As clothes age, the wear and tear of time can decrease their quality. But one crafty Reddit user shared a game-changing tip that makes old sweaters look brand new.
In a recent thread on the r/Frugal subreddit, a user posted a photo of an old charcoal sweater, pictured with a razor. The left side of the sweater looks smooth, soft, and comfortable, while the right side looks more ratty and tattered.
"Amazing what a simple razor and lint roller can do! (Right side has not been done yet for comparison)," the user says in the post's caption.
By simply dragging a standard razor and a lint roller over their sweater, the user cleaned up their garment.
It's vital to find ways to extend the lifespan of clothes and other textile goods, as they clog up tons of space in landfills, polluting the environment.
Recent estimates suggest that the United States alone creates 25 billion pounds of textile waste every year — or 82 pounds per resident. And 85% of that textile waste ends up in landfills, according to the University of Colorado, Boulder.
Making your clothes — including sweaters — last as long as possible with strategies like this sweater rejuvenation helps you avoid wasteful fast fashion trends.
The technique is also great for mending thrifted or gently used sweaters that may not be in the best shape by the time you get them. For many of us, the nicer, often more expensive clothing brands — which also tend to last longer — are only accessible through secondhand shopping, making it all the more important to mend them.
Other users shared their enthusiasm and extra tips in the comments.
"Works better if the sweater is wet. Had to do this for our berets in the military," one user comments.
"Be really careful not to cut a hole in it, it's so easy to do," another shares.
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