5 sustainable, well-loved closet essentials you can upcycle with Cricut

11 August 2021

Feeling uninspired by your closet lately? That’s not uncommon– many of us are looking for a seasonal wardrobe refresh for Fall.

Some of our favorite shirts, jackets, and accessories from years past may not be igniting the same spark as they did before. That can be a point of friction for those looking to live a more sustainable lifestyle. What’s a stylish DIYer to do?

Rather than turn to fast fashions, try upcycling older pieces to create brand new looks. Breathing new life into your fashion favorites is a simple step toward building more sustainable practices. Check out these 5 closet essentials you can easily upcycle with help from Cricut iron-on materials.

Denim pieces

Denim is a fabric that’s built to last, plus it’s a timeless material that will never fade from fashion trends. Create new shades and washes for your denim pants, vests, shorts, and jackets with all-natural dye and bleach alternatives. Better yet, repurpose scrap iron-on and vinyl materials to create bold decals, like our “shine on” denim jacket design or a custom denim shorts pocket patch.

Basic tees

Upgrade a simple tee into a statement piece by upcycling them with creative or colorful graphics. Using any on-hand vinyl or infusible ink, you can patch over stained or well-worn shirts with entirely new designs. For our sustainable outdoor enthusiasts, Design Space houses plenty of punny plant-themed and nature-themed designs. Cricut also provides a wide array of t-shirt graphic aesthetics, from vintage-inspired skull rider designs to fun lunar lettering, so you’ll always find new inspiration for your next upcycle.

Bags and purses

Our bags see it all– from restaurant booths to car seats to countertops, we’re tossing our totes every which way. This is bound to result in some wear and tear, but nothing we can’t rescue with our Cricut craftiness! Old bags can be brought back to life with delicate vinyl decals of differing shapes and textures. Add a luxe gold touch to an old handbag and elevate it to new levels or place a pop of pattern on the inside flap of your favorite messenger bag. These subtle surprises are all you need to fall in love with your accessories all over again.

Shoes

They get us from point A to point B, and we love them for that. At what point do we say goodbye, though? Not anytime soon– ironing new designs onto a spent set of sneakers or sandals is another, more sustainable way to reinvigorate your wardrobe. Use fun and detailed patterns (like our tribal pattern here) to hide signs of wear or add a bit of flash to fading sandal straps with holographic materials.

Hats

A bad hair day is only worsened by an equally bad hat day. Lucky for us, vintage trucker hats are all the rage right now– design your own vintage-inspired snapback by adding a personalized design to an old cap. Not feeling the retro vibes? You can still practice sun safety in style by adding new accents to an old sunhat.

We can’t wait to see your upcycled and sustainable styles! Show us how you repurpose your most-loved fashion staples by sharing your projects using the #cricutmade tag on social.