Recycled Crafts

Creative DIY Projects That Turn Trash Into Treasure

Reader-Submitted Upcycled Produce Bag

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I’m all about bringing your own bags to the store, and I’m all about recycling and upcycling, and I’m definitely all about when our readers make their own items and submit them to me, so this bag is perfect! Deborah sent a link to her blog where she has a tutorial for this gorgeous produce bag she made using all upcycled materials found in her home. What a great way to help save the Earth, carry your groceries in style, and reuse something old!

(and for the record, her nickname is Baba. Which is what my brothers have called me since they could speak. So she definitely gets ten extra credit points for sharing a nickname with me!)

Why should you make your own shopping bags or totes?  Plastic bags are from the same source as all plastic: crude oil. So what is wrong with crude oil? The manufacturing process emits considerable amounts of pollution, and the product is not biodegradable. On land, plastic bags are one of the most common types of litter worldwide. As plastic bags are lightweight and float easily, this means they can travel long distances when picked up by the wind this includes landing in the ocean. Then wildlife gets tangled or ingests the bags, both in the sea and on land.  Make a difference and make your own shopping grocery bags.  Have plastic bags you need to re-use? Consider making these DIY upcycled plastic bag crafts.

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Comments

  1. I did the same first with discarded clothing from my closets. Then I made my 1970’s version of the blue jeans bag. I double line all my creations for better stability when loading and unloading. I insist thay have to stand up by themselves and the baggers appreciate that also.

    They can be seen on my recycle page.

Have you read?

Recycled Paper Cylinder Face Art – A Colorful Win for All Ages

I recently stumbled across this super creative project on Instructables – “Face With Recycled Paper Cylinders” – and I had to share it with you all because it’s just the kind of craft that checks all my favorite boxes: recycled materials, hands-on creativity, and fun for literally any age.

The idea is simple but genius—roll strips of recycled paper (think junk mail, old magazines, leftover printer paper) into cylinders, then arrange and glue them to form a unique abstract face. You can make it funky, realistic, Picasso-inspired—whatever your mood or style dictates!

What I really love is the blend of eco-conscious crafting with true artistic expression. This isn’t just another kids’ project—it’s something you could easily do with a group of little ones, a classroom full of teens, or even as an adult art therapy or weekend wind-down activity. It’s super relaxing and surprisingly satisfying seeing all those paper rolls come together to form something new and expressive.

The tutorial itself is easy to follow, with plenty of visuals to guide you along the way. You don’t need any fancy materials—just glue, paper, scissors, and a board or piece of cardboard to serve as your canvas.

I also appreciate how this project leaves so much room for personalization. Want to make it into a full face? Go for it. Prefer to focus on a single eye or mouth? Totally works. You can even play with color schemes by choosing papers with a certain palette, or painting over them once they’re rolled.

In short: this is a total keeper for anyone who loves crafting with purpose. It’s the kind of project that sparks creativity while gently reinforcing the idea that beautiful things can come from what we usually throw away.

Highly recommend giving it a go—solo or with a group. And if you try it, tag me or drop a pic—I’d love to see your recycled masterpiece!