Eco-friendly uses for swag a.k.a old t-shirts

Kat Warner
Marketplace Partner
Marketplace Partners provide apps and integrations available on the Atlassian Marketplace that extend the power of Atlassian products.
July 4, 2018

In New Zealand, there is a push to stop using single-use plastic bags. This trend is surely happening elsewhere as well.

Sometimes children grow out of their t-shirts before they look worn or you end up with far too many t-shirts or t-shirts the wrong size for you to wear. (Yay for summit swag).

Problem meets solution!

Adult t-shirts can become grocery shopping bags and children's sizes make great produce bags.

Sewing method

  1. Cut inside the arm seams and cut a scoop around the neckband. Cut the front and back at as the same time so they match.
  2. Cut the hem off the bottom of the t-shirt.
  3. Turn the t-shirt inside out and sew with a zig zag stitch.
  4. <Optional> Sew in a box bottom if you know how or just Google for the instructions.

No-sew method

  1. Cut inside the arm seams and cut a scoop around the neckband. Cut the front and back at as the same time so they match.
  2. Cut a fringe 4cm into the shirt all the way along the bottom (shorter cuts for children's t-shirts).  Each cut should be approx 1.5cm apart. The first cut of the fringe will have a piece of the front and back of the t-shirt and will include the side seam. Cut carefully along the seam to separate and begin the knotting process using these two pieces.
  3. Begin knotting a piece from the back and front together. Do this all the way along the bottom.  You can either have the fringe on the inside of the bag or showing as a tassel along the bottom of the bag.

tshirt bags.jpg

4 comments

Comment

Log in or Sign up to comment
Kimberly Deal _Columbus ACE_
Community Leader
Community Leader
Community Leaders are connectors, ambassadors, and mentors. On the online community, they serve as thought leaders, product experts, and moderators.
July 4, 2018

Ooh.  Awesome idea.  Easy to pack swag bags for Summit too!

Fabienne Gerhard
Community Leader
Community Leader
Community Leaders are connectors, ambassadors, and mentors. On the online community, they serve as thought leaders, product experts, and moderators.
July 4, 2018

I love this idea of recycling - tried the non-sewing method but with only one big knot, but that took a lot of space from the bag.

Will try out to sew it. 

Kat Warner
Marketplace Partner
Marketplace Partners provide apps and integrations available on the Atlassian Marketplace that extend the power of Atlassian products.
July 5, 2018

Confession time ... I have not made a bag like this yet. It is my mission for this weekend.

Kimberly Deal _Columbus ACE_
Community Leader
Community Leader
Community Leaders are connectors, ambassadors, and mentors. On the online community, they serve as thought leaders, product experts, and moderators.
July 6, 2018

 I like the fringe knot idea for the no sew. 

I suppose this would give me practice sewing knits, which I don't do :-)

Love the kitty gif! @Fabienne Gerhard

Fabienne Gerhard
Community Leader
Community Leader
Community Leaders are connectors, ambassadors, and mentors. On the online community, they serve as thought leaders, product experts, and moderators.
July 9, 2018

thanks @Kimberly - love kittys, gifs and would love to be better at sewing - what would be better than combining this

I stumbled across another idea that is similar to the bag idea:

Make pillows out of shirts and also business shirts (who doesn't love a good sleep)

383b3328b9f2f485ea271c7ed0408d3d

I love the idea behind those shirt pillows with a memory.

For pillows made of t-shirt it seems like there are several ways to realize them starting with knots, braiding up to sewing.

Did anyone try this?

@Kat Warnerhow did your weekend mission go?

Kat Warner
Marketplace Partner
Marketplace Partners provide apps and integrations available on the Atlassian Marketplace that extend the power of Atlassian products.
July 9, 2018

@Fabienne Gerhard - it went well but I have not taken a photo yet. I'll get on to that!

 

The shirt pillows seem like an amazing way to remember someone special.

Kimberly Deal _Columbus ACE_
Community Leader
Community Leader
Community Leaders are connectors, ambassadors, and mentors. On the online community, they serve as thought leaders, product experts, and moderators.
July 9, 2018

@Fabienne Gerhard

Like anything, the more you do it the better you will get at it.  I've been sewing for a long time, and I still find challenging projects.  :-)

Fabienne Gerhard
Community Leader
Community Leader
Community Leaders are connectors, ambassadors, and mentors. On the online community, they serve as thought leaders, product experts, and moderators.
July 11, 2018

Would love to see the results @Kat Warner

I will definitly work on my sewing skills - especially working with jersey fabric, I have a lot of respect for! Kimberly Deal

Kat Warner
Marketplace Partner
Marketplace Partners provide apps and integrations available on the Atlassian Marketplace that extend the power of Atlassian products.
July 17, 2018

Here is my first attempt. My husband was not so keen to have one of his gaming t-shirts sacrificed to this experiment in case I failed completely. I'm happy with the result.

IMG_20180715_113927.jpg

Kimberly Deal _Columbus ACE_
Community Leader
Community Leader
Community Leaders are connectors, ambassadors, and mentors. On the online community, they serve as thought leaders, product experts, and moderators.
July 17, 2018

Awesome!  It looks great.  Now he can wear a gaming shirt *and* carry a gaming t-shirt bag!

Monique vdB
Community Manager
Community Managers are Atlassian Team members who specifically run and moderate Atlassian communities. Feel free to say hello!
October 4, 2018

Oooh I will have to try this with my Unisex Conference Shirts of Sadness, aka, shirts that try their hardest but don't fit. 

Kat Warner
Marketplace Partner
Marketplace Partners provide apps and integrations available on the Atlassian Marketplace that extend the power of Atlassian products.
October 4, 2018

Give the shirt a different purpose - it did not want to fail. :P

TAGS
AUG Leaders

Atlassian Community Events