Old T-Shirt Project

                                                           
T-shirts say a lot about a person. It's probably the most personal item of clothing you are ever going to wear.

Whether it's a simple black or white t-shirt that says 'I don't take too many risks' , or one emblazoned with your favourite band/singer/film or maybe the ironic tee with witty slogans showing off your comedic prowess. It tells the world who we are.

The above infographics comes from Nick Foster and shows us the T-Shirt Life-Cycle.

Over the years I've found myself, on a number of occasions, sitting cross-legged on the floor with a variety of t-shirt piles laid out in front of me.

First of all there's the keepers. That's the easy pile.
Relatively new. Still in ok shape. Not too much fading.
(of course this category has a few subcategories of 'Special', 'Regular' and edging towards 'Undershirt' as detailed in Nick's Infographic)

Next up is the 'It doesn't fit me any more but I loved this t shirt so much that maybe if I lost a bit of weight I might be able to fit...ah who am I kidding' pile. These always end up going back in the drawer until the next clear out where I'm always surprised I still have it and excited that I never threw it out...that is until I try it on again..

Maybe between those 2 piles there's a 'When did I buy that and Why did I buy that and What made me think I'd ever wear that - so I might as well just give it to the Charity shop - but wait, what if I could sell it on eBay, get some of my money back - oh, but then I'd have to take pictures of it and open an eBay account - where is the nearest Mrs Quinns charity shop anyway?' pile. This pile hangs around for a day or two but always, always leaves the house without a second thought or glance.

Then there's the 'I love this t-shirt and the way it looks on me but it's falling apart at the seams and I'd never be allowed to wear it out of the house so unfortunately must go into the bin but I bought it on that wonderful holiday and in that great second hand shop we found and it's so great and I just can't bear the thought of throwing it out' pile. This is the most difficult pile to deal with as there is so much sentimental attachment to them.

I then got to thinking, what if you don't have to throw out these beloved old t-shirts. What if there's a way to reuse or recycle them?

Here's a few ideas that I've found around the internet.

T-Shirt Cushions  - This is a great way to reuse your favourite t shirts that hold so many memories.

 T-Shirt Pet Toys - Why not make a fun toy for your pet. Maybe put in a squeaker as well.

T-Shirt Wall Art - Similar to the cushions. Check out Urban Outfitters for some great 12" Album cover frames that would be perfect to show off your favourite t-shirts.

Now, if none of those ideas take your fancy check out Hide Your Arms where there are 5 pages of ideas for you to trawl through.

Now, I've got to go through my 'Archive' pile of T-Shirts that don't fit anymore and figure out which ones I'm going to allow my son to wear when he grows up. He's only 8 months at this stage so I've got some time to decide.

I might even have one or two more for him by then.