Upcycled Jeans to Jacket
I’ve always loved creating things—drawing, crafting, or simply working with my hands—but it wasn’t until adulthood that I began connecting that creativity to the clothes I wear. Growing up, most of my wardrobe came from hand-me-downs. At the time, I didn’t fully appreciate them, but they taught me early on how much clothing affects how we feel and how personal a garment can be. They also made me pay close attention to fabric, fit, and quality—long before I had the words to describe why something felt “right” or “not quite me.”
As a teenager, fashion became one of my quiet obsessions. I collected magazines, made inspiration boards, and filled sketchbooks with designs I imagined. I was fascinated less by trends and more by craftsmanship—the structure of a sleeve, the weight of wool, the difference between natural and synthetic fibers. With the help of the seamstresses in my family, I learned to notice these small things, even if I wasn’t sewing myself yet.
Over time, my interest in fashion shifted toward sustainability. Around 2010, I started learning about the enormous environmental impact of the clothing industry, and it changed the way I approached my wardrobe. Now I buy only a handful of new items each year—ideally fair-trade—and everything else I thrift or repurpose. Thrifting quickly became one of my favorite parts of fashion: it’s affordable, creative, and keeps beautiful garments out of landfills.
Eventually, all of this led me to want to learn a new skill: sewing. Not professionally—just enough to bring an idea to life. And that’s how this project began.
The quilted jacket you see here is made from old jeans, cotton from Savers, and rayon moiré. It’s the first real piece of clothing I’ve ever made. I had barely any sewing experience when I started, and the process took me more than four months, countless hours of cutting and stitching, and even five sacrificed sewing-machine needles. But every step taught me something—about patience, technique, materials, and the joy of turning discarded fabric into something warm and meaningful.
I’ve always loved quilted jackets because they feel cozy and nostalgic, and I knew I wanted to make mine entirely from repurposed materials. This project confirmed what I’ve believed for years: giving old garments a second life is absolutely possible—and surprisingly fun.
This is also my first YouTube video on this topic, and sharing the process feels like part of the journey. I hope it encourages someone else to try making something new from something old. Let’s protect the planet, get creative, and wear the things we make ourselves.
