What is the upcycling ?

Do you know the saying “nothing is lost, everything is transformed”? That’s at least what the upcycling method shows us. Also translated as “surcycling” or “upcyclage”, upcycling means “recycling upwards.” In short, this method consists of recycling the old by transforming it into something newer, with the aim of preserving the raw material used. This practice has become very fashionable in recent years: it is now seen as a true trend in the world of the circular and ethical economy.

The principle of upcycling: for whom, and why?

The principle of upcycling is to retain materials that are unused or no longer needed so they can be used to create other, higher-quality objects or products. As its translation indicates, the material is “upgraded,” and thus elevated in quality. Upcycling can be used with several materials:

· Wood

· Plastic

· Fabric

· Cardboard

Knowing that 4 million tonnes of clothing waste are thrown away each year in Europe, and that the majority of these garments end up incinerated, this method proves to be an excellent opportunity to transform how we “recycle” materials.

An upcycled item is a unique and rare object: you will have the chance to own an original and completely unique piece. A chance for you to possess original items while respecting our environment.

How to distinguish it from traditional recycling?

When you recycle, the product will be transformed into something similar: its quality will be neither worse nor better. Upcycling aims to significantly improve the quality of the recycled product. Furthermore, recycling involves an energy- and water-intensive transformation process. Upcycling a material will not chemically alter the objects, and will cost nothing. It is therefore both an ethical and responsible solution.

You can do upcycling yourself: it will allow you to save money. For example, you can create pallet furniture for your garden or interior. Many stores dispose of pallets: a golden opportunity to put your artistic skills to the test!

The same goes for tires: turn them into a basket or a pouf. They already have the right shape for these uses.

The origins of this practice

It was in the 1990s that the principle of upcycling began to emerge: Reiner Pilz is one of the pioneers of upcycling. He, then an interior architect, was against recycling, which he considered destructive and unproductive. He proposed upcycling so that useless products could be transformed into something better. A good way to preserve material and waste nothing: it is mainly in developed countries that the principle of upcycling took hold and gained popularity.

Some examples of upcycled products

From the moment this practice appeared on the market, many sectors seized the opportunity to transform low-cost materials. This is particularly true in the textile world, with the production of cushions, covers, bags, or hot-air balloon fabrics from recovered materials, as done very well by Maison Bilum. Some workshops have also chosen upcycling by reworking excess wood into high-end furniture.

Upcycling is therefore an alternative to recycling which, although good for the environment because nothing is wasted, is not always very useful or productive. Upcycling is increasingly trendy, to the point that many luxury brands are adopting this method in the manufacture of their products. All that remains is for you to find the upcycled products of your dreams, or better yet, make them yourself!