Final Project: UpCycling Jeans With the Laser Cutter

Hi! These are the jeans I upcycled through laser cutting. I created a design in Fusion 360, cut it into denim with the laser cutter, and then attached the pieces onto an old pair of jeans.

1. Laser Cutter
2. Old Jeans
3. Denim
4. Fusion 360
5. Sewing Machine
6. Grommets
7. Grommet Puncher

For the first step, I picked out an old pair of jeans I didn’t wear anymore but wanted to give new life to. I measured the jeans and planned out the size of the slit I wanted to create. The slit measured about 33–34 inches tall and 8 inches wide. From there, I designed diamond shapes to fill the slit, sizing them at 12 inches, 10 inches, and 5 inches. These measurements became my constraints in Fusion.

I then designed the three shapes in Fusion 360. This took some trial and error because I wasn’t sure how to make all the arcs consistent using constraints. My first attempt involved drawing curves by eye based on the height and width, but the shapes ended up too close together, which made the fabric structurally weak. So I started over.

On the second try, I used intersecting height and width constraints and built out four equal squares as a guide. I aligned all the arcs to intersect the squares evenly, which created much cleaner, stronger shapes. After some tweaking, I was happy with the design and exported it to Adobe Illustrator for laser cutting. Before cutting the full piece, I tested the design by making a smaller diamond pattern and cutting it into fabric to see how it held up.

The test piece turned out great, with clean edges and much easier than cutting by hand. I thought the fabric would fray a lot because of the raw edges, but the laser actually sealed them, which gave it a clean, finished look.

After testing, I cut the fabric to the right dimensions so it would fit perfectly in the laser cutter. The machine cut everything quickly, cleanly, and without burn marks. The results looked even better than I expected.

Once the denim panels were cut, I needed to insert them into the jeans. To do this, I seam-ripped the sides of the pants. This part took much longer than I expected because the jeans had multiple lines of stitching, and I had to carefully remove each one. It also created a lot of loose threads that I had to clean up.

After that, I pinned the panels in place and set up a sewing machine in the makerspace with dark blue thread. Sewing the pieces in was a bit rushed since I had to leave for work, and I accidentally sewed one of the diamond shapes closed at the top. Luckily, it wasn’t too noticeable in the final look. Once the panels were secure, I finished the raw edge at the bottom of the pants to prevent fraying.

The final step was adding grommets for decoration and detail. I measured and marked placement along the sides of the jeans using a black pen, then individually punched in the grommets along four lines. This process was a little more humbling than I expected since it took a lot of strength (which I don't have) and time to press them in.

I also decided to cover up the old jean tag with a patch I made using three diagonal grommets. Sewing the patch on was tricky because the fabric was thick and the grommets pulled the patch tighter, but I liked the textured look it created, so I kept it.

This was my first time using grommets, and I really enjoyed the process. They added an extra design element to the jeans, and now I want to add them to everything!

This project challenged me to combine digital design tools, fabrication technology, and traditional sewing skills into one up-cycling process. Starting with old jeans I no longer wore, I was able to transform them into something new and personal through the combination of laser cutting, sewing, and grommet work.

One of the biggest takeaways was how much trial and error was involved, especially in designing in Fusion 360 and sewing the pieces together. I learned the importance of testing small samples before committing to the full design, since my first attempt at the shapes didn’t provide enough stability. Laser cutting denim also surprised me—it was cleaner and more effective than I expected, and it even prevented fraying.

Sewing the panels in reminded me how much patience goes into working with thick fabrics and seam ripping multiple layers. It was also a reminder that imperfections can become part of the design—like the accidentally sewn top piece that still looked good in the end. Adding grommets was another new skill for me, and I discovered how much of an impact small details can make in elevating a piece of clothing.

Overall, this project taught me how to merge technology and fashion in a creative, sustainable way. I not only gained confidence in using the laser cutter and grommet puncher, but I also developed a deeper appreciation for up-cycling as both a design method and a way to give clothes a second life. I can see myself expanding on this project in the future by experimenting with different shapes, layering techniques, or even incorporating laser-cut fabric into other garments since I think it could be pretty useful.