Are you familiar with Tawashi? It's a zero-waste sponge made from old clothes, tights, leggings, or even socks. Since this sponge is made from materials that would have ended up in the trash, it is eco-friendly and environmentally conscious.

The Tawashi sponge is very easy to make; you can craft it with a few tools, and the technique is quite simple to master. Thanks to this zero-waste sponge, you can dry your hands or clean small stains on your sideboard, table, or desk.

Another advantage is customization. You can make this sponge to suit all your desires; for example, if you want a pink Tawashi sponge, use old pink socks. If you want a black one, use old black socks. Grab a few tools, a little patience, and above all, your imagination, and follow our tutorial to the letter to create the most beautiful Tawashi sponges!

How to make a Tawashi with old socks?

Before we start making a Tawashi sponge from old socks, let's review the necessary materials. You'll need a few tools that are probably lying around in your toolbox or garage for our Tawashi tutorial. To make it, it's very simple; you'll need:

• A wooden board that is both smooth and flat. This board should measure at least 20 centimeters on each side. This board will be used to arrange your Tawashi for weaving.

• 20 flat-head nails. These nails will allow you to create the structure on which you will arrange your creation.

• A pencil that you will use to trace your structure.

• A ruler or a set square, which will be useful for defining the surface of your Tawashi and the spacing between the nails.

• A hammer, which you will simply use to drive the nails into the wooden board so that they are stable for making your weave.

• Scissors, which you will use to neatly cut your sock to obtain beautiful strips for your weave.

• The great essential, the sock! Get one or more used socks to make your Tawashi sponge; the choice of material and color is up to you, according to your desires and imagination. You can use Pilou Pilou socks as well as classic cotton socks.

The making will be done using a crochet technique, which is a simple weave that will allow you to assemble your Tawashi. The dimension we suggest is a standard size.

If you want to make a Tawashi larger than the one we suggest, you will simply need a larger wooden board and more flat-head nails. For example, if you want a Tawashi sponge twice as large, use a board that is 40 centimeters long on each side and 40 flat-head nails.

First step: preparing the weaving plan.

The first step is to prepare your weaving plan. To do this, place your wooden board on your table or workbench, take your pencil and ruler, and draw a 14-centimeter square. Once your square is drawn, place a nail 3 centimeters from each corner, then a nail every 2 centimeters from each other.

Take your hammer and hit your nails with moderate pressure so that they are solid and stable in your wooden board. Take the time to properly create your weaving plan so that your square respects the proposed dimensions and the nails are correctly aligned with each other.

Second step: preparing the textile.

For this second step, get out the socks and scissors! Grab your socks and cut 10 strips. Each strip should be one piece and measure 3 centimeters in width. You have a choice of textile and color.

Third step: weaving.

For this third step, it's time to weave! Take your strips and place a first row of 5 vertical strips. Each strip should go from its starting point to its respective nail. Make sure to keep your strips straight without them rolling up on themselves. Our team carried out the weaving in our workshops to present you with a step-by-step photo of the weaving process.

Once this first row is done, take your remaining 5 strips and move on to the second row. This second row is horizontal; each strip must pass under the first vertical strip, over its second vertical strip, under its third vertical strip, over its fourth vertical strip, and under its fifth vertical strip.

Once this weaving is finished, each strip is placed around the nail, always in the correct alignment. We are, of course, including a photo of the result so you don't miss anything.

The final step: assembling your Tawashi sponge!

For this last step, grasp the top right corner, spread it between your thumb and forefinger, and slide the next loop onto it. Weave lightly to compact the work and proceed in the same way, loop after loop, to go all the way around your future sponge. Once this round is complete, leave the last loop protruding so that it can serve as a hanger.

Once the whole round is done, your sponge is now finished! You can now enjoy your Tawashi sponge to dry your hands, your objects, or clean your sideboard. This little sponge is an eco-responsible gesture; it is part of a recycling effort for your used clothes, a healthy action for our planet. Because it's all these small daily gestures that reduce our ecological impact, our team offers you a multitude of ideas and tutorials of this style.

If you prefer a visual demonstration and would like an explanatory video, we have found a video that visually covers all these steps. Just click here!

If you were wondering how to make a Tawashi with an old t-shirt or if you wanted a tutorial on how to make a Tawashi with old tights, the manufacturing process is the same. You just need to make your strips in the same shape with the garment of your choice and adapt the size according to your desires. Let your creativity flow!

How to properly maintain your Tawashi sponge?

For the maintenance of your Tawashi, the recipe is very simple: a simple sponge with soap and you're done. Rub for a few moments, rinse with clear water, and let it dry.

You can also machine wash your Tawashi; a classic wash and line drying will be plenty to keep it clean. You can also give it a vinegar bath after heavy use to properly disinfect it before rinsing it with clear water.

Our team hopes you enjoyed this Tawashi tutorial. If you'd like us to write more blog articles on this theme, send us a message, and we'll be happy to respond.

See you soon on Pilou-Pilou Store!