Where do our clothes come from? How to Upcycle a T-shirt for Primary School Kids

The clothing industry is having a huge negative environmental impact on our plant and it is a cause of concern for how garment workers are treated.

In this activity, you will upcycle an T-shirt with your children.

What You Need:

Old t-shirt

Fabric markers

Fabric glue

Gemstones

Old bits of fabric/Felt

While crafting, ask your child/classroom this question-

"Where do you think our clothes come from?"

This provides a great opportunity to find out exactly what they know or don't know. Depending on age you can go into as much or as little detail as you like.

You can pick one or as many topics as you like to teach:

1. Pressure on Our Natural Resources such as Cotton Growing and Water.

Clothes are made by growing different types of crops from the ground such as cotton. We need lots of cotton to make clothes. Cotton is a very thirsty plant and it needs lots of water. Cotton is mostly grown in third world countries which means that people who live there are very poor. They don't get water from taps like we do in Ireland. Water is often dirty. It is also very hot much means that they water evaporates and there is not enough water to drink. The cotton farmers choose to use the water they do have to water the cotton because they will get money for selling cotton.

2. Destroying Animals Habitats

We need lots of land to grow crops so that we can make clothes. This means that we often chop down animals homes so that we can plant seeds to make clothes. For example, chopping down palm trees means that we are taking away the orangutan's home and food. If they have no where to live, their species die out. Therefore, it is very important that we reuse and mend our clothes to save our animals. By mending this T-shirt you are saving animals. You can also swap clothes with your friends and buy clothes from charity shops as this will stop us from needing to destroy animal's homes.

3. The Problem with Plastic

Clothes are also made from plastics. Plastic aren't good for the environment as it releases C02 into our atmosphere and destroys the ozone layer. Plastics also do not break down and can harm our animals such as fish who may confuse the plastic for food and eat it.

4. Our Clothes are Made in Factories, mostly by Women who Live in Third World Countries.

Because the country is poor, it means that the buildings are often old and have cracks which make them unsafe. The women often do not have the money to go to school which means that they do not have the education to get a well paid job. Therefore, they get work in the factories by sewing clothes. However, it does not pay well and there are often too many women in the factory which makes it unsafe. Women often have to work extremely hard and fast to make our clothes to make money to feed their family or they will get fired.

Be sure to tag me in your creations on instagram @ragstorichesworkshops