A Hopefully Short-lived Dilemma of Chafed Jeans

The Woes and Trials of Finding a New Life for Strawberry

By: Norah Ntagungira

         I have a pair of jeans, they’ll go by Strawberry, that have chafed to their maximum potential, and unfortunately, a pair of scissors would not revive them into quick and wearable DIY cutoffs– in my opinion. They have sat in a box distressed and abandoned for a year or so. I did have hopes and dreams for them; I thought I would turn them into a bag, or a wallet, or a something else (there is really always a something else). I started doing research on fabric recycling in Ramsey County in the hopes that I would reach a promising conclusion, and ultimately a downcycle of one. In hindsight, I prematurely got excited about the idea of passing on my jeans to the unknown world of recycling. I hoped and tried to believe that maybe somebody else would then be able to turn them into that “something else”. I even thought of whether Strawberry could make it to one of those brands that make their clothes out of used materials. I was ready; Strawberry had been on my mind– and in my physical space– long enough without me giving them the revival they deserved. While doing research, I definitely had mixed feelings about giving Strawberry away. Because I saw the possibility of recycling them, I did not feel too bad for not putting in the energy to upcycle them myself; but I did try to analyze my level of relief from potentially being able to be rid of Strawberry.

        All in all, based on my research, there is no recycling program for non-wearable clothing and textiles in Ramsey County. The Ramsey county recycling page shares that Goodwill and H&M used to take such donations but has since suspended the program due to COVID-19.  There is one fabric recycling service in St. Louis Park is led by a company called Simple Recycling which allows residents to take part in their free curbside collection program.

        Without a fabric recycling program near me that would allow me (us) to have somewhat of an escape from my (and maybe our) improvable consumption habits, I have made a list of Strawberry’s possible near-futures in order of least to most likely plausible:

1. Strawberry becomes Trash

2. I take them to a  Fabric Recycling Program. This is much easier said than done due to these programs’ lack of availability. I was quite prepared to throw out my jeans as soon as I ventured into my research.

3. They remain in a box with other non-usable clothing and that box is something I carry around for an even longer time

4. I upcycle Strawberry into something I would not use or wear such that it ends up in its original hiding place, just looking different

5. I upcycle Strawberry into something carefully thought out and well executed. Any ideas???