In the era of overconsumption, it’s rare to see people holding onto their belongings for an extended amount of time. For example, nowadays, an article of clothing is worn on average 7 times before being discarded. That’s not nearly enough to wear down a high-quality garment, which means we’re getting rid of perfectly fine things and contributing to pollution in the process. However, there are still some people who don’t mind the rugged appearance of their belongings and use them until they can no longer serve them, saving our planet from unnecessary waste.
In today’s list, the Bored Panda team has gathered many of these instances to remind us all that if an item is old or has lost most of its visual appeal, it doesn’t necessarily mean we have to throw it away (as long as it’s functioning perfectly fine, of course). Scroll down to find dearly loved things that got worn over time below, and don’t forget to upvote the ones that impress you the most.
While you're at it, make sure to check out a conversation with Stacy Savage, founder of Zero Waste Strategies, an environmental consulting firm, who kindly agreed to share a few tips on how we can make our belongings serve us longer.
#1 This Is A Real Knife That Is Used By The Fish Cutter At My Current Job. He's Been Using It For 35 Years
Image credits: oadge
#2 This Dog Statue Is All Worn Out Where People Touch It
Image credits: reddit.com
#3 The Original Key On My 1996 Subaru. 313k Miles
Image credits: Leaked99
Stacy Savage, founder of Zero Waste Strategies, tells us that what inspired her to choose a more conscious and sustainable way of living is having firsthand experience with pollution.
"I grew up under the brown, hazy skies and rotten egg smells of southeast Texas where the oil and gas industry dominates the area’s regional economy. Both my parents and most of my extended family worked at these refinery plants, so I have firsthand experience with pollution," she shared.
#4 Oven Brush After 20 Months In My Bakery
Image credits: settlers90
#5 The Old Floor Of A Pizza Place Reveals Itself In Front Of The Counter
Image credits: Saul-goodman-
#6 The Sleeve For My Mom's Work ID, She Said She Hadn’t Taken It Out In 10+ Years
Image credits: WillAGeek
"Seeing the tangible impacts of climate change (and knowing my whole family is complicit) enforces that every little action counts," she added. "Choosing a more sustainable lifestyle became less about necessity and more about wanting to be part of the solution. Plus, there's a rewarding sense of peace when you know you're contributing positively even in small ways."
#7 Grandma's Garden Knife
Image credits: Hjaaal
#8 I Grind My Teeth So Hard At Night That I’m Wearing Through My Night Guard
Image credits: katrinkabuttlin
#9 Replaced The Cats’ Scratching Post
Image credits: Doinstuffandthangs
She's been in the sustainability industry, helping companies produce less waste for more than 20 years. So who better than her to ask for some advice on how to apply the zero waste strategies she offers to business in our own lives?
But before we dive into it, we were curious to know if she agrees that people nowadays are replacing and discarding their belongings too often.
#10 I've Worn These Shoes For 4 Months
Image credits: TheAntiCoomLord
#11 Our Local Barber Has Been In Business For As Long As I Can Remember. The Metal Floor Is Worn Down Where He Walks Round The Only Chair Each Day.
Image credits: cufflinxx
#12 Gilly And I Were Inseparable Since I Was Born, She’s 27 Years Old And Very Well Worn
I took her out of my closet the other day to show my 5 year old son and he cried when I showed him what she used to look like.
Image credits: Antique-Simple285
"You know, we live in a world that's driven by consumerism, always encouraging us to buy the latest and greatest. But I really think it's important for us to pause and consider the impact of replacing items so frequently," she told us.
"Many belongings have a longer lifespan than we give them credit for, and by keeping them around a bit longer, we can reduce waste and make more mindful choices that are kinder to the planet."
#13 My Cat's Toy After A Year Of Use
Image credits: dr_tatti
#14 My Broom Is Getting A Bit Short
Image credits: Organic_South8865
#15 What Could The Password Be?
Image credits: Trithee580
"We also need to hold corporations accountable that produce items under 'planned obsolescence,' which calls for items to be designed for breakage or systems to be outdated quickly," she noted.
Planned obsolescence is a purposeful strategy of designing products that break quickly or become no longer useful rather quickly. Businesses apply this idea to their practices to encourage sales without really thinking about the impact it has on our environment.
#16 Finally Figured Out What My Comfort Object Used To Look Like
Slept with this stuffed bunny pretty much every day of my life (I’m almost 30), he was a gift to my mom from a friend back in the 80s. I never knew what he looked like originally. Finally found a listing on eBay that shows his original state.
Image credits: unic0rnprincess95
#17 The Worn Path In The Middle Of This Old Wooden Boardwalk
Image credits: Alaric_Darconville
#18 Same Ball, 3 Years Of Play Difference
Image credits: kelsiuhm
To be more considerate of our planet, we should try our best not to buy into the planned obsolescence strategy that companies are selling and take better care of our things instead.
"Taking good care of what we have is simple and effective. It starts with regular maintenance, like cleaning and storing items properly. Being gentle in how we use and handle our possessions goes a long way, too. It's about respecting the things we've invested in, and doing so can greatly extend their life, which can save us money and reduce waste in the process," Savage advised.
