There’s come a point in time when you’ll have to retire your old jeans. Even if they were once your “go to” pair, jeans — like all garments — eventually degrade over time. This isn’t something that happens overnight. Rather, it often takes five or more years for a pair of high-quality jeans to degrade. The fabric around the knees or legs may fray, or the jeans may fade in color.
Even if your jeans don’t degrade, you may lose or gain weight, forcing you to update your wardrobe with new sizes. Regardless, there are times when you’ll need to retire your old jeans. Before you toss them in the trash, however, you should consider the following alternatives. There are other ways to put your old jeans to use, some of which we’re going to discuss in this blog post.
#1) Donate Them to Charity
Consider donating your jeans to a nonprofit charity organization like Goodwill. They’ll accept nearly any brand, size, color and style, assuming they are in relatively good condition. You won’t make any money donating your old jeans to charity, but it will give you peace of mind knowing you are helping those less fortunate. Furthermore, some charities offer donation receipts, which you can use as a tax deduction. Donating a single pair of jeans isn’t going to yield a large tax deduction, but if you donate a dozen or more pairs, it can really add up come tax time.
#2) Sell Them to a Consignment Shop
Alternatively, you can sell your old jeans to a consignment shop. Consignment shops buy gently used clothes and resale them for a higher price. It’s important to note, however, that consignment shops are more strict about what they accept. While a charity organization will accept just about any garment of clothing, consignment shops are more selective. If your old jeans are visibly damaged, they probably won’t accept them. Nonetheless, a consignment shop is still worth trying if you’re looking to earn a little cash from your old jeans. Depending on the specific shop, the consignment shop may offer store credit, which is usually higher than cash offerings. Consult with the consignment shop to determine how much they’ll offer your old jeans, in both cash and store credit.
#3) Recycle Them
When you think of materials that are recyclable, denim probably isn’t the first to come to mind. Most people are familiar with recyclables like aluminum, plastic and glass, but there are some companies that also accept denim. Blue Jeans Go Green is one such company that will gladly accept your old denim jeans, recycling the material for use in the production of building insulation. They collect denim from consumers such as yourself, turning the material into insulation. Denim is actually an excellent insulator of heat, which is one of the reasons why so many people wear jeans during the winter.
In 2009, Blue Jeans Go Greens set a Guinness World Record for the most items of clothing collected for recycling. So, how many pieces of clothing did the company recycle? According to its website, Blue Jeans Go Green recycled more than 33,000 pieces of denim to earn this accolade. Now that’s pretty impressive!
#4) Turn Them Into Pet Clothes
No, that’s not a typo. You can turn your old jeans into dog clothes. If you have a knack for fashion design and access to a sewing machine, experiment with your old jeans by turning them into a dog shirt or vest. Assuming you own a small dog, you can actually make several shirts out of a single pair of old denim jeans. Fido will appreciate the new threads you send his way.
#5) Dye Them
Of course, you can always dye your old jeans to revitalize them with a new color. Assuming the jeans are still structurally sound without any major rips or holes, you may be able to wear them again by dyeing them. This is cheaper than buying a new pair of jeans, and it allows you to make them a fun new color. To dye your jeans, you’ll need to purchase some fabric dye, which is sold at most grocery stores and general home goods stores. Simply follow the directions as instructed. For most fabric dyes, this involves submerging the jeans in water with the added dye for 20 to 30 minutes, after which the jeans will come out with a new color. Just remember to use caution so you don’t accidentally get the dye on your “good” clothes.
#6) Embrace the Vintage/Distressed Look
Just because your jeans have become worn and aged doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to retire them — not quite yet at least. Some people actually prefer the look of aged jeans. In fact, you buy new “distressed” jeans that mimic the appearance of these old, worn jeans. If you enjoy the look of distressed jeans, try embracing it in your wardrobe. Distressed and vintage jeans are the perfect choice for a modern/casual look.
#7) Turn Them Into Denim Shorts
Depending on the current state of your old jeans, perhaps you can turn them into denim shorts. You don’t any special tools or equipment; all it takes is a pair of fabric cutting scissors. Cut off the legs of your old jeans at an appropriate height, and voila, you now have a pair of denim shorts! If you’re really feeling creative, you can even add subtle elements to your denim shorts, such as areas of distress. Of course, you can also dye your denim shorts a new color by following the steps listed above.
These are just a few fun things you can do with your old jeans. So, if you’re thinking about throwing away one or more pairs of old jeans, refer to the alternative solutions listed here. Whether you turn them into denim shorts, donate them to charity, sell them, etc., there are dozens of things you can do with old jeans.
