14 Ideas for Recycling Old Items: Creativity from Things Thought to Be Discarded

In this day and age, when we face the risk of the production process causing many negative impacts on the environment, recycling becomes increasingly important. In this article, EQUO will introduce to you 15 creative ideas to recycle old items, from clothes to household goods, regardless of their materials.. We will discover how to turn seemingly discarded things into new works, not only retaining their value but also reducing the amount of waste harmful to the environment.

1. Recycle old clothes

Clothing is one of the most used items in the family. However, after a period of use, clothes can be torn, old, out of style, etc. and need to be replaced. Instead of throwing away these old items, you can utilize them to create new, unique and useful items. EQUO would like to suggest the following 3 ways to recycle them:

1.1. Recycle shirts into pillow

Old shirts can be recycled into soft and comfortable backrest pillows. To make a backrest pillow from a shirt, you need to prepare the following ingredients:

• Old shirt
• Scrap
• Cotton
• Needle
• Drag

Instructions:

1. Wash the old shirt and cut off the neck and sleeves.
2. Cut the shirt into even strips of fabric.
3. Use a needle and thread to sew the fabric strips together into one large fabric.
4. Stuff cotton balls inside the cloth.
5. Sew the edge of the fabric to secure the cotton.

1.2. Recycle old clothes into carpets

Old clothes are a large source of waste that pollutes the environment. Instead of throwing away, we can recycle old clothes into useful items such as carpets. Carpets made from old clothes are beautiful, unique, and environmentally friendly.

Instructions:

1. Cut old clothes and leftover fabric into long, 2-3cm wide strips.
2. Plait three strips of fabric to form ropes.
3. Shape the carpet to your liking.
4. Join the ropes together using a sewing needle or fabric glue.
5. Trim carpet edges to perfection.

Note:

When braiding the strip of fabric, you should braid it tightly so that the carpet is sturdy.

If you use a sewing needle to join the fabric straps together, you should choose a needle and thread suitable for the fabric material.

Source: Internet

With a little ingenuity and creativity, you can turn old clothes into beautiful and unique carpets. This is an effective way to recycle old clothes, both helping to protect the environment and giving you beautiful interior decorations.

1.3. Recycle jeans into tote bags

A tote bag is a fashionable and convenient handbag. You can recycle old jeans to make tote bags.

Instructions:

1. Cut the jeans into two pieces, each piece about 50cm long.
2. Fold a piece of jeans lengthwise.
3. Sew the two ends of the fabric together.
4. Sew the zipper to the body of the bag.
5. Cut off the excess fabric at the corners of the bag.
6. Make the bag straps by cutting two pieces of jeans fabric about 50cm long.
7. Sew bag straps to both sides of the bag.

Source: Internet

Recycling old clothes not only brings economic and environmental benefits but also provides a way for us to express our creativity and aesthetic taste.

2. Recycle materials from paper and cardboard

Paper and cardboard are common materials in life, but after use, are often thrown away as waste. This has a negative impact on the environment because paper and cardboard require a lot of raw materials and energy to produce. Recycling paper and cardboard into creative products is a practical solution to protect the environment, helping to reduce wood exploitation and save resources. Here are some examples of effective recycling:

2.1. Stationery box

Stationery boxes keep your stationery items neatly arranged but also make them easily accessible when needed.. Made from recycled paper, these boxes can be designed in many different designs and sizes, suitable for each person's needs. You can make your own stationery boxes from recycled paper, or buy ready-made products on the market.

Source: Internet

2.2. Photo frame

Photo frames made from recycled paper and cardboard are a great choice for preserving memorable moments. Not only that, these photo frames also have practical meaning in protecting the environment.

Using recycled paper and cardboard to make photo frames helps reduce the amount of waste released into the environment. The production process of recycled photo frames also has less impact on the environment than using new materials.

Recycled photo frames come in many different designs, colors, and sizes, suitable for any space and decoration style. You can make your own recycled photo frames or buy them ready-made at stores.

2.3. Phone stand

A phone stand is a useful item that helps keep your phone in the right position, and convenient for use. However, traditional phone stands are often made from plastic, which can cause environmental pollution when disposed of.

Recycled phone stands are a great alternative to traditional phone stands. These racks are made from recycled paper, have good bearing capacity, and are easily recycled when no longer needed.

You can make your own recycled phone stand at home from simple materials such as cardboard, newspaper, colored paper, etc. Here are some basic instructions:

1. Cut the cardboard into a rectangle the right size for your phone.
2. Fold the cardboard in half lengthwise.
3. Use glue to secure the edges of the cardboard together.
4. Decorate the phone stand according to your preferences.

