Ever wish you had an entirely new wardrobe even though you have a closet full of clothes? Here's how to make that happen without breaking the bank.
The scoop
Sustainability guru Marissa (@worthnotwaste) shared her clothing hack on Instagram, inspiring others to follow suit.
The post shows a reel of Marissa in a variety of outfits that utilize the same tops or bottoms, but with a twist or in a different color. Then she puts on rubber gloves and dyes one of her shirts using a boiling pot of water and fabric dye on the stovetop.
"Instead of buying more stuff, change them," the overlay in the reel says.
The Instagrammer suggests switching your wardrobe by dyeing, cropping, altering, or simply styling what you have differently.
When asked how she got the dye job to come out so evenly, Marissa replied, "I kept it on high heat, kept turning it, used more than half the bottle, and made sure to wash it beforehand."
How it's working
Marissa's upcycling clothing hack gets you an entirely new closet for, at most, the cost of a bottle of fabric dye. Upgrading or restyling what you already have saves money, time, and space. No need to make more room in your closet because you already have everything you need.
It's a great hack that comes with a lot of benefits. You already bought the clothes, so the odds are you like something about them. You might just be bored of it, or maybe the color isn't in style anymore. Instead of throwing them away and letting them go to waste in a toxin-producing landfill, give your items a makeover.
Landfills are overcrowded and largely responsible for the massive amounts of heat-trapping gases warming our planet. In the EPA's most recent findings, it was reported that landfills received 11.3 million tons of municipal solid waste textiles (MSW) in 2018. Of all the MSW, clothing was the main culprit.
🗣️ Which of these factors would most effectively motivate you to recycle old clothes and electronics?
🔘 Giving me money back 💰
🔘 Letting me trade for new stuff 👕
🔘 Making it as easy as possible ⚡
🔘 Keeping my stuff out of landfills 🗑️
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
This is why knowing how and what to recycle really makes a difference on an individual level. If you find clothing that can't be given a second life, consider donating or swapping for store credit. There are all kinds of ways to make money and reduce the size of your carbon impact at the same time.
This doesn't just apply to clothing. PaperBackSwap.com lets you trade in old books for new ones. Play it Again Sports will buy your old sporting equipment to resell. You can even make money off of your old shoes through GotSneakers.
What people are saying
Marissa's clothing transformations were a huge hit.
"I love the transformation!!" one follower raved.
"ECO SLAY," another applauded.
A third wrote, "It's like having a whole new wardrobe!"
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