Comments on: How can I reuse or recycle old tights/stockings?

By: How can I reuse or recycle man-made fabric clothes? | Earth 4 Energy Blueprints - Combating Global Warming - Recycle, Reuse, Reduce - Alternative Energy - Alternative Fuels

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 16:23:58 +0000

[...] fabric – a man-made fleece jacket is going to have different reuses to a viscose camisole or nylon tights. From Lynette’s mention of wool, I’m guessing she’s thinking about fake woollies [...]

By: How can I reuse or recycle man-made fabric clothes?

How can I reuse or recycle man-made fabric clothes? — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 10:59:44 +0000

By: How can I reuse or recycle man-made fabric clothes? | How can I recycle this?

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 10:01:41 +0000

By: Jenny Paul

Jenny Paul — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 09:52:01 +0000

Hallo Bea,
I read your message after putting the question, ” How can I recycle my nylon tights?”
Please can I send you my washed and clean tights? (some have holes in)
Puis-je vous envoler mes tights? Avez vous une addresse que je peux utiliser?
J’aime bien les fleurs que vous faites.
J’en ai beaucoup de tights que je peux envoler.
Est-ce que vous peux uitliser les tights noir?
Best wishes
Hope you understand my French!
Jenny

By: Amelia

Amelia — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 11:19:54 +0000

Old tights can be used as a great storage system for hanging up onions in a cool dry place after they have been harvested

By: Shorty

Shorty — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 23:22:07 +0000

The filtering options are endless! Maybe they can be stitched into a reusable coffee filter?

By: Anna

Anna — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:31:41 +0000

…and they can be cut into small pieces and used to stuff cushions or soft toys! Best mixed with polyester stuffing (from an old duvet is the cheapest way, or cushions/pillows that have gone out of shape)- the tights make the polyester go further and tend to be a bit lumpy on their own.

By: Anna

Anna — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:30:15 +0000

They can also be plaited into bathmats. Cut off waist elastic, cut up centre of body section to provide separate legs, sew legs together at toes and tops to make long continuous strips that you wind into balls. Then plait together and sew into rounds or ovals, coiling the plait and sewing as you go. They look best dyed – nylon dyes well with washing-machine Dylon and they make warm, soft and quick-drying bathmats. You can even dye your balls of lengths into different shades and have a 3-tone mat, if you can be bothered.

By: Anna

Anna — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:26:56 +0000

They can be used as padding for covered coathangers for self or to give as presents. Get a wooden coathanger (haven’t been able to make this work with wire ones, sadly!) – cut elastic off waist of tights as it’s too thick and lumpy, then wind tights tightly round hanger from one end to the other and secure end with a few stitches. Knit or crochet a long strip – get measurements by measuring round hanger (usually 2-3″) and length of hanger, then calculate using tension. If using DK yarn and size 9 needles, 24sts = 4″, so work it out from there. Usually I use about 15 sts. Knit (plain or fancy stitch, your choice!) or crochet to right length. Sew round hanger. Add ribbon bow to base of metal hanger bit, decorate with buttons, lace, bows, anything. (BTW metal hanger is just poked through knitting at the halfway point – no need to detach it.)

By: Leslizia

Leslizia — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 15:19:40 +0000

you can cut them and make some new stockings

By: Tempest

Tempest — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 22:41:34 +0000

My Gran made a jar full of what she called pickled bums, sections of tights filled with cotton wool, or some filler, then put a cotton line through making what looked like a bottom. This was then given as a novelty present to friends and family.

Made me laugh.

By: Beamager

Beamager — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 16:08:26 +0000

Good morning, Excuse Me but my English is not very good. Here is my request: I search bottoms or panty hoses spun to make flowers with. Then if you had bottoms or panty hoses that you want to throw the poubelle them, think in moi. I me definitely to recover them. But my biggest probleme it is to find of the matiere premiere (panty hoses or bottom lines). It is for it that I come to ask you if you would not have panty hoses or bottom lines which you want to throw has the garbage can. Because, I want recuperer. You want to see what I make: http://www.aufeminin.com/album/mesfleursencollant You will be can etre surprised by what they can make by recycling sticky or low. Accept not you from it me of Belgium, Italy, Switzerland then why? I wait for your answers. Thank you has you. In + Bea
beamager@wanadoo.fr

By: fools gold

fools gold — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 21:07:13 +0000

i use old tights etc to seive old paint they are brilliant for this. we also use other clothing plus thick opaque tights for polishing. it’s cheaper to re-use than buy in rags. drop me a line at, munchkin69@mail2chocolate.com gladly take all unwanted stuff. will try and make use out of most things.

