Upcycle Tee Shirts: A Green, Low Cost Business Idea

By Melissa Batai

Go to any garage sale or thrift store, and you'll likely find plenty of t-shirts to be had for cheap. Most of us just need to open our own closets to find more tee shirts than we need.

If you're looking for a work from home business idea, the abundance of tee shirts may be all the inspiration you need, especially if you're crafty.

Consider these business ideas using old tee shirts as your product:

1. Create memory quilts. People often hold onto old tee shirts because they mark memories. Maybe of the concerts that they went to or the sports teams they cheer for or play on. You could turn these tee shirts into throw size or full size quilts. There is a market for this as more and more people try to simplify their belongings but don't want to let the memories go.

2. Create little girl dresses and accessories. Browse Pinterest for a bit, and you'll find plenty of different ways to convert adult tee shirts into adorable dresses for little girls. There are also many ways you can turn tee shirts into hair bands and other accessories.

3. Create home accessories. You're grandma may have had a woven rug. Those rugs are back in vogue now and create a sense of nostalgia. These can be made out of old tee shirts. Likewise, you could create woven placemats or bags for carrying groceries.

Starting a business upcycling old tee shirts offers you low overhead, especially if customers give you their tee shirts to use. If you're crafty, this may be an enjoyable hobby that can turn into a full-fledged business.

Melissa, a mom to three little ones (ages 7, 3 and 1) blogs at Mom's Plans where she writes about living a fulfilling life on less and focuses on cutting expenses, budgeting, paying down debt, saving money and once a month cooking.

*Photo by aliwest44 via Flickr.