I used to be a shirt.
9th January 2026
The Story behind The Bow
This project started from a simple principle: work with what already exists. Not buying new, not producing more, but recognising that there is already an abundance of materials around us — and far too much of it is being wasted.
Upcycling, for us, is about designing with the resources we have, especially the ones that are overlooked, damaged, or deemed unsellable, and turning them into something useful and beautiful again.
This winter, when I wanted to make a large decorative Christmas bow, I noticed that every tutorial I watched relied a lot of expensive brand-new materials. While I learned useful techniques, no one was using garments or offcuts as the starting point.
At the same time, I gained access to unsold and damaged charity shop stock, and that’s when everything aligned.
A shirt’s body is the perfect size for a giant bow. The sleeves naturally take shape of the tails, and the cuffs or collar sit beautifully at the centre.
That’s how scrappy innovation happens — when different contexts collide and create something new.
Make your own I-used-to-be-a-shirt bow!
I hope the video below inspires you to make your own reusable bows for all kinds of occasions, from birthdays and baby showers to Valentine’s Day and Christmas.
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