Sewing Zero Waste: Any Ideas for Reusing Too-Short Thread?

Filling fluff is a good idea! I've used thread and tiny fabric leftovers plus the leftover form making yarn wigs to fill pillows and other padded things. It's also possible to salvage the longer thread cuttings, put them on a spool and use them for basting or hand sewing later on. I guess it's also a preventative option to be mindful about how much excess thread gets pulled out of the sewing machine and whether this can be reduced.

It's worth picking one's battles, though - keeping every single scrap can turn into an errand in itself that doesn't always help with crafting the things you actually want to make; sometimes it's smarter to make peace with a little bit of fiber ending up discarded in the process just to focus on the project better.

 

I ran across a technique a few years ago that used up a lot of scrap thread. You use a backing fabric, then spread a layer of scrap fabric/thread/yarn, then a layer or two of tulle. Quilt over it with a sewing machine and you've got the world's most chaotic fabric. It's stiff, but it might be good for a doll purse or corset or other more structured items. I've done it before (unfortunately I don't have the item now). It's not hard, just takes practice. Sparkly material stands out well.

 

There is also the option of saving it with other fabric you want to recycle and donating it to Planet Aid. I dunno if they take thread or very small fabric scraps but they take torn, stained fabric and recycle it. My family has donated at least once.

 

I am a little bit torn on this. While I on principal am always all for limiting waste, it does sometimes go too far.

If in the hunt for using up leftovers you end up doing more projects that you otherwise wouldn't have started, or get materials that you otherwise would not have bought, you may not have reduced waste in the end when looking at the bigger picture.
I also agree with cobalt conduct on picking your battles.
I consider time to be another non-renewable resource and if you spend a lot of time to save a very small amount of materials, that may be a "waste" too. Consider if there is anything else you could have done during that extra time that would have a larger impact on the enviroment than the scraps of thread would have had.

We humans sometimes do this thing, where when confronted with a problem too big to fully comprehend and deal with on an individual level (such as global scale enviromental problems) because it's just too big, we instead hyperfocus on any part small enough that we can grasp them. This often leads to a false enconomy of awareness where, for example; somone who bought a low polluting car for all the right reasons, then end up driving more because they feel that they have done their part and now can drive with a clear concience.
It's important to ask ouselves what effect our coices have so that we can focus on the things that have the biggest impact. Beacause there is no way that we as single indiciduals can solve the worlds problems, we can only do our own part to the best of our ability.

And a big yes on letting the professionals do the recycling. I don't know where you live or what options are available, but look into if there is any collection of rags or scrap textiles in your area (and if there isn't, perhaps spend some of that extra time asking the right people; why not?) and make sure your scraps end up in the right place. Fibre recycling is a thing. It's not perfect, but it beats the other options.
The amount of garbage genereated is a problem, for sure, but the biggest impact of that problem is when that garbage ends up in the wrong place. Good recycling facilities and reliable garbage disposal plays a huge part in preventing that.

The little things do matter and small waste can add up, but as things are in the world right now, there may be more eficient ways to handle it.

 

I've always kept a little jar or bucket by my sewing station for scraps of fabric and thread - which I've used for stuffing things (Like a pincushion, lol!)... But if the threads are long enough, maybe use them for embellishments on things? The really short ones I think would be best to just use for the stuffing.

 

If you're into making props or dioramas for your dolls, what came to mind first for me was making miniature spools of thread out of chopsticks or wooden skewers! You could wrap the threads around it and it wouldn't take very much to make it look full, and having partials adds realism! Gluing them down would make it easier to layer up, especially if there are a lot of threads from a big project.

When I was in college and trying to make things last as much as possible I tried to sew on my machine with the saddest, shortest little starting tails and cut as close as possible once finished with scissors instead of using the machine's threadcutter. But both "savings" options ended up with me either having to dig lost threads out of my machine next time, untangle them from the bobbin mechanisms, or worse, slip out of the needle or bobbin needle and end up poking holes through precious fabric with no sewing getting done to show for it. So after learning the hard way a few times, I tried to think of it less as waste and more as necessary slack, so to speak, to keep things running smoothly. Maybe that would make the shorter threads sting less!

 

Short ends of thread can always be saved for fringe. Fold several threads together in the middle and sew them down with the smallest possible stitches. This is great on boho type clothing where the uneven ends are not a bug, they're a feature.