To be pissed off I have to send a decent, working item to landfill...

[OnceThereWasThisGirlWho]

Because it's a lamp you apparently cannot buy replacement shades for?
This type of thing.
Paper shade. Ripped. Have searched fruitlessly on google after having a huge minor breakdown after trying to sew my own for hours and it going horribly wrong.
Have bigger fish to fry right now and just want a fucking lampshade so my living room looks ok.

[GarlicSteak]

I've always assumed that's why they're cheap! You may as well stick it on Freecycle, though, before ditching it.

[Baconyum]

Have you tried giving away for free? Some people are more...adept at up cycling, or a local theatre group might use as is for a 'run down ' type scenery?

[KingJoffreyLikesJaffaCakes]

Make a new shade.

I'd use a large wind sock.

[chanice]

I have seen similar things in ikea. Maybe they have replacement shades available.

[MustStopAndThinkBeforePosting]

Don't send it to landfill. If you don't want to tackle the challenge of replacing the shade then free cycle it and someone else will. I guess that replacement shades aren't economically worthwhile to stock given that so many places are selling the whole lamp for barely more than a tenner they probably couldn't sell the shade alone with a profit margin that justifies the effort.

It would be easy for someone creative and with time to spare to make a replacement. Is it a standard lampshade fitting? Could a normal lampshade go on the stand?

[Ackvavit]

If it is just ripped why not be creative and get some free wallpaper samples from b and q that you really love and match your room and use PVA glue to simply patchwork over it ?

[NapQueen]

Just shove it on Gumtree and let someone else have the project.

Or stress less about this. Seriously.

[themorus]

Have you tried IKEA?

[SirChenjin]

I totally get you OP - I hate sending stuff to landfill, far too many people don't give it a second thought. We have local recycling points - maybe one locally for you for future?

[SoupDragon]

It shouldn't be too hard to make a fabric tube to slide over the top.

You're right though, it annoys me no end when stuff ends up in land fill that could be used or fixed.

[ExtraHotLatteToGo]

Google 'How to make paper lampshades' there are loads of hints, tips, suppliers - much easier than sewing one!

[AlpacaPicnic]

Can you turn it so the rip isn't visible?

[NovemberInDailyFailLand]

What pattern were you trying to follow to make another?

[SaucyJack]

Can't you just stick it in the Cupboard of Shame with the rest of the useless crap and forget about it?

[NotCitrus]

Would it fit in a WEEE recycling bin or will your council collect such things?

[Buttock]

But if you've got bigger fish to fry then just give it away on freecycle or gumtree. It was only £9.99.

[confuugled1]

Could you stick some patches of white tissue on it to patch the rip?

I don't think wall paper would work as suggested above as it wouldn't be translucent and would be too thick.

But tissue paper would be fine - and depending on where the rip is and how big it is, you could create a design with tissue all over so it wasn't obvious there was a repair or it could be ok just to turn it around.

Might need to check if it needs a spray of fireproofing stuff in case the light gets hot though (not so much of a risk these days with LED bulbs that stay cool but worth making an active choice about rather than not thinking about it and discovering that it should have been done as you see smoke or flames come from the shade!).

[OnceThereWasThisGirlWho]

Soup It shouldn't be too hard to make a fabric tube to slide over the top.

It's not the sliding over the top that's the problem, it's the way it needs to be sewn onto the metal loops at top and bottom - very hard to make it hang right. And I'm normally good at sewing! Going to keep hold of the fabric tube for now and try to figure out a better way of attaching it...

Saucy No cupboard of shame here, rental property, barely any storage, so have to be very strict about not keeping junk.

Confuugled ... rather than not thinking about it and discovering that it should have been done as you see smoke or flames come from the shade


The gumtree suggestions are a good idea. I don't mind getting a new lamp, it's the waste of this one that seems a shame.

Thanks for the suggstions, am trying to sort out the flat on very little energy so after hours trying to get the new shade right I broke down a bit!

[dizzyfucker]

We had something similar to that, we got it in IKEA, they do replacement shades, I believe. Worth a try and adapt the shade to fit.

[CMOTDibbler]

My mum used to use lycra fabric to pull lampshades into shape, so would that work?

Or if theres a Repair Cafe near you, maybe someone would have an idea there?