By: Ruti

Ruti — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 19:04:32 +0000

Could they (the strong ones) be upcycled into hammocks by weaving? Not that I need a hammock though….

By: Ruti

Ruti — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 19:02:58 +0000

The thin ones we used to cut a bit and stuff it with cotton wool to make little fat faced people broaches. Coloured ones can be used with wire to make flowers. Cut up and use as stuffing for soft toys. Grassheads http://brysoncgeducation.org/teachers/RecycledCrafts.pdf scroll down till found.

Use thicker ones for draught excluders / toy snake.

Mine are very thick though, since I put my nails through them very easily, even the thickest. Would like a non dodgy idea for re-use.

By: Ruti

Ruti — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 18:42:16 +0000

Yes, we used to use old tights and a tennis ball and stand up against a wall bouncing it off in different directions – there was a rhyme that went with this playground game, but I can’t remember it.

By: Bad Monkey

Bad Monkey — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 02:49:40 +0000

I remember my Mum used to fill an old pair of tights with other old bits of rags/clothes/newspaper and other old tights, stuffing it full and stretching the leg to its full length, then tying end off and using it as a draught excluder, then when she wore another pair out she simply pulled ot over the draught excluder thereby making it thicker and warmer!!

By: Alice

Alice — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 12:05:23 +0000

Stressed out??
Want to take your stress out on something but don’t know what??

Cut the foot or leg of a pair of old tights or pop sox and fill them with flour of sand or both and tie a knot in the end, fill it with as much flour/sand as possible.
You could even stick googly eyes and wool for hair onto it.

Now everytime you get stressed out squeese it or whack it on the floor or on a table.

You will be stress free forever!!!

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 11:39:43 +0000

How about this – recycling for charity: http://www.tightsplease.co.uk/index.php?pagecat=126

By: HoseMan

HoseMan — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 20:24:39 +0000

I like to beat myself off while wearing old tights, please send me your old ones and maybe a pciture ;)

By: darren

darren — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 17:23:14 +0000

cut the leg of the tights and the foot and pull over the arm or leg to keep bandage,s clean or make a round frame from coat hangers to catch fish when cleaning out a pond or tank the softness of the nylon wonte hurt the fishes scales or put straw in the legs and float them in the pond this filters the alge on to the straw or oil sliks.

By: Jessie

Jessie — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 21:42:33 +0000

Please just keep them and look after them, all these ideas are mean and evil, you should all look after them, they all have alife aswell you know!

By: ecobunny

ecobunny — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 09:53:56 +0000

Secure piece over end of hoover nozzle to stop little things disappearing up the tube or to search for earrings/backs

By: Katie

Katie — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 12:41:03 +0000

Do what my dad did with all our old tights, Use them to strain old paint. When you haven’t used paint for a while it goes lumpy and sometimes get rust in it, sieve it using tights.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 15:12:49 +0000

I work with a great group of ladies. We make quilts for those that are less fortunate. We are always in need of materials to use for stuffing and other parts of the quilts. We use lots of old tights/pantyhose. There are also lots of other things we are always in need of. If you would like more information about what we can use or where to send your unwanted items please feel free to email me at
Quilts4homeless@yahoo.com
Thank You and God Bless,
Jennifer

By: ideas4life

ideas4life — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 21:25:46 +0000

i have been reusing tights for a long time turning them into all sorts of things from objects of abstract art to simple garden basket liners. one small problem though is i no longer have anyone to supply me with any.
CAN ANYONE HELP PLEASE email me-
id4life2002@artlover.com

By: Michelle

Michelle — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 17:37:54 +0000

I had some old cable (thick) tights that I cut the legs off of. I use the panty part as a panty! It is especially helpful when I’m on my period to hold the sanitary pad in place while I’m sleeping. (I make my own pads too, from rags.) The legs work as either socks or you can cut the feet off and use them as leg warmers.

By: molliewobbles

molliewobbles — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 04:49:39 +0000

2 suggestions:

If someone has some that they’ve grown out of, you could cut the feet off and have leggings.

A great way to use nylons is to put in some uncooked, regular oatmeal and tie a knot. Then throw in the bath. This sounds a bit weird, but it’s really soothing. I do this all the time, but it was a real life-saver when I had chicken-pox.

By: james r

james r — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 23:17:12 +0000

I heard a good suggestion about using them to string up french beans and tomato plants, but after reading some of the ruder comments I don’t think I’ll bother in case my friends think I am a bit peculiar.

By: eden

eden — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 22:48:51 +0000

me and my friend make gloves from them