3 R's Kids Clothes

[wolfhazel]

Well kids grow so fast and go through so much clothing (or at least mine do)... but I believe I have a really good go at the 3 R's with them all...

Reduce - I only buy what is needed and don't buy as much for my second child due to the second R. I also try to mend clothes that have holes in them rather than just chucking them away.

Reuse - I have two girls so can pass on all clothing to my youngest to reuse and when she is done with them I pass them onto the charity shop.

Recycle - If there's a really nice bit of fabric in the clothing then I might recycle it by making it into something else... for example I made a patchwork apron for my eldest daughters birthday out of bits of old clothing. Anything that can not go to the charity shop or be reused gets recycled.

What do you do with your kids clothes in order to reduce, reuse and recycle?

[Pumpkin&Piglet]

Pretty much the same!!

Except I buy so little as I'm given a lot and I pass on a lot of stuff to other mums rather than charity shops or I keep a lot for future babies.

If me or my mum are buying for the kids we usually buy second hand too

[JuzaMum]

Hi

I have been lucky enough to have been given lots things for my littlest ones - quite a bit off freecycle including cot, cotbed, bedding, nappies. I freecycle or pass on what is usable when I have finished.

Old stained clothes get used for cleaning cloths. Buttons are removed for my sewing box.

I am experimenting with knitting with rags from clothes and attempting to make a handbag. Will post picture if it works.

Would love to find more uses for clothes past their best.

JuzaMum

[wolfhazel]

I use their clothes as rags for cleaning too... keep meaning to make some napkins and handerchiefs as well at some point. Storing the material for when I have time :D

I never thought to save the buttons for my craft box. I'll start doing that! I freecycle too it's a great system! Let me know how your handbag turns out, crochet and knitting are on my to do list to learn. At the moment I'm mastering sewing, coming along quite well too I think :D

[the.fee.fairy]

I saw a really nice fabric book made of old kids clothes on pinterest.

It had things like the tops of dungarees in it so that the kid playing with it could learn to do up/undo the tops, zips that moved and buttons that could be buttoned. It was made out of old baby clothes.

My friend's having a baby soon so I'm going to ask her to keep some of it's first clothes so that I can make a fabric book for her when the kid gets older.

[demi]

I reused as much of my daughters clothes for my son as i could, minus the pink dresses lol. Iv given away lots of clothes to friends and had some returned to me once they're out grown. Iv also recieved clothes from friends which ill return also. We might have more kids so i want to keep the nice things, but iv got enough of everything that i doubt id have to buy anything for the next baby. Most of the kids clothes have been bought for them as presents, same for the pram, cot, car seat ect so iv been lucky i didnt need to buy much myself.

Once we're done having kids ill keep a few nice things as memouirs and give the rest away either to friends/relitives or charity shops.

[wolfhazel]

I was about to buy a vintage style advent calendar off ebay (second hand in true eco style) when I went an eco notch further (as I lost the bid) and thought to myself I'll make one!

So now I need to stop procrastinating on here and get it done in time for December! EEEEEKKKKK! Got the Green n Blacks chocolate stored in the fridge on the ready for its completion!

[berry]

my son loves his starwars t-shirts so much ive had to keep them but im planing on turning them into some sort of quilt for his bed :)

[mrsflibble]

I save buttons and zips, but we don't get much second hand at the mo. child is a different shape to most of the older girls I know, those older girls have siblings and local second hand shops are slim pickings for kid's stuff unfortunately

[clare]

I have 11 and 7 year old girl so keep things to hand down but I also sell anything in good condition on ebay,mostly gifts from relatives they spend more than I can on outfits for the girls so when they don't fit anymore I sell them to go towards things they need.I too charity shop stuff or really worn stuff becomes cleaning rags.I too save buttons,but also motiffs from the fronts of t-shirts.My youngest loves bunnies so anything bunny she outgrows(they are usually her favourites) I save the picture and either sew on a plain top or onto something else.She has a great pe bag for school with a bunny on.

[the.fee.fairy]

If you have old onesies that are past wearing stage but still functional see if the local vet wants them for animals that have just had surgery.

Nucky's just been spayed and she hasn't licked her stitches, but her belly's itching as the fur grows back, so she's scratched it. She's got red sides now, so I got her a onesie to wear for a while until her fur grows back.

[JuzaMum]

Hello again

I have posted a pic of my recycled kids clothes bag. If anyone would like to see it I have put it in the Looks like we made it section

JuzaMum