One of those words that sounds familiar, but it is quite challenging to explain to another person is upcycling. You know what it is, but you can only give examples when you have to explain it. As with recycling, it’s about unwanted materials. There is also the aspect of refurbishing or simply giving new life to the unwanted object. But this is where the similarity stops, and things start to get blurred. There is also a similar term, “down-cycling.”
Upcycling, on the other hand, aims to convert items that are not being used into even greater value or appeal than they originally were. It relies more on creativity than on practicality. The use of the product in its old life is considered to be as apparent as possible, but it is made as creative as possible in its new use. This is the case, for example, when an old suitcase is transformed into a functional chair. All the bag pieces are there and easy to identify, but it is no longer a suitcase.
Bottom-up recycling is becoming more and more popular, and there are even flourishing companies in this field. It may not be a simple business activity, but much of it is a hobby. Since most rooms are usually used for home furnishings, this is not necessarily a rule. It may be as simple as turning yesterday’s paper into a flowerpot, but it’s not like turning a kettle with a squeaky lid. The goal is to use waste and not just give new uses to things that are already useful. After all, you will still have to buy the kettle.
Upcycling is about reusing something you have to produce to get something of better quality and value. It’s a fad that many people have embraced because it’s incredibly inexpensive, and it allows you to create beautiful things out of what many consider waste.
Wood Recycling
If you have built something out of wood in the past, there is no doubt that you will always have odds and ends lying around your cabin. While most people would throw those pieces away, you should put them to good use! You can reuse the old wood to make tables, steps, desks, cabinets, and much more. Take a look at some of these recycled masterpieces :
Upcycling in the garden
Perhaps the most popular form of recycling today in the garden. Creating potted plants, flowerbeds, bird tables, water features, and more using found materials has even become a lucrative career for some. Why not use old handbags and lunch bags as hanging flower baskets? And why not turn glass bottles upside down and line them up around a flowerbed as decoration? You can make your room as creative as you like. Remember, the question is whether YOU think it looks beautiful.
The recycling of art
For a long time, there has been an interest in the recycling of art. Popular art, for example, has been popular for over a hundred years. Sculptures, paintings, and statues are often made from reused materials. In recent years, however, its popularity has exploded. Max Zorn is an artist from the Netherlands who creates incredible works of art from brown packing tape. Jeff Wassmann is an American artist who uses materials that wash up on beaches to create his artwork. You can paint on reused plastic or paper, or maybe build a statue or model out of old metal.
Upcycling in business
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is one of the greatest tragedies of our environment. It is a vast collection of marine debris accumulated in the Pacific Ocean, mainly due to the many plastics that have frozen. It is the size of a country. Global companies are now looking to reduce this waste by recycling old plastic. This would significantly affect the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and even the rest of the world. The ultimate goal is to get this waste back into the marketplace and find new uses for it.