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DCL
Customizing clothing in an eco-friendly manner is easy these days. With the ability to print on iron-on transfer paper, we can all personalize our wardrobes in a flash. But with all of these readily available printing options, I think it's important that we not forget the age-old art of fabric paint.
Maybe you think that painting shirts is for children, but think about this: If you're passionate about the environment, putting your own eco-message on a shirt can be a lot more eco-friendly in the long run than buying a shirt from a store with an eco-message.
Think of it like this: You've probably already got a spare shirt somewhere that can be used for this kind of project. Already, by using that shirt, you are saving resources. With just a little bit of eco-friendly fabric paint and creativity, you can make your own eco-friendly shirt with an eco-message...and cheaply!
If you're at a loss for pattern ideas, try searching around the internet for some inspiration. If you find a slogan you like, print it off. If a picture inspires you, try drawing your own design based off of the idea of that picture as to avoid stealing someone else's artwork. With a pen, deeply trace the image onto a piece of cardboard and then cut out the image with an X-acto knife. You can use this as a stencil for your shirt. With just a little bit of eco-friendly fabric paint, you'll be on your way to spreading the message responsibly every time you're seen wearing that shirt you once barely wore.
Can't find any eco-friendly fabric paint? Think about natural dyes. Pomegranate, coffee grinds with water, and cabbage all make great natural dyes that can be used as eco-friendly fabric paint.
