One crafter is getting attention online after sharing her low-cost way to turn old charging cables into something useful.
What happened?
Posting in Reddit's r/ZeroWaste forum, the creator shared a basket made by coiling a broken charging cable and weaving it together with spare yarn.
The poster wrote, "This is my second basket. I learned how to weave just for using up those old chargers and the yarn I've accrued from years of crafting. The only tool needed is a single paperclip."
"Don't be discouraged if your first basket looks awful, just rewatch guide videos and try again," they continued, "Because this doesn't use glue, you can unwind the basket and use the same materials again!"
They added that they learned the technique from this YouTube tutorial and suggested connecting shorter cords with painter's tape to make a larger basket.
What are people saying?
People in the comments praised both the basket's look and the idea of reusing old cords.
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"I never knew how these were made. I think it's awesome you use old charging cables. Such a creative reuse. Thanks for the link!" one wrote.
Another commenter said they could see the idea working in their own home: "I've been spring cleaning and have a big pile of cords I wasn't sure what to do with. I'm going to have so many baskets."
A third summed up the appeal by simply saying: "This is such a clever way to reuse something that would usually get thrown away. The finished basket looks neat and practical at the same time."
Why does it matter?
Broken charging cables are a common source of household waste, and they are not always easy to get rid of responsibly through curbside recycling. Giving them a second life can help people clear out clutter while avoiding the cost of buying a new storage basket.
It is also a beginner-friendly project from a cost standpoint: If you already have an unusable cord, leftover yarn, and a paperclip, the basket may cost almost nothing to make. Since nothing is glued down, mistakes can also be undone, and the same materials can be used again instead of being tossed out.
The post also reflects growing interest in creative alternatives to throwing things away. But if your cords truly cannot be repurposed, you can check out other resources to make money on your old electronics.
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