#19 Scrub Daddy
Image credits: Camo1301
#20 Finally Replaced My Water Pressure Gauge
Image credits: Bubble_gump_stump
#21 Optometrist's Floor After Years Of Chair Rolling
Image credits: ARandomUsernameLOL
And sometimes, all a dearly loved item needs is a little bit of mending - not us hurrying to throw it into a landfill. Learning some basic repair or repurposing skills can greatly prolong the life of our belongings.
"It's amazing what a needle and thread can accomplish. I love repurposing items as well—an old ladder can become a stylish bookshelf, for example, or an old tire can be stuffed with fiber filling and upholstered to make a dog bed," Savage suggested.
#22 My Phone, Bought In 2015. I'm Still Using It. Not Far From Celebrating His 10th Birthday
Image credits: Kanemats
#23 7 Year Old Ice Scoop vs. Brand New
Image credits: last_word23
#24 Way Too Long Braille Text
Image credits: Cursed_Lens
"The key is to see potential in the old. Sometimes, just a fresh coat of paint or a new use for an old object can breathe new life into it. And remember, it's okay to ask for help or turn to online communities for creative ideas. I would recommend searching your local area for a “Fix-it Clinic” where tinkerers in the community gather, usually at a library, to mend broken items, such as jewelry and small electronics. There's a sense of pride and satisfaction that comes from creating something new from something old!" Savage said as a farewell.
#25 My Old 54 Mm Skateboard Wheels Next To My New 54 Mm Skateboard Wheels
Image credits: nick1341
#26 Gate Wheel Carved Into Pier
Image credits: stella-lav
#27 This Old Photograph Seems To Have Peeled Entirely Away Only Where The Fish Are
Image credits: zherper
#28 Exact Same Model
Image credits: hopsafe
#29 The Area Of This Door Is Well Worn By People Unlocking It
Image credits: xerim
#30 My Boot Soles After Two Years Of Almost Daily Use In A Farm
Image credits: LoreChano
#31 These Cooking Spoons Are 60 Years Old And Still In Use By My Mother
Image credits: ChrissssToff
#32 In Machining We Use Brass Hammers So We Don't Damage Parts Made From Steel. We Get A New Hammer Every Year Or So
Image credits: Wiccan_Rede
#33 Gaussian Distribution Of Usage Marks At My Local Gym
Image credits: pepeikea
#34 The Way The Surface Of The Board Is Worn On Top Of The Footsteps At Local Playground
Image credits: taamu
#35 My Debit Card That I Used Until It Expired
Image credits: prettypurps
#36 My Coworker At The Library Noticed This While Checking In Books
Image credits: c8ertot
#37 My Old Hat Hat And My New Hat Hat Hat
Image credits: disher0
#38 My Cutlery Used To Be Gold-Coloured But Has Turned Iridescent Over Time
Image credits: OkConfection4818
#39 The Amount Of Wear On This Disney World Hook
Image credits: Austin117
#40 10 Years Of Accidentally Dropping Keys
Image credits: DownDeep99
#41 My Photochromic Lenses Developed Hexagon Shaped Holes After 10 Years Of Daily Use
Image credits: Happy_Rave
#42 This Honolulu Stop Sign Bleached By The Sun
Image credits: Whey-Men
#43 ATM In China Shows The Fear Of 4
Image credits: jaapgrolleman
#44 Identical Shoes - One Year Of Wear vs. New
Image credits: JaypKillem
#45 I Might Keep My Yellow Worn Out Pillow For The Rest Of My Life
Image credits: MichaelToro340
#46 This Convenience Store Wear Path
Image credits: imgur.com
#47 Wallpaper In A Restaurant, Worn From People Leaning Against The Wall
Image credits: Substantial_Gur_9300
#48 Never Mute
Image credits: toilet-spiders
#49 My Old Trowel I Use For Stonework And A New One
Image credits: shitpunmate
#50 12 Year Old iPod Compared To A Fully Restored One
Image credits: Dankmus
#51 Thought You Folks Might Appreciate The Wear On My Father-In-Law's Key Chain After Years Of Bumping Into The Dashboard
Image credits: Calliope719
#52 The Path My Elderly Neighbor Has Made To The Smoking Area Over Time. She Is The Only One In Our Apartment Complex Who Smokes
Image credits: MrBigStick10mm
#53 This Map At A Pediatrician’s Office Near DC Is Worn Down From Parents/Kids Pointing At Where They Live
Image credits: NikkoE82
#54 My Friend Has Worn The Same Shoes All The Time Since I Met Him In High School. I Saw These When I Went To His House For A Fourth Of July Party Last Night
Image credits: haydennt
#55 Brand New Teeth For Excavator Bucket (Also Old Worn Tooth For Comparison)
Image credits: n0c0astj0e
#56 The Amount Of Wear Level Difference Between New And Old Brake Pads
Image credits: ThunderChops-
#57 Bottle Cap Wall Art At A Dive Bar Rusting Away From From The Water Spray Of A Hand Dryer
Image credits: cafecol
#58 My Cat’s Collar After One Year Of Use
Image credits: RoastShinoda
#59 Rip After Almost 20 Years Of Daily Use
This thing has been a high school bag, college bag, gym bag, take stuff to work every day bag, and it is my personal item when I fly (has to fit under the seat).
