How many of you have bras in your drawers that you no longer wear? Maybe they are stretched out, never fit, or they just don’t fit now. I generally have the first type of bra–the ones that are stretched out. And today, they still sit in my drawers because I can’t figure out who would take them or how I can reuse them. Well, now I do. Read on for 10 ways to recycle or repurpose your old bras.
Textile Factoid
Most people would say pitch those worn out over the boulder shoulder holders. Sadly the average US citizen throws away 70 lbs of clothing a year. 85% of thrown out textiles end up in landfills. However, 95% of all textiles can be reused or recycled–especially in the case of bras!
Bra Recycle:
1. Recycle for someone else’s use. Bra Recyclers takes back gently used bras. You can drop them off or mail them to their Arizona location.
2. Donate Your Bras for a Cause: You can donate your bras and lingerie to generate cash to further breast cancer research. Bras for a Cause is based in the US and Breast Talk is based in the UK. Alternatively, you can donate your bras to the Salvation Army or Goodwill for other women’s use.
Bra Repurpose:
2. Make a bra purse! Watch this video below how to sew it together. Be sure to embellish the purse so no one thinks it is your old bra. Second thought, some bras are amazingly beautiful.
(Note: Watch this video without kids around. The woman making the video has a not too friendly kid picture at the beginning of the video and a suggestive caption that pops up.)
4. A little love for your pets? Recycle bras into pet balls.
5. Swimsuit Anyone? Turn a bra into a swimsuit top.
6. Compost your all cotton bras. According to Rodale News, simply cut off any elastic and then cut the bras into small pieces. PS, while you at it, get rid of those ripped cotton underwear, and compost them too.
7. Garden uses: Use the cups to hold up cantaloupe, small pumpkins and other vegetables that you want to grow on a trellis. Guess what! Be sure to look forward to my summer pictures of my bras in the garden. (First old pantyhose, now bras.)
8. Scented bra pouch. Make a scented bra pouch by inserting herbs and then sewing up the sides similar to the bra purse instruction.
9. Add some support. Add a bra to a camisole or bathing suit for added support. This ideas is something I am also considering. Watch this video below to add padding to a bathing suit. It is a little long but you can fast forward through parts of it.
10. Add some pizazz under your blazers or sweaters. Make a bralet for under blazers or sweaters. (See here for a picture of a bralet.) Watch this video to inspire you to make your own.
Although I wouldn’t count this as a way that the average person can reuse or recycle their bras, in Japan bras are used for fuel. Triumph International accepts used bras in certain Japanese stores for recycling into boiler and power-generating fuel. According to Ecouterre, bras are one of the hardest garments to recycle.
So, don’t pitch-recycle or get clever!
Join the Conversation:
- How do you reuse your old bras? Please link up any instructional posts below.
- Do you recycle or donate your old bras?
diane says
February 3, 2014 at 2:52 pmHonestly, I do not think I have ever recycled a bra! I usually wear them til they need replacing and throw it away….I know, bad me but I really wouldn’t buy a second hand bra so donating to goodwill just seems wrong! Interesting ideas you have here!
Anna@Green Talk says
February 3, 2014 at 10:21 pmDiane, this is why you can remake things with your bras. I would think your would like my garden idea of using them for heavy trellis hangers. Anna
Shakirah Johnson says
April 21, 2016 at 8:47 pmFor someone who can’t afford a bra, it would be a blessing. It may be a new beginning for some woman.
Anna@Green Talk says
April 21, 2016 at 10:05 pmSo true, Shakirah. Thanks for mentioning this. Anna
Anna@Green Talk says
February 18, 2014 at 9:50 pmDe, I hope you got some ideas! Anna
Taina henden says
February 16, 2015 at 8:44 pmone good use might be pin cushion.. just fill the cup with som old filling from something else.. i have used even old fabrics to fill pin cushions
Taina henden says
February 16, 2015 at 8:46 pmAnd I forgot to say besides pin cushion a wrist support for mouse use…
Anna@Green Talk says
February 17, 2015 at 11:38 amTaina, I love your ideas! Thanks so much for sharing them. Anna
Jubee says
August 7, 2015 at 12:10 pmA wrist support for my mouse is a great idea. I had a mastectomy and I’m finally cleaning out the old normal girl bras and I was looking for a way to do something with them. Pin cushions would be great too. Thanks!
