Everyday Upcycling

While upcycling chemicals has a beneficial impact in the manufacturing world, the more commonly known version of upcycling has been around for generations and is not a chemical form of upcycling, instead it is turning an item into a new product. Popular examples of everyday upcycling include reusing grain or coffee sacks to make accessories or dresses, tires to make buckets, bottle glasses to make artisan jewelry or into creative lighting solutions.

“Repainting furniture is the simplest form of upcycling and it doesn’t necessarily require a huge amount of skill. Even just painting the legs of an old table can rejuvenate it. I can also speak from experience that furniture painting is very therapeutic! Simply working with second hand or vintage is also a form of upcycling. Often it’s about placing something old into a new context.”

As a result of the innovative and diverse applications for upcycling, the upcycling movement has taken off in art, architecture, and aesthetic based movements causing an increased demand from consumers for sustainable brands that spearhead upcycled materials in their brands.