Upcycle: what is it and examples
Upcycle of objects breathes new life into materials that would otherwise be discarded. See examples of the upcycling process
Every day, designers create new ways of looking at an antique object. In recent years, many started to create their products with the environment in mind and that's how the upcycle became popular. The word upcycle is used to refer to objects that were created using the upcycling technique, which consists of reusing objects and materials to create new items, often with different functions, without changing the main characteristics of the original object.
An item that has been upcycled usually has a quality equal to or better than its original, as it often gains a design touch that enhances the piece. Understand better the meaning of the term 'upcycling', very popular in the world of sustainability: "Upcycling: what is the meaning and how to adhere to fashion".
Upcycled objects reduce the amount of waste produced that would spend years in dumps or landfills. In addition, upcycling reduces the need to explore raw materials for the manufacture of new products, being one of the great examples of the Circular Economy, which proposes that waste be used as an input for the production of new products.
upcycle examples
We have gathered sixteen examples of upcycle which are super creative and interesting decorative items, fashion, clothes and objects:1. Schränk, the oil drum turned cabinet
The German company Lockengeloet made use of the forgotten oil barrels and turned them into containers with countless possibilities. With the help of a special can opener, two guitar strings and two magnets, the barrel becomes a beautiful (and rather expensive) decorative item.
2. Miss Dondola
Made by Angela Missoni, the Miss Dondola is a colorful swing made from the staves of wooden barrels connected by ropes. The Missoni project is part of an initiative by the San Patrignano rehabilitator organization to upcycle wood, just as the organization seeks to give new life to those in need.
3. Chevrolet Garden Bench 1.0
Kathi Borrego is an artist specializing in recycled metal. From the broken back door of her father's old pickup truck, Kathi and her husband, a carpenter, worked together to make a wooden bench from the materials they had available at home. As Kathi says: "Reuse first, recycle later".
4. Vilma Lighting Fixtures
This decorative item is a national production. Well, more or less. Vilma Farrell was a journalist for many years in Brazil and is now a housewife and artisan living in New York. Vilma owns the company Lampada, which sells lamps made with recycled coffee filters, and has gained notoriety among lamp lovers and coffee lovers. Did you like the upcycle?
5. Seat Belt Furniture
Designer Jason Phillips has created a series of furniture that use seat belts as material. The result is pleasant, cozy and comfortable. It is an environmentally friendly product without losing its elegance.
6. Piped book shelf
If you like to read or simply have a lot of books at home, you know what it feels like to see your shelf getting small. Or is it the books that are getting bigger? Anyway, shelves are nice and practical when you buy them off-the-shelf and kind of boring at the building supply store. Well, shelves were practical and bland until this one. Made of pipes salvaged from works to be demolished and recycled wood, the Stella Bleu Design made a very beautiful upcycle, no?
7. Leather mat
It's horrible to think of a leather rug, isn't it? No need to worry, as this rug is made from the leather tags found on denim pants (or jeans). Because they are small, several leather labels are sewn together, which will ensure stability and durability for the product. A beautiful example of upcycle , as the leather found in jeans is often discarded along with the main material.
8. Mario gives a upcycle in your house
It's time for Mario to change professions. Created by TRoweDesigns, the luminaire reuses a metal pipe and a recycled glass insulator. That simple. And to turn on the light? Just re-enact one of the most iconic moves in the video game world.
9.79°C
A project was proposed to the Greek designer Nekki Trakidou: transforming an abandoned and unused object into a piece of furniture with a unique style. The name 79 °C comes from the temperature of the water in the heater, which is the object used by the designer in this upcycle.
10. