Recycled Tank Top Beach Bag Craft

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Give old outgrown tank tops a bright new purpose with this Recycled Tank Top Beach Bag Craft. This easy recycled craft for kids turns a soft tank top into a handy beach bag for carrying sunglasses, sunscreen, flip flops, small toys, or treasures found on a summer walk.

Kids grow fast, and favorite shirts are often too small before they are worn out. Instead of tossing them away, turn them into something useful, colorful, and fun.

Fun Fact

Millions of tons of clothing and textiles are thrown away each year. Recycled crafts like this tank top beach bag help kids see that old clothes can be turned into something useful instead of becoming trash.

Supplies

Tank top
Rick rack or other trim
1 yard of cord
Appliqués
Fabric glue
Small pointed scissors
Safety pin

Instructions

Use small pointed scissors to carefully open about 1 inch of the bottom hem of the tank top. Adult help may be needed for this step.
Attach a safety pin to one end of the cord. Push the safety pin and cord through the opening and work it all the way around the bottom hem until it comes back out through the same opening.
Remove the safety pin. You should now have both ends of the cord sticking out from the hem opening.
Pull both cord ends to gather the bottom of the tank top as tightly as possible. Tie the cord ends together with a double knot.
Trim any extra cord, then gently push the knot back inside the hem.
Glue a large appliqué over the opening at the bottom of the bag to cover it and add decoration.
Decorate the edges of the bag with rick rack, appliqués, or other fabric trims. Let the glue dry completely before using the bag.

How to transform a tank top into a beach bag

Craft Tips

This recycled clothes craft works best with a tank top that has a bottom hem wide enough for the cord to slide through.

For a no-sew version, fabric glue is perfect. For a stronger bag, an adult can add a few hand stitches near the gathered bottom.

Use beach-themed appliqués like fish, shells, flip flops, suns, or sea stars to make this easy craft for kids extra summery.

Patterns, Templates and Printables

No printable pattern is needed for this project. Just use an outgrown tank top and a few simple craft supplies to make your own recycled beach bag.

Teacher Friendly Educational Extension

Use this activity as a simple classroom lesson about recycling and reducing textile waste. Ask students to bring in an old clean tank top or shirt from home and talk about ways clothing can be reused before it is thrown away.

After making their bags, students can write a short paragraph about where they would take their recycled beach bag and what they would carry inside. This makes a fun summer writing prompt and a practical recycled craft activity.