What is Upcycling?

Upcycling is a form of recycling that focuses on transforming unused items or materials into covetable, high-value upcycled products.

It can be as simple as taking an old piece of clothing or furniture and giving it some TLC, but it can also mean turning waste items or materials into something completely different.Although upcycling isn’t a new phenomenon, it continues to gain popularity as consumers become increasingly environmentally- conscious about their shopping

What Can You Upcycle?

If you’re wondering what materials can be upcycled, the answer is: pretty much anything! Thanks to the magic of upcycling, many surprising objects can be repurposed into something completely different. Commonly upcycled materials include:

• Leather garments
• Leather
• Fabrics
• Trims
• Zippers
• Anything that is in the fabric warehouse

Upcycling isn’t just a trend: it’s a way of life. When you buy upcycled products, you can be assured that your items won’t just be unique, but also kinder to the earth as well.

Upcycling vs Recycling: What’s the Difference?

Both upcycling and recycling aim to benefit the environment by reusing waste products that would otherwise end up in the landfill. Although the processes of upcycling and recycling are similar, the end product can be very different.

The difference between upcycling and recycling is really the difference between upcycling and a process known as downcycling.

The two words are often used interchangeably, but they’re actually different things. Both have benefits for our environment and help control the waste we generate, but there are crucial differences between the two processes. Here is how you can tell them apart.

Definition of recycling and upcycling

Recycling

Recycling is the term people are often more familiar with: it means reusing a product so that it has a longer lifespan before it gets discarded as waste.

This is true of all recycled products: the created product will be inferior in quality and value.

Upcycling

Upcycling begins from the same starting point as recycling – it aims to reuse a product so that it has a longer lifespan before it gets discarded as waste.

However, upcycling means reusing materials or a product to create something that has a higher value. 

What are the Benefits of Upcycling?

For our products specifically…. 

• BRAND NAME DESIGNS
• FASHION AT A FRACTION OF THE PRICE
• UPCYCLED FASHION WITH THE ENVIRONMENT IN MIND

Sustainable fashion is definitely having a moment, and upcycling is a way of creating truly unique pieces that are kinder to the environment.

Unlike recycling, upcycling allows you to explore your creativity. 

Through upcycling, the world transforms into a place ripe with opportunity and creative potential.

There’s a growing demand for eco-friendly, beautiful items that showcase creativity.

• REDUCE LANDFILL WASTE   

By upcycling, items that would usually end up in the landfill can get a new lease of life.

The US, for instance, may be rapidly reaching the peak capacity of their 2,000 active landfills. Creating new landfills is a problematic option, as landfills cause air, land and water pollution, and most communities are opposed to them.

• SAVING NATURAL RESOURCES

Natural resources, including water, are commonly used in manufacturing - did you know that it takes over 2,700 litres of water to make a single t-shirt? When you buy upcycled products, you’re saving energy which would go into manufacturing a product from scratch- what better excuse to indulge in some retail therapy?

• GETTING CREATIVE

Unlike traditional recycling, upcycling allows you to use your creativity to take something traditionally thought of as ‘unwanted or old fashioned’, and see the new potential in it.

What are the Cons of Upcycling?

It isn’t easy to transform a product into something else that has a higher value. The downside of upcycling is that there are sometimes few opportunities to recreate an unwanted item into an upcycled product, which can be frustrating. You may also need to buy additional materials to create the new item you imagine which requires investment.