Your old jeans have another life in them.
Give us denim of any kind, in any condition. We cut it, line it and sew it into pouches, totes and bottle slings, then sell them here to keep the workshop running.
Where would you like to start?
Give denim, buy what it became, or see how one turns into the other.
New from the workshop
See all productsFrom your wardrobe to someone's bag
Four steps take a pair of jeans from the back of your wardrobe to a finished pouch. Here is what happens at each one, and what we need from you.
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Your part
You hand over denim
Jeans, jackets, skirts, shorts, offcuts. Ripped knees and broken zips are fine. Drop it off, post it, or ask for a pickup.
Takes about two minutes: fill in the donation form and choose drop-off, pickup or post.
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Our part
We sort, wash and cut
Every piece is washed, unpicked at the seams and cut into panels. Pockets, waistbands and hems get saved for details.
Nothing usable is thrown away. Even zips and buttons are kept for reuse.
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Our part
It gets sewn into something useful
Panels are patched together, lined with cotton and stitched into pouches, totes and slings. No two come out the same.
Each piece is lined with cotton and checked at the seams before it goes on sale.
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Your part
You shop, the workshop keeps going
Every sale pays for thread, lining and the hands that sew. What we cannot use is passed on for fibre recycling.
Add what you like to your bag and place the order. We confirm delivery with you.
What one pair of jeans becomes
Every part of a pair of jeans has a job in the workshop.
- LegsMain panels for totes, sleeves and pencil cases
- Back pocketsThe front of a back-pocket pouch, rivets and all
- WaistbandHandles and straps
- Hems and seamsTrims, loops and zip pulls
- Small offcutsCoin purses, or fibre recycling when too small to sew
Before you donate
- Wash and fully dry each piece
- Empty the pockets
- Leave zips, buttons and patches on
- Put everything in one bag or box
- No need to repair or iron anything
Questions people ask
Do you take torn or stained denim?
Yes. We cut around damage, so ripped knees, broken zips and stains are all fine. We only turn away fabric that is wet or mouldy.
Is there a minimum amount?
No. One pair of jeans is enough. For large amounts, such as a school or office collection, message us first so we can plan.
What happens to denim you cannot use?
Pieces too small or too worn to sew are passed on for fibre recycling. Nothing from the workshop goes to landfill.
Why does my pouch look different from the picture?
Each one is cut from different jeans, so the shades and patch layout vary. The size, lining and build are the same.
Can you make something from my own jeans?
Yes. Choose Custom order on the Contact page and tell us what you have in mind.
Donate denim
Tell us what you have and how you would like to get it to us. We reply within two working days to confirm.
We take
- Jeans of any cut, colour or size
- Denim jackets, shirts, skirts, shorts and dungarees
- Stretch denim and coloured denim
- Torn, stained or faded pieces
- Offcuts and tailoring scraps
Please wash items before donating. We cannot take wet or mouldy fabric.
Drop-off points
Made from donated denim
Each piece is cut from different jeans, so the one you receive will differ a little from the picture.
About The Jean Pouch
The Jean Pouch is a small sewing workshop. We take in denim people no longer want, and turn it into things that get used every day. The shop funds the sewing; the donations supply the cloth.
In numbers
Denim is too good to throw away
Jeans wear out at the knees and the seat. The rest of the cloth is still as strong as the day it was woven.
- Built to last
- Denim is a tightly woven cotton twill, made for work. That strength is what makes it right for a bag that gets used every day.
- Costly to make
- Growing the cotton, dyeing it and weaving it takes a great deal of water and energy. Reusing a pair that already exists spends none of it again.
- Better with age
- Fading, creases and old stitch lines give each panel its own character. We keep them in, so no two pouches match.
What we hold to
Use what exists
We do not buy new denim. Every panel comes from something donated.
Make it to last
Strong seams, cotton lining, proper zips. A pouch should outlive the jeans it came from.
Stay small
Everything is cut and sewn in one workshop, in small batches, by people you can talk to.
Talk to us
Bulk donations, school or office collection drives, custom orders. Ask us anything.
We reply within two working days.