As summer arrives, the majority of us experience the universal “Wow, I thought I had more shorts than this!” realization. Maybe last year’s are too big or too small; maybe we just need some more seasonal wear regardless of size. Our instinct might be to hit up our local retailers, but a marathon of poorly lit dressing rooms might not be necessary. There are two main reasons why hanging onto your old clothes (and buying used when possible) is a good idea: it saves you money, of course, but it’s also a more sustainable option in an era of fast fashion as far as the eye can see. Mending and upcycling can go a long way, and below are a few tips for making old clothes last.

Remove any pilling.

The easiest way to take care of a pilled sweater is to take a fabric shaver to the article, laying the clothing item on a flat surface and working in light circular motions. However, in a pinch, a shaving razor can also help reduce the sight of wear. This simple process can make something with years of mileage on it appear virtually brand-new and is a great way to salvage an otherwise perfect thrift find. Carefully using some scissors can help trim the excess away from delicate areas like hems and the ends of sleeves.

Try visible mending.

While most think of colorful patches as a go-to way of mending clothes in a creative fashion, some embroidery thread and the right stitching technique can turn a hole in your jeans into a work of art.  Countless Pinterest threads and Instagram accounts are dedicated to the art of visible mending alone, and you can even find detailed books on the subject. Perusing some of these for inspiration might just convince you to abandon your search for a new piece and take up the needle instead. Embroidery techniques can obviously be used on any clothing, regardless of whether a repair is in order– and adding a splash of color might just be the trick for clothes that might fit but stay relegated to the back of the closet.

Develop a few basic sewing techniques.

While we’re on the topic of needle and thread, patches and embroidery stitches aren’t the only thing that a few simple sewing skills can net you: learning to work with elastic, buttons, size altering, and hemming can all make a huge difference in the lifespan of your clothes as well as the opportunities that lay in waiting at your local thrift stores.

While the internet is full of no-sew hacks for turning t-shirts into dresses and everything of the like, these can be hit or miss. There’s certainly nothing wrong with easy ways to make your clothes multitask, but for pieces with longevity (that you’ll actually want to wear on the regular), it’s worth watching a few tutorials or picking up a few library books on the topic of sewing and clothes-making.