One thrifty Reddit user proposed a smart way to reuse old T-shirts and save money on a common drugstore purchase.
In the subreddit r/ZeroWaste, a community of more than 1 million people who minimize their environmental impact, one member demonstrated how old T-shirts could be turned into reusable cotton pads.
"I've been trying the trick to apply toner before deodorant to make it last longer and I needed cotton rounds but wanted reusable ones — so I made them from a free T-shirt I didn't want that was likely going to end up in a landfill even if it was donated!" they said. "The shirt was 100% cotton and each of the pads are made from three fabric layers."
The original poster shared pictures of the cotton pads, which were square and organized in stacks. The hack gained traction, garnering 121 upvotes.
As Earth.org observed, Americans throw out an average of 81.5 pounds of clothing each year, so reducing the amount of textile waste clogging our landfills is critical to helping the environment.
There are many options for reducing the amount of clothes you throw out. You can send your old clothes to the startup Trashie through its Take Back Bag program, which keeps your stuff out of landfills.
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Meanwhile, shoes can be recycled via GotSneakers, which will give you cash for your extra sneakers and get them to people in need.
Upcycling is a great way to divert textile waste from landfills, too. Old clothes can be transformed into paper towel alternatives, rags, bags, and more. You can save up to $100 each year by upcycling products instead of buying them new.
One community member vouched for the cotton pad hack, stating that they have made around 50 cotton pads out of old T-shirts they would have otherwise thrown away.
"Not one of them has a hole in them, although a few are very stretched now," they said. "I use at least 1 everyday but sometimes 6 or so. One of the easiest swaps for me."
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Which of these factors would most effectively motivate you to recycle old clothes and electronics?
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Giving me money back 💰 The post convinced another user to try the hack with old clothes they have.
"I have some reusable rounds that I bought ages ago; when they wear out I'm going to make some like yours from worn out clothing," they wrote.
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