I wanted to write about some interesting things you can make out of old things.  I knew of some great ways they reuse old items, but I wanted to find out what else they can make out of old things.

1.  Sweater Totes:  Everyone has old sweaters that either get holey, or worn out.  This would be a great way to make something that would otherwise get thrown away, into something usable again.

2.  Cork Trivet and Cork Board:  I really liked the idea of making a bulletin board out of cork.  I think that this has a unique look, and is definitely something people will ask about.  I am collecting corks from old wine bottles, however we mostly get boxed wine, so this may take a while.

3.  Tennis Shoes:  This is an interesting video on how Nike reuses all of the components of old tennis shoes for different athletic surfaces.  I know in Fargo, there are collection sites for old shoes for this purpose.

4.  Flip Flops:  This is an amazing article on how the beaches of Africa are cleaned up; large amounts of flip flops are turned into beautiful art by local artisans.  What a great way to kill two birds with one stone; as the article says.

5.  Plastic Bags:  I see that many people make reusable bags out of plastic bags.  This website gives you patterns to making beautiful bags out of something that may take a lot of time and energy to recycle.

I know there are also many other interesting ways companies take in old products/clothing and make them into other usable things.  Please leave us a comment if you have any interesting ways to reuse common items.