Thread: Compost Clothing

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Hi Folks - I have seen a few posts on distressing clothing for zombies & etc, but I have never heard of this idea before. I used to bury the clothing in the garden, but last year I forgot some items, and turned them into rags with the rototiller.
I recently purchased a large com-poster to help with the garden fertilizing. so I thought why not age clothing in the com-poster over the summer and see how it goes. I bought only cotton, or mostly cotton clothing from the second hand store, loaded it in, and gave it a spin. I did do some hand distressing first like a few rips and tears, plus a little fraying on the edges. If nothing else, I'll get some good staining (body fluids) on them. A quick rinse with a hose in October and I should be in business. If nothing else the smell should be authentic. HM

Yes, these should be pretty realistic looking.

If you leave all cotton clothes in a composter all summer and continue to add water and materials, I'd be surprised if you have anything left that would be wearable.

At least, it wouldn't be anything I'd want to put on - maybe shreds for zombie props.

When I've composted my cotton clothes for some of my monster props, it only took a couple of weeks to get the needed effect, longer than that and they wont be usable. Remember, a compost heap is using live bacteria to break down organic materials, cotton clothes break down very quickly.

AH! Thanks for the tip partsman and F's G! I wonder how it works on polyester? I could go back in time and wipe out the 70's. Ah, hahahahahahahahaha!

Originally Posted by Hallomarine

AH! Thanks for the tip partsman and F's G! I wonder how it works on polyester? I could go back in time and wipe out the 70's. Ah, hahahahahahahahaha!

Polyester with not break down as fast natural fabrics (cotton/wool etc..). After a few months, it will probably look pretty much like when you first buried it but with lots of dirt and other moldy stuff happening. I definitely wouldn't want to wear something myself that "authentic" but if you're doing it for props, you should have no problems with that part.

Here is a good link to a few methods for distressing clothing (composting and wearable techniques):
http://www.hauntproject.com/projdeta...ing%20Clothing

Originally Posted by Frankie's Girl

If you leave all cotton clothes in a composter all summer and continue to add water and materials, I'd be surprised if you have anything left that would be wearable.

At least, it wouldn't be anything I'd want to put on - maybe shreds for zombie props.

Yup


Cotton will prob be gone by october, especially living in Nevada. The hotter a compost pile is the faster it decomposes, and your pile will prob average 120+ degrees in summer (I compost here too ). Polyester though, will probably take more than a few years to break down in a home pile. Also keep in mind that there is a lot of bacteria in a compost pile and you may end up wearing a bacterial infested dreamcoat if you use it as a regular compost pile. Ill bet however, if you dedicate the composter to these clothes you could probably get really good results from using just dirt, yard waste and water.

Also, I can't imagine what that outfit will look/smell like after a year in storage......

I find the clothes that work the best with this method are the cotton/polyester blends, the cotton breaks down and the polyester holds what's left together for that true risen from the grave look.

The cloth in clothing by laying ontop of the cement sidewalk and smacking it with a hammer. Watch it closely it will eventually rip through.
Of course if I were that clothing I would be more than just distressed, I would be bleeding and unconscious! (Left for dead?)

Originally Posted by Gym Whourlfeld

The cloth in clothing by laying ontop of the cement sidewalk and smacking it with a hammer. Watch it closely it will eventually rip through.
Of course if I were that clothing I would be more than just distressed, I would be bleeding and unconscious! (Left for dead?)

Love this technique! I do similar - I go at the cloth with a wire brush and sandpaper. I have also been known to run over clothes in my car.