Financial wellness

Upcycle Your Wardrobe

Embroidered flowers on the back of a denim jacket.

I recently attended a conference where an educator from the United Kingdom spoke about “Right to Repair” laws happening in European nations. These laws hope to incentivize consumers to repair, rather than replace, some of the products that they own, as well as discourage businesses from making their products very difficult or outright impossible to repair. I started wondering if the United States government was pursuing any “right to repair” legislation and was pleased to see that this movement is also on the mind of our legislators too. Currently, four states have officially passed Right to Repair laws and 30 other states have introduced their own bills. Discussions are happening at the federal level as well.

While we wait for these policy changes to be enacted, there are actions consumers can take to extend the life of the products we own, especially when it comes to our closets. The life of clothing can be extended with basic sewing skills, such as sewing on a new button and repairing ripped seams. But what if you are not savvy at sewing, and just want a quick refresh? No need to replace your entire wardrobe, it may instead be time to ‘upcycle’ your clothing! Upcycling is the act of “repurposing an item into something else” – it differs slightly from ‘recycling’ as you are reusing the item without having to first take it back to its original state.

When considering if you should upcycle a garment in your closet, first check for any excessive wear and tear. Clothing that is beyond repair may not be worth your time to upcycle, but can still be used in other ways, such as dust rags, plant ties in your garden, or as a child’s dress-up clothing. If the garment you wish to upcycle is still in good condition, consider what kind of changes you plan to make (Minor changes? A complete overhaul?), and if it’s something you would feel comfortable wearing.

Not sure where to start? Here are a few ideas to upcycle your old clothing:

  • Dye it – this is a popular way to refresh formal dresses, though it can be done with other garments as well.
  • Patch it – If a small hole is keeping you from wearing a garment, you can try your hand at sewing it up, or add an iron-on patch. Suede patches on blazers or sweaters can create a new look.
  • Cut it – If your jeans are looking a little frayed at the bottom, consider cutting them shorter for a new pair of shorts.
  • Embroider it – some quick decorative stitches in your clothing can change it up just enough to make it feel new again. If you are unfamiliar with how to embroider, be sure to visit your local craft store or check out a video online for help.

Consider ways to extend the life of your clothing to save money and to keep used textiles out of the landfill!

Written by: Jessica Lowe, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Pickaway County, lowe.495@osu.edu

Reviewed by: Jenny Lobb, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Franklin County, lobb.3@osu.edu

References:

Hamilton, W. (2019, June). Rags to Riches: Recycling and upcycling Old Clothes. New Mexico State University – BE BOLD. Shape the Future. https://pubs.nmsu.edu/_c/C313/index.html

Lobb, J. (2022, April 26). Textile waste: A fashion faux pas. Live Healthy Live Well. https://livehealthyosu.com/2022/04/26/textile-waste-a-fashion-faux-pas/

Osmanski, S. (2024, May 7). 10 ways to upcycle old clothes according to experts. Reader’s Digest. https://www.rd.com/article/upcycle-clothes/

The United States Government. (2023, October 25). Readout of the white house convening on right to repair. The White House. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/10/25/readout-of-the-white-house-convening-on-right-to-repair/#:~:text=Over%2030%20states%20have%20introduced,just%20the%20last%20three%20years.

Yakimova, Y. (2024, April 23). Right to repair: Making repair easier and more appealing to consumers. News | European Parliament. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20240419IPR20590/right-to-repair-making-repair-easier-and-more-appealing-to-consumers

Reduce Stress: Fill Your Hope Chest

filling your hope chest

Let’s focus on Financial Wellness for a minute! 

Are you one of the almost three in four Americans surveyed recently by the American Psychological Association who said they are experiencing financial stress? Financial stress can affect people physically, emotionally, and psychologically and result in unhealthy coping behaviors.

Financial wellbeing includes being fully aware of your financial state and budget and managing your money to achieve realistic goals. When you analyze, plan well, and take control of your spending, you can make significant changes in how you save, and ultimately how you feel resulting in living a more hopeful life. 

Ohio State University Extension designed an Accounting for Your Money Hope Chest to “help people help themselves” as we work to achieve financial wellness during this time of rapid social and economic change. Managing and controlling our spending and saving is needed to build hope and manage emergent financial stress.

The purpose of the Hope Chest is for individuals and families to –

  • Prioritize spending by separating needs from wants
  • Identify realistic/SMART goals
  • Gather current financial spending and saving information
  • Locate emergency resources
  • Analyze their current budget
  • Develop a “new” Accounting for Your Money calendar
  • Take control of spending resulting in more saving for family goals

Work through the steps of the Accounting for Your Money Hope Chest with your family members and/or co-spenders as you and your family adjust to changing basic needs and wants. Determine how to best spend your money during this period of rapid social and economic change. Your family will be empowered to meet the new challenges brought about by the change, reducing financial emergencies and easing future financial stress.

Written by Margaret Jenkins, Assistant Professor, Family and Consumer Sciences, OSU Extension Clermont County

Reviewed by Nannette L. Neal, Extension Educator, Agriculture and Natural Resources, OSU Extension Clermont County

Sources: