What is Upcycling?
“Upcycling” is defined as reusing discarded objects or materials in such a way as to create a product of higher quality or value than the original.
Wikipedia defines “upcycling” as “the process of transforming by-products, waste materials, useless, or unwanted products into new materials or products perceived to be of greater quality, such as artistic value or environmental value.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upcycling
The term “upcycle” started to be used in the 1990s as a portmanteau of “up” and “recycle,” but humans have been reusing materials for most of our existence due to both necessity and creativity.
Recycling differs from upcycling as recycling involves destroying waste in order to create something new, whereas upcycling takes waste and creates something new from it in its current state.
Key characteristics of upcycling include:
Creative reuse: An item is refashioned or repurposed, not destroyed and re-manufactured.
Increased value: The new product is often more beautiful, useful, or valuable than the original.
Energy efficiency: The process avoids the industrial energy consumption required for traditional recycling and manufacturing.
Reduced waste: It diverts items from landfills, decreasing overall waste and environmental impact.
These are Lawless Upcycling’s kinds of upcycling:
Using old products as materials to make new products. Example - Using vintage card catalogue drawers and screws to create entry way/front door key organizers.
Using raw materials to make new products. Example - Using excess scrap wood from a construction site to make a table.
Restoring or modernizing an old or damaged product. Example - An old and beat-up wooden desk is cut into a more modern style, sanded and given a new stain.
Creative process/puzzle/problem solving
Create functional art that is perfect for you/one-of-a-kind
o Ex/ Make a key chain holder that fits perfectly in the awkward space you have next to your front door.
Know the story behind how materials were found and upcycled into an item
Sustainable and Eco-friendly - Prevent wasting potentially useful materials by making use of existing ones, and reducing making new, raw materials, which can decrease energy usage, air pollution, water pollution and even greenhouse gas emissions.
Budget-friendly – Can test out making/woodworking without as much cost
why Upcycling?
There are tons of ways to source upcycling materials! Here are some of my favorites:
1) Look around your house! It’s amazing what you accumulate over the years and you may have lots of things you can use already in your house - such as your bookcase from college that is just not your style now and beat up but still is sturdy. Also I love using cardboard that I get from various deliveries.
2) Items put out on the curb for free. I keep gloves in my car just in case I see something and need to load it into my car.
3) Everything is Free (EIF) groups. There is a very active EIF group on Facebook for my city and I’ve have gotten a majority of my materials from the group. See below for one of my biggest hauls.
4) Secondhand sellers - Thrift stores, antique fairs, etc.
5) Friends who know you are looking for upcycling materials.
how to source upcycling materials
Example of one of my biggest EIF Hauls
My haul from picking up one vintage TV that John posted in EIF. Ends up he owned an audio electronics store that he was closing so he could retire and he had tons and tons of stuff that he was going to throw out unless I took it… In his message he said “there may be other things you want” and boy was there ever!
The vintage TV I initially claimed.
Trunk haul 1 of 2 - From left to right, big items include the blue metal dolly, a 3ft tall radio, and a chair from the Chevalier Theater in Medford, MA before it was renovated.
Trunk haul 2 of 2 - Tons of lumber, awesome metal organizing boxes that included various screws and electronic parts, and a few tool bags.
Generally you need to experiment and problem solve/come up with solutions based on what you have on hand.
Options for how to start a project:
1) Want to make an item so look at what materials you have or can get, and think about what can be used to create the item.
a. Ex: I want to create a table and I can use 2x4 wood or metal pipes for the legs
2) See a material and it inspires your design/item to create.
a. Ex: Saw a radiator and immediately thought it would be great to use as table legs because heavy and unique.
3) Handle and play with item(s) to get inspired.
a. Ex: Found old metal pipes and tried bending them, and it worked so now have idea to use pipes to create desk organizer.
Next: Figure out how to utilize the material and make the part or item.
- This can be very frustrating
- Need to try various things out
- If figuring out how to use the material is a big struggle, then it’s not worth it and try something else:
o Different way to use the material
o Use a different material all together
How to create an Upcycling design
Upcycling tips
Test out ideas and techniques before doing them on your work piece.
MORE TO COME!