Anna@Green Talk says
August 10, 2015 at 9:43 pmJubee, never thought about these ideas! Thanks for suggesting them. Anna
SASHA says
May 23, 2015 at 10:23 pmThis is all well and good, but what do I ACTUALLY do with ratty old bras in real life?
1. As the poster above, I wear bras until they are DONE. I never have any “gently used” that can be recycled for others’ use. The ones I buy are so expensive I will wear those bad boys for 10 years if they still fit right!
2. I love the composting, but for the non-compostable bra fabrics what can I actually do? I neither have the time nor inclination to use in a garden, make a shirt, etc etc. That all sounds like work. And besides, there’s only SO MANY bralettes and bra purses one would want. I have about 40-50 bras that I wear regularly now of varying ages. I add to and replace the old ones regularly so that my collection is constantly growing (my goal is to have 365, one for every day lol). I can’t POSSIBLY have 5 bra purses and 10 bralettes when the old ones get ratty. That sounds like a lot of unfinished “projects” just lying around my house. When the old ones get raggity, I just want them out of the house, but its also very important to me to do it “greenly”. I hate adding to landfill but I honestly haven’t found any org that will take an old, unwearable bra off your hands, chop it up and turn it in to something else without the original owner having anything to do with it. Do you know of anything?
JUBEE says
August 7, 2015 at 12:14 pmI feel your pain. Some things just can only be reused and remade for so long and then you have to trash them. I figure I can put some in the trash since I recycle so many other things. It evens out my carbon footprint. Old wallets are another problem for me.
My grandmother’s favorite expression was “Use it up, wear it out and make do before you buy new.” She’s long gone now, born in 1900 but I still remember her advice.
Anna@Green Talk says
August 10, 2015 at 9:42 pmJubee, love your grandmother’s expression. Anna
Dawn says
October 16, 2015 at 8:15 amHow about donating your bras to charities that can get money for old rags, which means they won’t be sold to wear, just their fabric shredded up. You might want to take out the underwires first though.
Diddy says
June 30, 2015 at 10:36 amI love the idea of making bras into swim wear, but I completely lack the skills to be able to do this. Perhaps some people could make a business out of this. Women bring you an old bra and pay you to turn it into a bikini top. Ok women with what society considers normal sized breasts may decide it’s easier or cheaper to just buy a bikini top, but I bet there are plenty of women with unusual sizes who are not good at sewing who would love this opportunity, (I have a friend who is a 34FF British size (about 34E US size) and struggles to get bras, let alone bikini tops).
Anna@Green Talk says
July 1, 2015 at 9:13 amDiddy, love the idea. I bet someone could create an Etsy store selling those bikini bras. Anna
Michelle Denslow says
February 20, 2017 at 1:30 pmI saw somewhere to use as kids knee pads when riding a bike or skateboard! Clever!
Anna says
February 20, 2017 at 1:31 pmMichelle, that is a great idea! Anna
Michelle Attoe says
September 4, 2017 at 2:45 pmThanks for the ideas this is a great article. I always feel guilty throwing them out. Now I can put them to good use. I like the ETSY idea. “Make due with what you got”my grandmother used to say. bless her soul.
N says
September 29, 2017 at 10:24 pmCreating pet balls with your own clothing is a bad idea. You may be going to give them the bad habit to bite your clothing thinking it is similar to their pet ball. My suggestion dismantle the bra. Remove all usable parts to fix another newer bra i.e hook and eyes and straps. The remaining foam sponge use for dusting and then dispose.
Anna says
October 9, 2017 at 10:12 amN, good point. Thanks so much for sharing your ideas. Anna