Most of us clean out our closets once or twice a year — maybe once a quarter if you’re feeling fancy and like to swap things out with each season.

It’s easy to donate old clothes, but what do you do with things like undergarments? You very well can’t donate items like bras, panties, and socks. (By the way, these types of garments are referred to as textiles in the industry. Look at us learning new lingo together.)

I currently have a small bag in my closet that I use to toss in undergarments that no longer feel comfortable or fit. Socks with holes in the big toes? Those go in there too. This bag has been in my closet for years, so what do I do with its contents?

There are ways to reuse old clothes or upcycle old leggings — but old undergarments? Here are some creative and ingenious ways if you’re looking for some old clothes reuse ideas.

How to reuse old clothes: bras and underwear edition

1. Compost biodegradable fabrics

If you have your own compost bin set up at home, you can actually add biodegradable materials to your compost pile. Biodegradable fabrics include:

• Abaca
• Bamboo
• Cotton
• Hemp
• Jute
• Lyocell (aka Tencel)
• Ramie

However, you’ll want to make sure your fabrics are 100% made from any of these materials. Most undergarments are a blend of cotton along with other synthetic materials, which aren’t biodegradable.

2. Create DIY cleaning rags

Ditch the disposable paper towels and reduce your home’s garbage by replacing single-use paper towels with DIY rags. Old socks and underwear are the perfect materials for polishing wood surfaces or washing and waxing cars.

3. Donate them to an organization that collects textile material

After further research, I realized you actually can donate old bras, panties, and socks to brands and organizations like Knickey. 

Their recycling program takes ready-to-retire intimates and turns them into new materials like carpet padding, furniture batting, and insulation. They accept bras, panties, tights, and socks from kids, men, and women. 

If you don’t want to reuse old clothes, you can stop right here and gather those items and get them ready to donate. You can also check out similar programs all across the country.

4. Fluff up your pillows

Do you have some decorative throw pillows that need a new batch of filling? Reuse old clothes or upcycle leggings simply by shredding the material and use it as a fresh filler for any pillows that have lost their plumpness.

5. Make homemade dog toys

If you have a furry friend around your house, be an even better eco-friendly dog owner by making your own homemade dog toys. Upcycle old leggings by cutting them into longer threads and braiding them into a dog rope toy. This is also the perfect solution for men’s old boxers.

You can also sew two to four bra cups together, then fill them with shredded old underwear to create an earth-friendly cat or dog ball for a good old game of fetch.

Growing up, my mom used to take my dad’s old socks and stuff them into one long tube sock and then tie it off. It was the perfect toy for a game of tug of war. (Shout out to my old dogs, Sandy and Shelby. I still miss you both all these years later.)

6. Reuse bra cups

A bra may be ill-fitting, but you can still reuse the cups. Simply stitch them into a dress, swimsuit, or top. This is also one of those “old clothes reuse ideas” for backless dresses that may need a little extra support for the girls up front.

7. Sew something

Some other old clothes reuse ideas come to us from Jenna Shaughnessy, the creative force behind Jenna Kate at Home, a popular blog dedicated to providing home decor inspiration, DIY projects, and delightful recipes to transform any house into a welcoming home.

She says you can take old boxers (clean, of course) and transform them into potholders. Simply trim them to the appropriate size and shape then get your sew-on.

Kate also suggests gathering up old socks and turning them into a draft stopper for your doors. 

“Fill the socks with beans or rice to make a draft stopper, then knot the ends together to form a long tube that may be positioned at the bottom of a door to stop drafts,” she says. Literally, genius!

8. Support plants in your garden

Got a garden? Well, look at you, you green thumb. If you’re a good gardener, chances are your plants will grow bigger and taller (hopefully), and they may need a little extra support. Reuse old clothes or upcycle old leggings by cutting them into strips and using them to secure plants to stakes or trellises as they grow. This is especially good for homegrown fruits and vegetables.

Norah Clark, an experienced chef who appreciates the value of resourcefulness and sustainability in all aspects of life, shares some of her favorite ways to reuse old clothes.

You can transform cotton boxers or socks into plant pot liners, which can help with drainage and soil retention. On the other hand, old bras can be repurposed as hanging planters, with the cups serving as small plant containers. Clark says you can fill them with soil and plant herbs or small flowers, then hang them in a sunny spot for a unique, eco-friendly garden display.

If you’re into foraging for mushrooms or other wild treats, Clark recommends using clean, repurposed undergarments as makeshift produce bags to collect berries, nuts, or other wild edibles when foraging.

9. Turn them into patches

Some bras, socks, and underwear have super fun and quirky colors and patterns. If there are parts of the fabric that are less worn than others, see if you can use them for new projects like an art and crafts project or a patchwork quilt.

10. Use the elastic for sewing projects

If you need some more old clothes reuse ideas, repurpose the elastic from old pairs of underwear. The elastic on underwear tends to outlast the fabric itself, so simply snip it off and use it for articles of clothing as needed. You could also turn it into a homemade hair tie or scrunchie if you’re feeling extra Suzy Homemaker.

The bottom line on repurposing old undergarments

Reusing old clothes and upcycling old leggings or other hard-to-donate items, like bras, panties, and socks, doesn’t have to be a challenge. Get creative and get your homemade vibes on with these creative and fun DIY project ideas.