It's Textile Tuesday!

Welcome to Textile Tuesday!

Jon is one of our newer binner-staff and is well known for his quirky style and making his own clothing. We sat down with him to hear more about how he finds and makes clothing.
 
What kind of things do you usually like to make from the items you find?

I really like making hats from scratch like this leather one I’m wearing. I also refurbish hats a lot if I find old ones, I’ll replace the plastic part in the brim and fix it up a bit. 

What kind of material do you like to work with the most?

Usually leather - I love finding things made of leather like jackets and purses. But I also really like patterned things because they’re fun. 

Sometimes I make jewelry out of old computer parts and other things I find, I like working with that kind of stuff too.

How do you make things?

I have a sewing machine and like to take what I find apart and make new things out of it. Like this leather hat I have, I made this out of a leather jacket that I found in the alley. I took it apart and made it into a hat instead - it took me about 6 months to make. I like to take my time. 

Where do you normally find used clothing?

Sometimes things are just in the street, must most times I find them in alleys. I find people tend to put things outside of the bin if they think someone might be able to reuse them. That’s how I find most of my stuff, I never go inside the bins.

Why do you like to make things out of something old?

Everything has a purpose, and everything can be made beautiful again. I like spending time making new things out of something that's been used. 

What would you challenge others to do when it comes to getting rid of their old clothing?

Don’t throw it away, or even put it in the alley. There’s tons of people who would love to make something new out of it, so you could either sell it online or give it away for free somewhere. If you want you could give it to a thrift store, sometimes I go there to find things for myself. 

Here's some tips: 

1. Recycle your textiles with Waste Control Services
2. Donate your gently used clothing to UGM’s Thrift Store