It felt so unceremonious to just discard it, so I thought I would share it with someone folks that can appreciate it before I send it off.
Image credits: clark_kent88
#60 I'm So Grateful I Bought Into The Docs For Life Scheme. Worn For Two Years Every Day, Soles Worn Down Flat, Identical Replacement Pair Arrived Today
Image credits: emiliecakes
#61 My Best Friend’s Well-Loved, No-Name, No-Pigment, Walmart-Special Pallet, 5 Years Later
Image credits: Anotherface95
#62 So A Few Weeks Ago I Posted About My Skate Shop’s Screwdriver That Was Used For Grip Tape On A Skateboard. Well After 7 Years Of Use, It Finally Broke Yesterday!
Image credits: APX5LYR_2
#63 15 Years Of Faces
Image credits: songs2005
#64 I’ve Made A Lot Of Mistakes In My Life
Image credits: ItWasAllASapna
#65 Replaced My Mom’s Gardening Gloves For Mother’s Day This Year
Image credits: megodachi
#66 This Tree Is Worn From People Sitting On It
Image credits: Mind_Ronin
#67 Old Dog Brush vs. A New One
Image credits: Gamer28222
#68 My 20 Year Old Toy Phone And My Daughters Brand New One! Both Fisher Price
Image credits: chelly1
#69 This Penny That Was Stuck In A Washing Machine
Image credits: AIKIMGSM
#70 Maple Fretboard Finish Worn Down
Yes, I know I’m a bad person for lettting things get this far. Love this guitar and have had it for decades (late eighties MIJ Strat).
Would this worn finish require a refret (I’m assuming the frets would be removed, the whole fretboard sanded down and refinished and then refretted and might as well do new nut)?
Image credits: bearcombshair
#71 Olu Kai. I Have Worn These Every Day, For Hours, For 6+ Years. Walk, Ride Boards, Worked, Beach Use. Like Really Hard Use And The Only Thing Worn Out Is The Neoprene
Image credits: Derp_Simulator
#72 After Several Years Of Faithful Service, It's Time To Retire My LEGO Robot Keychain
Image credits: AnotherPublicAlias
#73 My Father's Rosin After 10 Years Of Playing Cello
Image credits: CoconutLow9692
#74 Surface Pro Type Cover After 2 Years Of Daily Use. Still Works
Image credits: tj_awe
#75 The Difference 8 Years Of Daily Use Makes
Image credits: VadimH
#76 I Gave My Dad This Batman Wallet 10 Years Ago, I Was Like 4 Or 5 Years Old And I Got It In Preschool. He Uses It To This Day
Image credits: tmxq
#77 Worn Out Marks On The Floor Show The Rule Of Thumb For Using A Urinal
Image credits: purplearmy
#78 The Asphalt At The Bus Stop Has Slowly Been Pushed Into Grooves, Over The Many Years Of Use
Image credits: Lolliplop
#79 Worn Through Enamel Of A Public Toilet
Image credits: WSNC-JBR
#80 You've Worn Out Your Welcome
Image credits: pair_a_medic
#81 Shirt I Sleep In Since I Was 15
Image credits: Zobator
#82 I Absolutely Love Old Bars Of Europe. It Just Hits Different
Image credits: rossiadam
#83 The Way Diatomaceous Earth Has Worn Away This Stainless Steel Chute
This is a 10 ga stainless steel (0.135" thick) chute in a food processing plant. Diatomaceous earth is run through this chute, which has made these very unusual wear patterns. When you take a cutting wheel, grinding disc, sanding pad, etc to a piece of stainless, you never get these weird ridges and shapes. I'm actually still confused about how it seems to wear layers, as I didn't think there were layers in stainless. It's not a laminated material.
Also, diatomaceous earth extremely fine. It acts as an abrasive, but it's about as fine as corn starch, so it's impressive how much of the metal has worn away.
Image credits: Nervous-Letter2328
#84 My Friend’s Favourite Jeans Back Pocket, Where She Always Keeps Her Phone
Image credits: Background_Peace_892
#85 My Grandmother’s Cast Iron Skillet Is About 60 Years Old. She’s Used It So Much The Bottom Is Smooth
Image credits: octospark
#86 Ear Pads Of Headphones Turned Brown After 12 Years Of Use
Image credits: Kruemelbacke
#87 Is There Any Way I Can Figure Out The Date On This Worn Coin?
This is one of two coins my GFs granddad had carried around for years. The other one he wore paper thin but this one we can still make out some details on the front and back but I can’t make out any dates. Is there anything I can do to bring out any resemblance of a date?
Image credits: CortDigidy
