How much of your wardrobe do you wear? If your closets are crammed with clothes that will never see the light of day, why not give them a second life as a pet toy? An event was held in McMahon’s Global House Lounge on Wednesday, March 5, which highlighted the multifaceted use of items that are conventionally given a short shelf life by fast fashion brands like Shein.
Organized by Thu Do, a fourth-semester student majoring in Biomedical Engineering, her membership in UConn’s Office of Sustainability and Kappa Phi Lambda supplied copious clothes for the event. The McMahon Hall Council also helped provide garments and a space to facilitate the workshop for roughly ninety minutes. While arts and crafts do take time, much of this duration was spent bonding over the activity and other shared interests, fostering a strong sense of community that is much needed in a time where students are interacting with their phones more than anything else.
A tutorial by Fix This on YouTube gave instructions on how to make two types of toys, although, at a glance, students seemed to have deviated from the channel’s final products, ending up with other sorts of toys that share similarities with those found at PetSmart or Petco. The method I chose involved cutting every few inches on the bottom hem, and then ripping along the cuts by hand. The strands are braided and kept together by a piece of knotted fabric; however, artistic liberty was encouraged to be taken beyond this point, manifesting into the unique objects that were taken home by many.
Cool jocks in movies should not be the only people who know the invigoration of ripping a shirt, especially with the knowledge that it would be transformed into something enjoyed by another family member. Yes, pets are invaluable parts of a family. Furthermore, much of the apparel was UConn branded, shrinking the audience of individuals that would reasonably wear the clothing if it was contributed elsewhere. To note, the clothes were a few years old, ensuring that there was a proper chance designated to those interested in wearing them, and not tearing them.
The thought of lacing my shoes from scratch, let alone braiding strips of T-shirt, overwhelms me. I had a Rainbow Loom kit in third grade, prompting me to attempt assembling the advanced Starburst patterned bracelet. Spending five hours on it only for one mistake to unravel it all made me feel like the speaker in Weezer’s “Undone (The Sweater Song).” Thankfully, Thu was more than happy to assist with any confusion on how to braid, yet I was just excited to be there, observing other more inclined folks doing their magic.
Unlike being told about clothing waste with a slideshow or some other non-interactive presentation, working with them in this way makes one ponder how many mass-produced clothes, and pet toys for that matter, are left to wither away, either in homes or in stores. Clothes and toys are not technically perishable in the same way as food, but for non-pet owners who have never seen a toy get ripped to shreds, this workshop showed how malleable their materials can be.
Joey, an eighth-semester Honors student, attended this event to complete his requirement for the program, but more importantly, he was enticed by being able to craft a toy for his new rescue dog. He admired the workshop as “one of the cooler events [he] did,” as the concept had “a practical use” for him and other pet owners. Using the braiding skills acquired from his sister, Joey finished with an impressive toy, consisting of navy and white shirt strands, featuring a squeaker as the cherry on top. Joey joked that his creation would be the icebreaker to get to his dog’s heart; hopefully, it will not get to the squeaker inside the toy.
Thu’s sorority sister, Claudia Huang, a fourth-semester student also majoring in Biomedical Engineering, raved about and appreciated the cause for this event. Additionally, she elaborated on Kappa Phi Lambda, and how the Asian-centric sisterhood primarily includes STEM majors, as well as members majoring in everything from Allied Health Sciences to Digital Media & Design. I hope the sorority and their various interests can generate more awesome events like this one!