Recycling Projects With Leather Shoes

These boots were made for recycling with projects for old, worn-out shoes.

If you have a pair of leather shoes that no longer fit or look worn beyond repair, you don't have to throw them away. There are a variety of ways to recycle the shoes. If they are still wearable, you can donate them to a local thrift store or other charitable organization; if they are damaged, you can use the leather left over to make projects for yourself or to give as gifts during the holidays.

Dress-Up Time

Let your little man get in on the dress-up action, too.

One of the simplest things to do with a pair of shoes you don't want any more is to hand them to a child. Watch her imagination come to life when she slips into Mommy's old high heels to play dress-up or sidles into Daddy's boots to become a cowgirl. For an added bonus, take an old pair of leather shoes and decorate them for a specific dress-up occasion. Paint them green and purple and glue on black lace for witch's shoes at Halloween or cover them in sequins and glitter to become the perfect pair of pumps for a princess.

Flowery Feet

Use your old leather shoes as a flower pot so you can grow something beautiful out of something old and worn. This works especially well if you have a pair of mismatched shoes because you don't need both of them to make this project. Use a drill to create two or three small holes in the sole of the shoe so they will drain--all the better if your shoes already have holes in them to begin with. Fill the shoe with potting soil and seeds and use it the same way you would use a flower pot. Be sure to use a shoe with a mostly solid body and a closed toe so the soil doesn't fall out.

Lovely Leather

Turn the old leather pieces from your shoes into decorative accessories. Salvage as much of the leather as you can by cutting the shoes with heavy-duty scissors. Cut off large pieces of leather and use them to make jewelry. Cut the leather into strips and wrap them around your wrist, then add a snap closure at either end to make a cuff bracelet. Cut small circles or other shapes out of the leather and attach them to earring hooks. Boots work well for larger projects because they have more leather to salvage.

Recover and Recycle

If your leather shoes still have a sturdy sole but the leather itself is showing signs of wear, make them new again with a fashionable makeover. Temporarily remove the soles and set them aside. Cover the upper leather portion with new fabric, using clamps to hold it in place. Sew the fabric onto the shoes using your sewing machine and a leather sewing needle, then re-attach the soles. Your old leather shoes will have new life with a cool cover.

References

• Thread and Bobbin: Recycled Leather Bracelet with Lace
• National Geographic Kids: Recycled Shoe Flower Pot
• Craft Test Dummies: Upcycle Craft: Halloween Witch Shoes

Resources

• Star Tribune: These Shoes Were Made For Recycling