Mumbai designers list stylish ways to recycle your old blue denims

blue jeans, denims

For tech junkies
Laptop bag/iPad Sleeve: Measure the size of the laptop/iPad or place the product on your pair of jeans. Cut and stitch the outer seams of both the legs together to get the sleeve.
Headphone cover: The left over pieces of the denims can be used to cover headphones.
- Nitisha Kapur, head of creative resources and marketing, Breakbounce (a streetwear brand)

As a desk organiser
>> Cut pockets from different discarded jeans.
>> Cut out the extra threads and place them on a large cloth of your choice.
>> Make sure the base cloth is not very thin; colour can be of your choice.
>> Stitch the pockets on the cloth at intervals as per your taste and the size of the wall where you will be placing the organiser.
>> Cut long pieces of spare fabric and attach as loops on either side of the large cloth.
>> Hang your organiser and fill it up as you please.
- Amishi Shah, founder, The Upcycle Project

Denim as decor
Upcycle your denims as upholstery. Add a denim patchwork to your arm chair or create cushion covers and lamp shades using recycled denims.
- Rajat Tangri

For men
Bow ties: A distressed denim accessory adds a grunge factor to any look. Create a bowtie out of used denim.
A pair of sneakers: Convert your denims into interesting footwear like sneakers or plimsolls, as the fabric is quite durable.
- Rajat Tangri, fashion designer

For women
As a crop top: Cut your denims up. Alter the hips to fit your chest. Wear the back on the front, to add drama to the top. Add tassels and viola! you have a crop top.

Denims recycled as a crop top. Sketch courtesy/Shu-bhika Davda

Funk ‘em up: Revamp your old denims by adding tassels to the pockets. Cut the hem of the denims into an apple cut going up to the calf area and add tassels there too. Funk the denims up with patchwork of stray bits of sequins or printed fabrics. You can also stitch sequins and stones in a pattern or just scatter them on the denims to achieve a party look.
Shopping bag: Stitch the bottom half of the denims to create a bag. Stitch on an old belt on either side of the bag to create a belt handle/sling. Add a long zipper (if needed, on the top open half).
- Shubhika Davda, founder of fashion label, Papa Don't Preach

Ways to revamp your denims. Sketch courtesy/ Shubhika Davda

The birth of the jeans
On May 20, 1873, Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis obtained a US patent on the process of putting rivets in men's work pants for the very first time. Though denim pants were used as workwear for many years prior to that, it was the act of placing rivets in these traditional pants on that day that marked the birth of the blue jeans.