I’m on a tote bag kick! I think tent fabric would make great totes and backpacks–it may be water resistant, depending on the tent. I would encase the seams in bias tape or use a french seam to eliminate raveling. I made huge bags to lug our camp stove, stove stand, and lantern stands in. Used bits of old backpack belting and the clips to close them.

As a tent you can still use it as a play house or dog shade, or for fishing in the rain!
As parts you can use the material for bunting, kites as you suggested and the poles for the garden to support growing plants.

You could use the fabric as a guard sheet if you were ever decorating

you could also use it for tools. If you’re needing to work outside and its raining, but you need to keep your tools dry.

You could use the fabric for a patio sun shade. We have no shade where I live so when I saw the picture of your tent I instantly imagined looking up and seeing the different hues of color while keeping cool in the shade. So many different usages…. Parts was great, window covering (for camper, etc) canvas for your kids to create works of art, then hang them on the wall or place in from of a window and allow the sun to shine behind.

Hey there,

Someone asked our organisation (London Community Recycling Network) the same question recently, we thought some of our members like TRAID or Goodone may be interested in getting your old tent to make nice ethical garments out of it. Also pupastudio, one of our latest member who make sustainable interior decor with reused materials maybe interested to use it for future projects.

Contact details:
TRAID (Textile Recycling for Aid and International Development): call 020 8733 2580 and / or: info@traid.org.uk

Goodone: call 020 898 65 808 and ask for Phoebe. Email address: info@goodone.co.uk

pupastudio: call 020 7749 1138 and ask for Ciara. Email: info@pupastudio.com

Go on the internet and find a pattern to make kites. The light material is perfect for kites, not to mention a heck of alot stronger than those cheap plastic junkie kites! You can even make enough to give to needy kids here or abroad.

If it has a mosquito net that can be cut away and saved to protect from insects in other situations, e.g. put it over the windows at home to keep insects out on summer nights.

We recently gave two away to a couple of local homeless people so they could shelter from the rain.