Tips & Tricks To Go Wild With Reworked Fashion In 2024

Every once in a while, someone’s imagination starts to run wild and the world gets exciting, innovative trends in fashion as a result. It could be something like a simple apparel decoration technique or a new kind of garment or fabric innovation we haven’t seen before. Now you might be wondering what’s with the title. 

This blog is on one such innovative trend that got a lot of traction last year. And it will be gaining massive momentum this year. 

Reworked Fashion.

It’s not something basic to explain in a line. So keep reading if you’re unfamiliar with the term or would like to learn some handy tips and tricks to give it a shot yourself.

You might have guessed already that a “rework” would be something along the lines of a “refurbish”. Technically it is, but goes further. It’s essentially an experiment to make something fresh out of the old. For instance, “refurbishing” a vintage denim jacket with creative reverse applique or patches. 

So, recycling then?

Not exactly. To recycle a garment, you will need to break it down to its raw form and then make something out of that. Reworking simply means you are giving an existing garment a new look by enhancing and/or repurposing it. 

You’re guided by imagination here, where you get to make a reworked sweatshirt simply by creatively adding sophisticated embroideries on the right areas, with an eye on fast fashion. 

Primarily. The trend is about transforming old, forgotten garments into unique masterpieces. You use only a few resources for this, and the process reduces waste with fewer clothes in landfills. This also subsequently decreases the demand for new clothes, but it will certainly take time for us all to get there.

Understatement. Every reworked sweatshirt or hoodie is a one-off item. You essentially make something one-of-a-kind out of your imagination that many others sharing your same interests but lacking the same level of creativity might wish to own. 

When people wear reworked sweatshirts and other forms of clothing, they are supporting designers who can work magic with apparel. A vintage Nike sweatshirt that was popular decades ago becomes a new-gen stunner as a reworked Nike distressed hoodie. Yes, a sweatshirt can become a hoodie and more, and the one who made it gets exposure for his or her talent.

Sweatshirts, tees, hoodies, or blank jackets you can repurpose all of that in a myriad of ways. Here are a few that are making some big waves lately.

Sewing other fabric into a sweatshirt (or any other clothing) to form a pattern or a collage is something that many designers gave a shot last year. And some of the reworked pieces that came out were just fascinating. You can sew in prints, florals, solids, and unique plaid patterns that can turn a basic sweatshirt into something incredible. 

Mostly used to repurpose long leather jackets, this one is an artist’s favorite. Painting intricate tattoo-like designs on black leather jackets gives the garments a whole other appeal. This can be done on sweatshirts too. We have seen what people can do with old Carhartt blank hoodies with just some fabric paint and a brush. Carhartt reworked hoodies have a niche market of their own. 

Embroidery on sweatshirts or blank hoodies is like toppings on a pizza. The pizza simply looks better with some toppings on it. Old sweatshirts and skirts can be decorated with intricate embroidery and some creative cuts to complement the decoration.

Pretty basic yet effective, sweatshirts can be given a distressed look for a grungy appeal. Though distressing is more commonly done on denim, you may have already seen distressed sweatshirts. Statement pieces, some of them. Cropping is quite common too. Sweatshirts can be made into reworked cropped sweatshirts embellished with subtle embroideries. Try that out.

You essentially block certain areas in the garment using stencils and screen print the other areas to transform the sweatshirt or sweatpant into something more awesome. 

Also referred to as “reconstruction”, this is what truly identifies with the word “rework”. You change the structure of the garment to make something completely new. Like making a top out of a dress or denim into a bag. Similarly, you can rework sweatshirts into tank tops or vests.

Tie-dyeing is pretty much one of the first ideas any designer can think of when they have a sweatshirt or a hoodie to rework. It’s worth it to have a free-spirited harmony of colors that can revitalize vintage sweatshirts. Another alternative is to bleach certain areas of the garment to fade the color a bit or remove it entirely. There are skilled experts out there making a name for themselves by bringing a tie-dye effect by just using bleach on hoodies. Pretty nifty huh?

There are a lot more techniques waiting to be discovered and a lot more to try out. And you don’t necessarily have to get old sweatshirts to rework. You can get new ones that are built for this level of customization if your target customers aren’t very keen on buying repurposed second-hand goods. 

In ShirtsBargain, you will find a huge collection of very budget-friendly and high-quality sweatshirts you can practice reworking. If you already know your way around reworking, why not buy Nike blank apparel in bulk from our collection to aid your reworking project? We recommend getting blank sweatshirts and hoodies from brands like Gildan and Hanes if you are taking your first steps in reworked fashion retail.

Together, let’s change how people think about thrift clothes by making this trend more accessible and appealing to the eco-conscious consumer.