You probably know the situation: a year or two ago, this dress was your absolute favorite and you loved wearing it again and again - but now you find it boring. But that doesn't mean you have to donate it to a clothing donation center: upcycling is the magic word. More and more people are following this trend, turning old things into something new - and having fun doing it. Not only discarded clothes, but also old furniture and even paper, glass or plastic waste can often be turned into something beautiful. Maybe you want to spice up your dress because it turned out to be a bad buy. With a little skill, you can turn it into a new favorite piece.
Raw materials are becoming scarcer and there is more and more waste - this is leading to growing environmental awareness among many people. The upcycling of clothing is a trend that picks up on this. Because even if textiles are produced in the most environmentally friendly way possible, they are only truly sustainable if they are worn for a long time. In the age of fast fashion, this is rarely the case and many items end up in the bin after one season - because they no longer appeal, no longer correspond to the latest fashion or the textile quality is so poor that they are no longer wearable. Added to this are bad purchases, which are often worn two or three times at most before they find their way into the clothing donation or are thrown away.
Numerous companies have taken various measures to curb this waste. For a long time, the industry assumed that clothing production had the greatest impact on the environment. We now know that use and disposal also have an impact. The findings are conclusive: If an item of clothing is worn for longer, less new clothing is produced and correspondingly less is disposed of. So if you upcycle your dress and don't throw it away, you will have a positive impact on your ecological footprint. We show you how you can implement the upcycling trend at home with the simplest of means and not only gain a new item of clothing, but also do something for your finances and the environment.
There are many different ways to give a worn-out dress a new look. Beginners with little experience in crafting and sewing are particularly reluctant to use scissors and a sewing machine for their first upcycling attempts. For them, designing with fabric paint, iron-on foil or a glue gun is a good idea: These allow even inexperienced people to implement creative ideas quickly and easily.
Fabric paints make it easy to add an individual design to a dress. The paints are no longer only available in liquid form, but also as a spray or pen - an excellent solution for anyone who has difficulty using a brush. Textile sprays are ideal for adding color to the hems of clothes, for example. Textile pens, on the other hand, allow you to work very precisely. Or how about using stamps to decorate your garments with graphic patterns? All you have to do is cut shapes out of foam scraps and attach them to corks or bottle caps - and then you can dip the foam into the paint and start stamping. Or you can cut a stencil and transfer the paint to the fabric with a sponge.
Spice up a dress with a glue gun? You may be wondering how to do this. The answer: with hot glue! It is perfect for attaching gemstones or embellishments to the hem if sewing is not your hobby. It's easy to learn how to use a glue gun. Designing with iron-on foils is just as easy: you only need to familiarize yourself with the manufacturer's instructions and you can start your creative work. Pre-made motifs such as stars, flowers or sayings are available from creative markets or online stores. You can implement your own ideas using blank film and a printer.
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Other items of clothing such as T-shirts, sweaters or denim jackets can also be spiced up using these simple methods. And even children can give free rein to their creativity in this way.
Want to spice up your plain dress and give it a sophisticated touch? It's easier than you might think. All you need is the right accessories and a little sewing experience. Depending on the type of dress, the hem, sleeve ends and collar can be embellished with rhinestones, sequins or beads. These are either sewn on or attached with textile glue. Decorative and shiny buttons are also popular. Decorating with lace or embroidery is also a wonderful way to enhance a dress.
If you are good with a sewing machine, you can also use more elaborate upcycling methods. For example, you can first take out your scissors: Cutting, unraveling seams, changing shapes - if you know something about sewing, none of this is a problem. This way, for example, you can turn a dress into a two-piece with a skirt and top. Or how about a fringed hem? There are no limits to your creativity when it comes to spicing up your dress.
By the way, even after upcycling, wash your dress according to the recommendations on the label. Dylon has the right detergent for your needs. For embellishments such as rhinestones, beads, sequins and decorative buttons, we recommend using a laundry bag when washing your dress in the machine.