Save & Reuse

How to Up-cycle Chickfly Bamboo Pants & Leggings + Founder's Inspiration

Founder's Inspiration to Create & Make

— Up-cycling and fixing things is a wonderful way to spend time, and it is the best way to reduce our consumer impact on the environment.

A Story of up-cycling and repairing in my life today

Below are some photos of my kid and I fixing his laptop. It broke after only two years of service. I suggested to him that we take the laptop apart and try to repair it. We expected to fail, but thought it was a good way to spend time together and a learning experience.  After troubleshooting, purchasing a new part, and some technical soldering, it worked! We were both amazed. The following month he decided to upgrade the ram all by himself, and in 8th grade he built his own machine. The lesson was about much more than technical stuff, it was about having confidence to dig in! Sometimes I wish I had a daughter to teach mechanical and construction confidence to, but I don't, so I am hoping to inspire you!

Caring About the Environment

We love to inspire you to take action to help the environment and be makers. When we consume things there are a myriad of impacts we unleash on the world. That is why repairing and up-cycling is so important! Let's talk about up-cycling, re-using, and being creative with the Original Chickfly Bamboo Pants & Leggings! You may have just caught our Seconds Sale, our way of jump starting the re-use process and making sure that nothing goes to waist!

Hacks for Makers & Creatives with Chickfly

We hope to eventually make dozens of different styles and the perfect pair for everybody — in the interim we invite you to experiment and invent, to be a maker too. Maybe you will invent something amazing, tell us about it, and then we will make it too!

Every experiment is a risk; if you are inspired to try, we encourage your creativity!

The great thing about this bamboo fabric is that it won't unravel. So you can cut it without hemming.

In the photo above, the Chickfly leggings cover the raw edge of a cut-off skirt, up-cycling it and adding pockets all at the same time!

Alterations

Always Use Sharp Scissors!

• Shortening the legs
• Removing the elastic from the fly
• Shortening the waistband
• Knit, cut and weave
• Cut the top off an old skirt, fold Chickfly waistband over the top

We designed the leg length to be customized by adding the second hem to prevent seam-unraveling and provide an aesthetic line. The bamboo fabric has a beautiful raw edge. You can also hem them, or turn them into shorts! 

A favorite is cutting the elastic out of the fly. It will be looser and shorter and the bikini fly will ride a little higher, and hug your bum like underwear do. Gently trim right along the edge of the elastic. Our founder, Anna, has one pair of pants she regularly wears with this alteration.

We made the original Chickfly Bamboo Pants & Leggings with elastic in the fly. We wanted to be extra sure they wouldn’t open. After selling over 2000 pairs we have had zero complaints about accidental vulva peak-a-boos. This original, super-enhanced fly is great for athletes, yogis, highliners, mountain climbers — anyone who widely expands their pelvis to the breeze for everyone to see. For the rest of us a looser option works fine.

Has anyone cut the waistband off yet? You can do so and hem (stretchy stitch it) to maintain the pockets, or just cut it off and leave it raw; you'll be down to two functional side pockets. That's more than most women's pants! Leave a few inches of waistband for the elastic strength to hold your pants up!

Has anyone done a cut and weave? Please, someone do this! If you do, we think you can turn them into a onesie like in the photo above.

Thanks for getting creative, re-useing and re-purposing with us! It's good for the environment and it's fun!

Get Your Hands Dirty!

I have had more failures than successes when trying to fix things, but the wins are sweet, especially when we inspire the next generation. I know it is intimidating, but if it's already broken, you might as well muck around in your machine before you throw it out!

I have a boat motor we picked up at a garage sale last week - it starts but wont' stay running - maybe it's the carburetor? It looks approachable, so I think I'll try to repair that with my kid when he gets home today. I am so excited! I am such a nerd - do you know I have a boat collection? So, if your Chickfly pants aren't exactly the right style for you, alter them! Or make a new pair. That's what the seconds sale is for, literal and figurative material for your grist mill. Happy tinkering!

Makers Unite! Please tag us in any photos of your experiments or if you are shy, just send us a pic.