In the project “Change the attitude, not the things,” organized by the Environmental Project Management Agency, we share real stories about how to preserve items and help them live not only a second life but many more. During the competition, where participants could send photos, they actively shared their redesigned, renewed, or tired clothes.
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A handbag born from a denim jacket
One such example is denim handbags.
“This handbag project was born from the desire to give a second life to an old denim jacket. Instead of throwing the garment away, it was carefully recycled and turned into a practical and unique handbag,” says 15min portal reader Rasa.
The handbag is a unique, handmade creation that combines creativity, ecology, and love for a second chance.
During the creative process, the original details of the denim jacket were preserved – pockets, buttons, seams – which give the new product authenticity and uniqueness. The front of the handbag is decorated with a colorful artistic picture that adds playfulness and a contemporary style.
“This work reflects the idea of sustainability – old items can be revived for a new life and become not only useful but also aesthetic. The handbag is a unique, handmade creation that combines creativity, ecology, and love for a second chance,” Rasa wrote while sharing photos of the handbag.
Ingrida Jasinskė, creative director of a handbag brand who has been making handbags from recycled materials for 12 years, agrees – when creating, redesigning, or sewing new products, creators should first think about the item’s life cycle: “I believe it is worth creating only those items that will be worn or used long enough. The most important thing is that it is not just a disposable product.”
Handbag care rules
So the first step: you should buy or make only an item that is truly valuable. “A person who buys or makes a beloved item protects and cherishes it. This is the foundation of everything, and only then can we talk about care elements, because the same handbag can be worn out by one person in half a year, while another may not wear it out even in five years,” the interviewee smiles.
Ingrida Jasinskė recommends renewing leather products every six months using beeswax or balm. If a person wants to use the handbag every season, it is recommended to waterproof it after the summer season – this way, the handbag is protected from moisture and snow, and its lifespan is significantly extended.
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The paradox is that we buy because we want to be more beautiful, happier, yet we sink deeper into an endless consumption whirlpool.
Leather products must not be washed, soaked, or dried at high temperatures. Only gentle surface cleaning is allowed.
Care for fabric handbags is somewhat simpler but takes more time, and the fabric tends to tear more easily than leather products. Such handbags are recommended to be hand-washed using bile soap. This helps not only to renew the product but also to extend its lifespan.
We buy a lot, yet remain unhappy
The interviewee notes that the corners, bottom, handles, and zippers of handbags usually wear out the fastest, but everything can be repaired, resewn, or renewed. At home, a person can renew a handbag by resewing it, changing, or adding certain details. For worn handles, it is recommended to refresh the color with special color-renewing paints. In many cases, items do not need to be thrown away; they can be revived for a new life.
“A big problem is that people buy items just because they are popular, then the items become very short-lived because fast fashion collections change very quickly, people buy a lot of unnecessary things and often remain unhappy. The paradox is that we buy because we want to be more beautiful, happier, yet we sink deeper into an endless consumption whirlpool. The item does not even have time to wear out, and the person no longer wants it,” notes I. Jasinskė.
According to her, durable, unique items are those we should truly protect: “Perhaps such durable handbags will be those that a daughter will find in her mother’s or grandmother’s wardrobe. It will be a vintage, unique, distinctive creation – the only one, irreplaceable, and sentimental.”
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The article was prepared as part of the project “Waste Prevention Promotion”.
