How can I reuse or recycle waterproof clothing?

The wonderful Alice in Blogland sent me an email last week:

Thought of another recycle that I could use some help with!

I’ve taken some waterproof trousers, jackets and cycling gear from someone who didn’t want to just dump them in landfill. I thought there would be
loads of things I could make with them – my ideas so far are a pair of rainlegs, a pair of gaiters made from the bottom of some waterproof trousers, a rucksack cover like this, a waterproof bike saddle cover and maybe a waterproof hat.

Can anyone come up with any more ideas? And does anyone know how I can seal the seams for things which need to be really watertight?

I think we’ve talked about the watertight seam question before – but if anyone has any new suggestions, please do feel free to add them.

As for things to make out of them, if I still used my bike, I’d probably want a waterproof hat/helmet cover – with a peak at the front to protect my glasses a bit. I also like the idea of gaiters as my trousers always puddle-soak.

As it is though, I rarely have to leave the house in the rain so if the waterproofs were made from a neoprene type material, I’d probably use some of it, along with a bit of expanded polystyrene foam, to make a bath pillow – much more my speed now ;)

Other ideas?

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6 Responses to “How can I reuse or recycle waterproof clothing?”


  1. Linda says:

    Laundry bag for camping.
    Swimming bag for damp/wet gear.
    Toilet bag.
    Wind-proof top.
    Lining a picnic blanket.
    Baby bibs or over-nappies, baby overalls are fantastic for messy play (ditto child’s art apron)
    Table cloth or placemats.
    Protection around new plants…..

  2. Waxed thread is the traditional way of making waterproof seams (sew then iron to melt the wax), but I noticed that my daughter’s all-weather pants have a sort of iron-on tape over the seams on the inside. I’d check at an outdoor supply shop for the tape.

    I’d use it for diaper/nappy covers, too! But there’s also dog booties, waterproof lining for mittens, produce and other shopping bags, replacement umbrella fabric, and lunch sacks.

  3. Rebecca says:

    I’ve made old waterproof gear into re-usable snack/lunch bags.

    This is a commercial version to give you an idea of what I mean.
    http://www.snacktaxi.com/

    I’ve found they get all kinds of use beyond snacks. At the moment my partner is keeping an iPod and it’s attendant bits in one.

  4. lining for a toiletries bag
    cover for an all weather notebook (useful if you’re a birder or a poet!)

  5. Those are all great ideas. I love the lunch bag, laundry bag (maybe even a stuff sack or a pack cover), and the liner for a toiletries bag.

    My best idea would be to make grocery bags or purses from them. A lady from my church made a bag using a pant leg for the body and the waistband of skirt for the handle. It was adorable. Here are some bags I have made; one is from old clothing the other is from curtains.

    http://feliciafollum.blogspot.com/2011/02/upcycled-curtain-bags.html

    http://feliciafollum.blogspot.com/2011/03/upcycled-shopping-bag.html – I will be posting a tutorial for this bag here pretty soon.



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