How can I reuse or recycle vertical blinds material?
Someone on my Twitter feed yesterday – I can’t remember who, sorry – asking about ways to recycle or reuse the material from vertical track blinds.
My first – instinctive – reaction was “bleugh!” because I hate the feel of those blinds ;) My second thought was “good question!”
We had lots of great ideas for re-using the slats from Venetian blinds so what about vertical blinds?
The fabric is usually synthetic and a little rigid & scratchy (hence the bleugh!) so not ideal sewing material but I’m sure those attributes could be strengths in some projects. The strips of fabric are usually about 10cm/4inches wide and as long as the window drop (so typically at least a metre or so).
On the slat blinds post, chez suggested using vertical blinds to make a shopping bag — weaving the strips together. They could also be woven together to make a protective mat – or even a picnic blanket type thing if you’re not so phobic of the fabric as me :)
Have you reused or upcycled vertical blinds in any way? What would you do with the material?
I cut the strips into 6″ or so lengths and use them as plant markers!
This is quite a specific re-use but even so. Every christmas at the school where I teach the children make tons of christmas crafts during their free-choice time. We normally cut up strips of crepe paper and staple all their crafts onto the strip with their name on – they then take their whole strip home on the last day of term to display in their house. So back to the blinds – this year a colleague had some vertical blinds and had the genius idea of using these for each child’s strip instead of the crepe paper. Worked a charm and added bonus – the children can decorate the strip of blind with sparkly felt-tips!
I used mine as “Art” I just cut them to different lengths and wove them put a spot of hot glue as I went to keep them together and hung them on my wall. I painted some of them different colors to match rooms. You can even hang pictures on top of them to give the picture frame a little more umph! Have fun!!
That sounds cool. Do you have any pictures of what you’ve done? I’m curious how that turned out. Thanks :)
Do you have ant photographs of your “Art” ?
I’m intrigued as to what this looks like and want to give it a go.
Thanks, in advance. :)
Recycling of vertical blinds: Because mine are so thick I decided to attach them by nails to wood at the side of my pergola to keep the sun out and achieve more privacy from neighbours. There are slats already at the bottom of them so I just put a piece of wood through them, or if you have no wood or no saw to cut it, use bamboo to thread through to keep them down and vertical with small stones, rocks in the ends and one in the middle, alongside the bamboo. The chains always get messed up anyway that come with them originally. Another use would be to use them for the top of your pergola and nail or thumb tack onto the wood or run two pieces of wood at each end, less nailing.
What a wonderful idea, I c wind break wall across the back of my verander.
Recently I was given the slats from a white vertical blind. They were white and made out of a durable plastic material. I covered them with a material that matched my curtains and using them horizontally I I attached them at the top of my window like a valance, about two inches covering the top of the curtains and rod. Looks good.
That sounds great have you got a picture?
Rachel
Mine were made of flexible beige plastic. I was planning to buy a roll of plastic garden edging to keep the grass from growing into a brick mowing edge, then thought of using these instead.
They are the perfect width and unlike the garden edging you buy from garden centres it does not have the rounded ugly top I dislike. 27 of these (one double patio door blind) gave me close to 180′. The blinds did not go to the landfill and I saved a $100!
I’ve just made some fabulous fabric gift/cash envelopes from old louvre blind fabric. I machine washed and dried it before use.
Found rolls of unused 3.5″ vertical blinds fabric at a shop, thinking I could try making the fabric into something useful. With leftover latex paint, I first cut the fabric into strips which I then painted and sewed together to make a tote. While the paint is still wet, I sprinkle with glitter. I lined the totes with interior pockets, included a zipper, and decorative handles. Can be gifted, but have sold several as customized totes. See Facebook: You-Neek Gift Bags & Totes for pictures.
I cut mine up into 6 inch pieces and use them to label my plants , there great for on my allotment for labeling things.Write on them with waterproof felt tip pens , and you can even use clear varnish over them so they don’t wear in the weather.
Use the string to tie up your plants.
Also cut them up again 6 inch pieces and use them as book marks, get your kids to decorate them ,brilliant crafting during the summer holidays.
recycle them in the brown bin
If you like your blinds when just wash them, here’s how take each blind and roll them up and put in a pillowcase, in your washing machine on a regular wash.
Hope this helps kenny
I like this idea. Thank you
Still thinking of ideas for my old fabric louvre slats…recent makes were some card hangers for Christmas cards and a lampshade.