spell out some of your favorite T-Swift phrases or create a colorful pattern representative of your favorite album.

5. Tie-dye them

Think back to summer camp as a kid when you’d tie-dye white t-shirts. You’re not too old to transform an old t-shirt into an art project and give it new life. “You may want to consider dyeing an old t-shirt if more of the fabric has been bleached or discolored,” says Gillette. “While you can bleach a fabric, it’s always easier to dye clothes a darker color than to try to make it lighter.”

6. Frame them

Not sure what to do with an old t-shirt you want to keep? Well, you can frame it and hang it in your house. Whether it’s an old concert shirt or a special t-shirt you can’t seem to part ways with, you can put it in a frame and hang it on display. This is a great idea for an old high school or college graduation t-shirt that you don’t want to give away or donate.

7. Sleep in them

For the old t-shirts that can’t see the light of day, wear them at night. Using old t-shirts as sleep tees can help extend the shelf life of a t-shirt beyond traditional wear without having to sew, decorate, or alter it.

What can I make out of an old t-shirt?

While there are several no-sew options for repurposing old t-shirts, there are also a few more hands-on ways to make the most out of an old t-shirt. Ahead, see a few options experts recommend that may require you to get out a needle and thread.

1. Pillows

Dawn suggests turning old t-shirts into pillows, as they can easily be stuffed or sewn into pillow covers. This is a great option for those old solid-colored or patterned t-shirts that can be transformed into decorative pillows for a living room or bedroom.

2. Quilts

Not sure what to do with old sentimental t-shirts? A handmade quilt stitched together from old t-shirts is a great gift for a friend or loved one. Rachel Kibbe, chief executive officer of American Circular Textiles, suggests sending old t-shirts to a company like Project Repat which can magically upcycle them for you into a new quilt for yourself or someone else.

3. Dog toys

If your old t-shirt is headed to the trash anyway, you can give it one last hurrah by repurposing it into something useful for your pet. Dawn recommends turning old t-shirts into toys for your furry friends by braiding them together. To do this, tie a knot on the end of a few cut-up strips of fabric, braid them, and then close the other side with another knot. You’ll want to make sure it’s tightly woven together so your dog doesn’t easily bite through it.

4. Tote bags

With the decline in plastic bags these days, old t-shirts are a great material to use for tote bags. “Upcycle into tote bags by cutting the sleeves off and tying the bottom to create a reusable top bag – giving your shirt an entirely new purpose,” says Dawn.

5. Rugs

Add some decorative flare to your living space by transforming a few old t-shirts into an accent rug. To achieve this, you’ll want to cut the fabric into strips, make braids, and then sew the braids together. This is more of a creative project so if you’re a beginner DIY person, then you’ll probably want to watch a YouTube tutorial to get the gist of it. In terms of what not to make out of old t-shirts? Dawn advises against making anything that requires high durability or safety, like clothing for infants or outdoor gear. “The fabric may not hold up super well under wear and tear conditions in these contexts,” she says. Kibbe adds that you wouldn’t want to make an umbrella out of an old t-shirt because they typically aren’t designed to repel water and wouldn’t be the appropriate material.

How do you make old t-shirts look new?

For the old t-shirts that have been through the ringer, not all hope is lost. There are still some ways you can make old t-shirts look new. “Old t-shirts can look brand new with a bit of tailoring,” says Bernay. “By adjusting the fit, you can transform it into something more polished.” Additionally, Bernay recommends customizing an old t-shirt to give it new life. “DIY customization such as embroidery, patches, or a touch of sparkle can make it unique,” she says.

“Old t-shirts can look brand new with a bit of tailoring. By adjusting the fit, you can transform it into something more polished.” —Lindsey Bernay, fashion expert, stylist, and author of You Can’t Leave the House Naked.

How to get rid of old t-shirts

Unless you have no other options, experts advise not to throw away your old t-shirts if at all possible. These old t-shirts, like much of the fast-fashion products and other mass-produced clothing items sold in the US, will ultimately end up in landfills, contributing to the decline of the environment as we know it. According to an article from Royal Waste Services, hazardous materials are released during the breakdown of synthetic fibers which can further contaminate the land and water on our planet. If you can help it, skip the trash can in favor of recycling or donating your old t-shirts. “Take them to a neighborhood thrift store or clothing bin in your community, host a swap, give them to your friends, or send them to organizations like Retold, who take care to find a next life for them,” Kibbe advises.

If you’re looking to be conscious of your environmental footprint, you may also want to think it over before you replace that shirt with a fresh one. Think carefully before adding a new piece of clothing to your wardrobe. How long will it last you? How often will you wear it?

Are old t-shirts recyclable?

The ability to recycle old t-shirts is not widely available for most consumers just yet. “Textile-to-textile recycling exists, but the infrastructure is very rare,” says Kibbe. “The most common destination for old clothes today is reuse or downcycling into insulation, those items that can’t be reused or downcycled to end up as waste and that’s inevitable until we have more global reuse and recycling infrastructure.” According to Gillette, old t-shirts may still be able to be used for things like insulation and fabric stuffing, at the very least, but it’s not the same one-to-one recycling most people think of.

Final thoughts on what to do with old t-shirts

Unless you’re throwing your old t-shirts directly in the trash—which is not the option experts recommend—Kibbe advises people not to stress about what they do with their old t-shirts. There are lots of ways to get the most out of worn clothing—from selling it to upcycling it. With so many options, you’re bound to find an easy way to reuse your old t-shirts, while helping the environment and getting crafty along the way.