Lady Cuts Old Towels Into Fabric Strips — And the Result Is Surprisingly Cool
If you’ve ever stared at a pile of worn-out towels sitting in the back of your linen closet, wondering whether to donate them or just toss them in the trash, this post is going to change everything. Because one creative lady figured out that cutting old towels into fabric strips is not just a practical way to reduce waste — it’s actually one of the most versatile and rewarding crafting techniques you’ll ever try. And once you see what can come out of it, you’ll never look at an old towel the same way again.
This trend has been quietly spreading through crafting communities, homesteading groups, and zero-waste households for a while now, and it’s finally getting the attention it deserves. The concept is simple: instead of throwing away old, frayed, or stained towels, you cut them into long strips of fabric and repurpose those strips into something entirely new. The results range from beautifully braided rugs to cozy bath mats, reusable cleaning cloths, dog toys, plant hangers, woven baskets, and even cozy yarn for knitting and crocheting.
Let’s get into exactly how this works, why it’s such a brilliant idea, and all the incredible things you can make once you have a pile of towel strips ready to go.
Why Old Towels Are the Perfect Crafting Material
Towels are made from terry cloth, which is a looped pile fabric typically woven from cotton. What makes terry cloth so special for upcycling is its thickness, softness, and absorbency. These aren’t qualities that disappear just because a towel gets old or develops a stain. In fact, older towels are often softer than new ones because repeated washing breaks down the fibers just enough to create a luxuriously plush texture.
When you cut terry cloth into strips, each strip retains all of those wonderful qualities. The strips are thick enough to braid and weave without the result feeling flimsy. They’re absorbent enough that items made from them — like bath mats or cleaning cloths — actually function beautifully. And because cotton is such a forgiving natural fiber, towel strips can be used in dozens of different craft techniques without any special equipment.
There’s also the environmental angle to consider. Textile waste is a massive global problem. Millions of tons of fabric end up in landfills every year, and household linens like towels are a significant part of that waste stream. By cutting your old towels into strips and making something new from them, you’re keeping usable material out of the garbage and reducing your household’s environmental footprint. That’s not a small thing — it’s a genuinely meaningful act of sustainability that starts with scissors and an old bath towel.
How to Cut Old Towels Into Fabric Strips
The cutting process itself is where the magic begins, and it’s much easier than you might expect. You don’t need a sewing machine, special tools, or any particular crafting experience. You just need a pair of sharp fabric scissors or a rotary cutter, a cutting mat if you have one, and your old towels.
Start by washing and drying your towels so you’re working with clean fabric. Lay the towel flat on a table or on the floor. Using your scissors or rotary cutter, cut straight strips across the width of the towel. The width of your strips will depend on what you’re making. For braided rugs and woven baskets, strips that are about one to two inches wide work beautifully. For thinner yarn-like strips meant for knitting or crocheting, you’ll want to go narrower — closer to half an inch.
The key technique that most experienced crafters use is the “continuous strip” method, which lets you cut a single long strip from the whole towel rather than ending up with lots of short separate pieces. To do this, cut across the towel but stop about half an inch from the edge before each cut. Alternate the direction of each cut — start from the left side and stop before the right edge, then start from the right side and stop before the left edge. When you unfold and stretch out the towel, you’ll have one single long continuous strip that spirals its way through the entire piece of fabric. This technique is sometimes called “cutting in a spiral” and it’s a game changer for any project that requires long continuous lengths of material.
Don’t worry about fraying edges. Because terry cloth is a fairly tightly looped fabric, it doesn’t fray dramatically the way woven fabric does. A little softness at the edges is actually desirable because it gives the finished projects a cozy, organic look that most people find charming rather than messy.
The Coolest Things You Can Make With Towel Strips
Once you’ve got your strips ready, the possibilities are genuinely remarkable. Here’s a look at some of the most popular and creative projects people are making.
Braided Rugs and Bath Mats
This is probably the most classic use for fabric strips of any kind, and towel strips are absolutely ideal for it. Braiding three strips together creates a thick, sturdy braid, and then you coil that braid into a flat oval or circular shape and stitch the coils together to form a rug. Because terry cloth is so thick, even a small rug comes together fairly quickly, and the finished product is incredibly durable, cushiony underfoot, and machine washable.
Bath mats made this way are particularly satisfying because they’re far more absorbent than most store-bought options. Stepping out of the shower onto a braided towel-strip bath mat is a legitimately luxurious experience. And because you chose the colors based on whatever old towels you had on hand, your mat has a uniquely personalized look that you simply can’t buy in a store.
You can also use a simple loom or even a cardboard loom to weave towel strips into flat rectangular mats and rugs. Weaving goes faster than braiding for larger surfaces, and the resulting texture has a wonderfully earthy, handmade character.
Reusable Cleaning Cloths and Wipes
Cutting old towels into smaller squares or rectangles gives you an immediate, no-sew set of reusable cleaning cloths. These are perfect for wiping down counters, cleaning up spills, scrubbing surfaces, and doing all the tasks you’d otherwise reach for paper towels to handle. Because they’re made from terry cloth, they’re excellent at absorbing liquid and picking up dust and crumbs.
You can hem the edges if you want a neater look, or you can simply use them as-is — the edges are unlikely to fray enough to cause any real problems. Stack them in a basket on the counter, toss them in the wash with your regular laundry, and you’ve eliminated a significant chunk of your household’s paper towel consumption. Over a year, those savings really add up, both financially and environmentally.
