The best things in life are free, right? In that case, this way to upcycle a shirt is great! Cause here is the blog on how Elise from The Thrifted Capricorn gave her old shirt a new look with chemical-free dye she already had in her cupboard! And you can DIY! On our journey to making 100 t-shirts a green statement, this is t-shirt #10, a collaboration with The Thrifted Capricorn!
What did you make, and why?
I decided to change the color of my tee shirt because I have had it for several years and the crisp white color is becoming a bit dingy. Instead of throwing it away where it would go to a landfill and become part of the annual 17 million tons of textiles waste in the USA.
How to dye without chemicals?
Use spices!
I took a plain white tee shirt (thrifted from Goodwill for$1.99 three years ago) and dyed it with turmeric for a natural colour.
- Thoroughly soak the tee shirt in water and wring it out
2. Fill a pot with 4 litres of water, one cup of white vinegar and 3 tablespoons of turmeric powder
3. Bring the dye mix to a boil, then add in your tee shirt
4. Boil for as long as you want depending on colour –
less time = lighter, more time = darker
5. Take your shirt out, rinse in cold water and dry
And the result?
I dyed it with the spice turmeric to give it a nice new yellow color!! Using the spice for dye is chemical-free (yay!) and already in my cupboard, so this project did not cost me anything. I am excited to give this piece a new life and wear it more frequently – yellow is one of my favorite colors and always brings me such joy!!
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Read more?
Want to know more about Elise? You read more in her FOR KEEPS profile here, or can check out all her preloved outfit inspiration, great thrift finds and more ideas on her Instagram.