Surrounded by sewing machines, dress forms, an array of fabric, strings and other costume-making materials in an uncontrollably cold room at the NYU Abu Dhabi Art’s Center, a small group of people sat before Renuka Krishnan, eco-school parent coordinator at the Gems World Academy, to learn how to convert old T-shirts into bags. The event was organized by Student Interest Group Ecoherence as part of the Go Green Week initiative at NYUAD.

Tall and slim with cropped silver hair, Krishnan began a smooth conversation with the small group of four attendees by asking how old they thought she was. The soulful vibe exerted by the 41-year-old masked her age well, and her enthusiasm for the environment only added to the confusion.

Photograph by Dominique Joaquin

Krishnan began the workshop with a story about the beginnings of her environmental journey, when she convinced her family to drop plastic bags nine years ago and refused to let them use plastic even in large supermarkets in Dubai. As of now, Krishnan has led initiatives and workshops at the Gems World Academy in Dubai and throughout the UAE teaching children, volunteers and interested individuals how to upcycle shirts into reusable grocery bags in three easy steps.

She began the initiative Give a Tee, Take a Bag, where volunteers can take part in teaching and creating bags out of T-shirts. The initiative has boxes placed in participating locations such as the Gems World Academy where people can leave old T-shirts and, within a short span of time, pick up a bag made of the same T-shirt. The aim of the initiative is to reduce plastic bag usage by having upcycled materials that are light and can be easily brought around anywhere.

So if you’re tired of paying for paper bags at the Convenience Store and have a spare t-shirt lying around, all you need is an old t-shirt, a pair of scissors, a needle and thread! Here’s how to turn your old shirt into a nifty bag:

Step 1: Illustration by Dominique Joaquin

Cut off the sleeves, leaving behind the seams. The cut will create the handles of your bag, so if you have small sleeves, feel free to cut a few more inches, going through the seam and down the side of the shirt.

Step 2: Illustration by Dominique Joaquin

Check the neckline of your t-shirt. If the neckline isn’t deep or wide enough, fold the shirt vertically in half and cut its collar to create your preferred opening in the bag.

Step 3: Illustration by Dominique Joaquin

Flip the shirt inside out and align the bottom of your shirt and begin sewing from one end of the shirt to the other. You can use a sewing machine — available in the costume shop in the Arts Center and in the Engineering Design Studio — or use a needle and thread to complete the job.

Photograph by Dominique Joaquin

After sewing, flip the bag over again and voila! your new bag is finished.

Uncertain about your sewing skills? The Costume Shop at the NYUAD Arts Center is located in Room 161 and is open on Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Sundays from 3:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.. Judi Olson, Instructor of Costume, is also available in the Costume Shop to teach and assist in costume making endeavours. She also hosts occasional workshops for people interested in designing and creating clothes with materials available in the room.

Photograph by Dominique Joaquin