T-Shirt Yarn and Towel Yarn for Knitting and Crochet
The crafting world is deeply familiar with “t-shirt yarn,” which is cut from old cotton t-shirts. What fewer people realize is that towels can be processed in exactly the same way to create a chunkier, loftier version of the same material. Towel yarn — or “tarn,” as some crafters call it — has a beautiful texture that knits and crochets into thick, squishy projects that feel wonderful to work with.
Crochet a simple basket using towel yarn and you’ll have a sturdy, laundry-friendly storage solution that’s useful anywhere in the house. Knit a chunky bath mat with big needles and towel yarn and it’ll be thick enough to cushion your feet while still lying perfectly flat. Make pot holders, trivets, tote bags, or even a hammock-style organizer for a bathroom wall. The options are limited mostly by your imagination.
Dog Toys and Pet Accessories
This one surprises people, but it’s genuinely one of the best uses for towel strips. Braid three long strips together tightly and knot each end, and you’ve made a perfectly good dog tug toy. Dogs love the texture of terry cloth, and because these are natural cotton fibers, they’re safe even for enthusiastic chewers.
You can also cut shorter strips and make braided chew toys, tie them into rings, or braid them into bones. Pet owners who make their own dog toys this way report that their dogs love them just as much as — and sometimes more than — store-bought toys. And there’s zero guilt about replacing a toy when it gets too worn down because the replacement cost was essentially nothing.
Plant Hangers and Macramé
Towel strips have enough structure and flexibility to work well in macramé-style projects. Knotting them into plant hangers produces a thicker, chunkier aesthetic than traditional macramé cord, with a cozy and bohemian vibe that looks wonderful with hanging planters. Because cotton absorbs some moisture, towel-strip plant hangers can even provide a slight buffering effect for plants that tend to dry out quickly.
Wall hangings made from towel strips have a sculptural quality that’s hard to replicate with anything else. The texture of terry cloth catches the light in a lovely way and adds depth to a piece that flat fabric strips simply can’t match.
Woven Baskets and Bowls
Using a simple weaving technique — either freehand or over a form like a balloon or a bowl — you can shape towel strips into baskets and bowls. Applying a fabric stiffener or a mixture of white glue and water to the finished piece, then letting it dry over a form, creates a basket that holds its shape surprisingly well.
These make beautiful decorative pieces for holding fruit on a kitchen counter, storing small items on a bathroom shelf, or serving as a catch-all on an entryway table. Because the material is cotton, they’re also genuinely washable, though they’ll need to be re-shaped and re-stiffened if they get very wet.
Headbands and Hair Accessories
This is one of those ideas that sounds too simple to be worth mentioning, but the results are genuinely adorable. A strip of old towel, twisted or braided, makes a wonderfully effective headband for wearing around the house. The terry cloth grip keeps it in place on your hair, the fabric absorbs sweat, and the softness means it won’t leave marks or cause headaches even after wearing it all day.
Skincare enthusiasts have embraced this idea enthusiastically. A towel-strip headband for doing your skincare routine or washing your face is more effective than most of the flimsy elastic bands sold specifically for that purpose, and it costs you absolutely nothing if you already have an old towel to work with.
Tips for Getting the Best Results
A few practical pieces of advice will make the whole process smoother and more enjoyable.
Work with clean towels. This seems obvious, but it’s worth saying. Starting with clean fabric means your finished projects won’t have any lingering odors, and you’ll be more motivated to work with the material when it smells fresh and feels pleasant in your hands.
Sort by color before you start. If you have towels in several colors, separating them and cutting by color group first will let you make deliberate choices about color combinations in your projects. A rug made from coordinating colors looks intentional and polished. A rug made from random colors can also look wonderful in a funky, eclectic way — but that’s your choice to make.
Invest in a good pair of fabric scissors or a rotary cutter. Dull scissors make the cutting process slow and frustrating. Sharp fabric scissors make it genuinely enjoyable. If you’re planning to do this regularly, a rotary cutter and a self-healing cutting mat will save you significant time and effort.
Store your strips in a way that keeps them from tangling. Rolled into balls the way you’d wind yarn is ideal. You can also loosely braid them in sections and store those braids in a basket until you’re ready to use them.
Don’t limit yourself to bath towels. Kitchen towels, hand towels, washcloths, and even old terry cloth robes all work beautifully. Each size and weight of terry cloth will produce slightly different results, so experimenting with different sources is part of the fun.
The Bigger Picture: Embracing Creative Reuse
What makes this whole idea so compelling is that it sits at the intersection of creativity, sustainability, and practicality. The things you make from old towel strips aren’t just novelties — they’re genuinely useful objects that serve real functions in your home. A bath mat, a cleaning cloth, a dog toy, a plant hanger: these are things you’d buy anyway. Making them yourself from materials you were already going to throw away is simply a smarter and more satisfying approach to household consumption.
There’s also something deeply satisfying about the making itself. Braiding, weaving, and knitting are meditative activities. They engage your hands, quiet your mind, and produce tangible results at a pace that feels rewarding rather than frustrating. In a world full of digital distractions and abstract work, sitting down with a pile of towel strips and turning them into something beautiful and useful is a genuinely grounding experience.
Communities built around this kind of creative reuse — whether they gather on social media, in local craft circles, or in online forums — tend to be warm, enthusiastic, and incredibly generous with information and encouragement. If you start sharing what you make, you’ll quickly find that other people are deeply interested and often inspired to try it themselves.
So the next time you’re thinking about tossing a threadbare old towel, stop for a moment. Reach for your scissors instead. Cut it into strips. And then figure out what it wants to become next. You might surprise yourself with what you create — and you’ll almost certainly inspire someone else to do the same.