Paper and cardboard are easily recyclable materials, helping to reduce the amount of waste released into the environment and saving natural resources. In recent years, creativity in recycling paper and cardboard has become a new trend. Designers and businesses are finding ways to turn recycled materials into useful and beautiful products.

3. Recycle old wooden materials

Recycling old wood helps reduce the amount of waste, minimizes the exploitation of new wood, and creates new products with high use value. In this part, let's learn with EQUO about some applications of recycled wood items in our daily life, specifically in the production of racks and toys for children!

3.1. Hanging racks

Hanging racks made from recycled wood not only bring a rustic, natural beauty to the space but also contribute to protecting the environment. 

These hangers are often creatively designed, have good bearing capacity and save space. Choosing a shelf made from recycled wood not only brings convenience to the living space but is also an action that contributes to protecting the environment.

3.2. Children's toys

Recycling wood to produce children's toys is one way to build a sustainable future for future generations. Toys from recycled wood not only bring joy to children but also help children develop awareness of environmental protection from an early age.

Recycled wood toys are often produced from recycled sources such as old boards, helping to reduce pressure on primary forests. In addition, using recycled materials helps avoid new logging, contributing to environmental protection.

Source: Internet

Overall, recycling old wood is a solution that brings many benefits to the environment and society. 

4. Recycle old plastic bottles

Recycling old plastic bottles is a useful way to protect the environment and reduce plastic waste. Old plastic bottles can be recycled into useful products for plant care, such as watering cans, flowerpots and economical piggy banks.

4.1. Watering can

Recycling old plastic bottles to create watering cans for plants is a creative and practical solution. These recycled bottles not only help reduce waste but also create useful products for plant care. Watering can designs often come with flexible nozzles, making it easy to water plants and flowers evenly without causing water loss.

4.2. Flowerpot

Flowerpots from recycled plastic bottles not only beautify the living space but are also a symbol of creativity and environmental protection. These flowerpots are often designed with a variety of shapes and colors, bringing a green and fresh living space.

4.3. Piggy bank

A piggy bank is a popular item used to store savings. Savings piggy banks are usually made from ceramic, porcelain, or plastic. However, savings piggy banks made from plastic bottles are also a great choice, both cost-saving and environmentally friendly.

Recycling old plastic bottles is a practical action that contributes to environmental protection. By recycling plastic bottles, we not only reduce the amount of plastic waste but also help save natural resources.

5. Recycle old glass bottles

Glass bottles, with their unique sustainability and beauty, are very suitable for being recycled into many applicable products. Through the process of recycling old glass bottles, we not only save resources but also contribute to protecting the environment and creating new extremely useful products. Here are some creative ideas for recycling old glass bottles:

5.1. Vase

Recycling old glass bottles to create flower vases not only makes the flowers more attractive but also enhances the beauty of the glass bottle. These flower vases are often handmade, with many different shapes and sizes, bringing creativity and style to the decorative space.

Source: Internet

5.2. Decorations

Old glass bottles can be transformed into unique and beautiful decorative products. Artisans often use cutting, fading, or painting techniques to create unique works of art from used bottles. This not only helps reduce waste but also creates decorative products that bring a new look to the living space.

5.3. Chandeliers

Recycled glass bottles can also become the main ingredient in creating unique chandeliers. Combining glass bottles of different shapes and colors creates shimmer and style. Chandeliers from recycled glass bottles are not only an environmentally friendly product but also a delicate artistic highlight in the decorative space.

Source: Internet

With these ideas for recycling old items, we can see the power of creativity in reducing waste and protecting the environment. Every small action, like recycling an old shirt into a backrest pillow or turning a plastic bottle into a watering can for plants, contributes to a sustainable future. Try applying these ideas in your daily life and together with EQUO, let's join hands to build a cleaner and more beautiful world.

Actively Protect the Environment With EQUO Organic Products

Recycling is one of the effective ways to reduce plastic waste. However, besides recycling, we also need to change our habit of using disposable plastic products with environmentally friendly products.

EQUO is a pioneering brand in providing compostable single-use products such as straws, knives, spoons, forks, and containers,...made from plant-based ingredients such as rice, almond grass, sugarcane, coffee, and coconut. These products have many outstanding advantages such as:

• Environmentally friendly, home-compostable.
• Plastic-free, PLA-free, PFAS-free
• Safe for users' health.
• Beautiful and luxurious appearance.

Let's join hands to protect the environment by using EQUO's organic products today: