Homemade Keychains: Recycled Ideas

Did you know you can use bottles, corks and any other material you have at home to make some beautiful homemade keychains? Discover some great ideas here.
Homemade Keychains: Recycled Ideas

Last update: 10 October, 2022

Recycling and reusing are all the rage nowadays. Are you looking for some great ideas for homemade keychains?

Join the green trend and make some at home!

Believe it or not, it’s possible to create beautiful homemade keychains using materials you often toss in the trash. Those bottles, corks, broken clothes, beer caps can all be recycled … Everything works!

Turning Recycled Materials into Homemade Keychains

Here are some great ideas for making keychains with recycled items. With a little creativity, you can reuse any material and create practical, beautiful crafts.

1. Cork Homemade Keychains

Wine bottle corks.

This idea is super easy to make and very original.

  • You’ll just need a keyring, a wine bottle or champagne cork and, of course, your imagination.
  • Then, you can insert the cork as-is or cut a slice of it. Sand it so it’s very smooth.
  • You can also paint it in a single color or several or draw on it.

Bottle corks are ideal for making a rustic keychain. You probably have a few at home. Put this idea into practice and make some cute little cork keychains!

2. Homemade Keychains with Coffee Pods

This is one of the most original handmade keychains made with recycled materials. Imagine carrying a coffee pod in your pocket or purse!

  • To do this, you’ll need thick thread and needle, a glass, two coffee pods, and a keyring.
  • First, empty the pods and wash them well.
  • Then, dry them and then crush them using the glass.
  • Next, join one pod with the other, leaving the colored part out and sew them. Attach the ring, and voila!

3. Beer and Soda Caps

You can take advantage of the metal caps of the beer bottles after enjoying some at home.

  • Wash them and make a hole with a punch and a hammer.
  • Then, insert the keyring.

Give these keychains to your friends and watch them smile!

4. Reusing Fabrics

Do you have any old clothes at home or any type of old fabric?

Whatever it is, you can give life to those old fabrics and create any handmade keychain design you like.

  • Make a sort of pocket, fill it with stuffing, and sew it closed.
  • Then, make a hole in it and insert a keyring.

5. Aluminum Cans

A soda can from above.

You know those aluminum pop tabs, the ones you pull to open a can? They’re perfect for creating a highly original keychain.

  • Collect any of them and then join them by threading a ribbon or a rope through their holes. This is to tie them together.
  • Then, insert a keyring on it.

6. Buttons

If you have a box full of unused buttons at home and don’t know what to do with them, here’s the solution!

Pass a rope or thick thread through the different buttons, creating a sort of corsage. You’ll end up with a highly colorful keychain!

7. Old Forks

Isn’t it wonderful to be able to take advantage of that old cutlery you no longer use?

  • First, you’ll need some skill to make this kind of keychain.
  • The idea here is to take a fork and bend two of its tines. Sort of like a hand flexing fingers.
  • Then, add a keyring on the body of the fork and with the help of a hammer, fold it over the ring to close it.

8. Homemade Keychains from Baby Shoes

Do you have a small child at home? Or any tiny old shoes?

This is a great idea to take advantage of them. You’ll never have a cuter keychain!

9. Recycled Bottlenecks

Of course, we must add a keychain made of plastic bottles to this list.

  • First, cut the threaded part of the neck of the bottle with either scissors or a utility knife.
  • Then, place it on top of a piece of cloth and cover it with another.
  • Next, iron it until the plastic melts and flattens.
  • Then, insert a piece of thick wire through the center of this pendant.
  • Finally, coil it on top and around a key ring.

10. Beads and Charms

A person making homemade keychains with beads and wire..

If you have a broken bracelet, make a keychain with the beads!

Simply use thread or thin wire to join them as you like. Then, place a keyring on it and you’ll have a unique piece that all your friends will talk about.

11. Homemade Keychains with Legos or Dominoes

If you have toys nobody uses anymore at home don’t hesitate and recycle them into keychains for the entire family!

  • You can take a Lego or a domino and make a hole in it with a punch and a hammer.
  • Then, you just have to put a string through it and attach it to a keyring.

12. Plastic Baskets

Why not make a keychain out of those plastic baskets used to pack strawberries?

  • Wash it, dry it, and then make a design on it.
  • Then, cut out the figure and make a hole in it to insert a keyring.

13. Magazine Flowers

Magazine flowers and crafts.

This is a very unique idea that you’ve probably never seen before!

  • First, cut half an inch wide strips from magazines, lengthwise.
  • Next, roll each strip and put a drop of glue at the end of each one so you end up with a tight roll.
  • Then, when you have several rolls, leave one as is, round, and lightly press the others to give them an oval shape, as if they were petals.
  • After, place the round roll in the center and the petals around. When you’re satisfied with your shape, put glue around the round piece and then attach all the petals to complete your flower.
  • Then, allow it to dry for at least an hour.
  • Finally, make a hole in one of the petals and attach a small ring you can attach to the key ring.

You can make all sorts of flower arrangments with this technique.

What do you think of these ideas for homemade keychains? Give them a try!


This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.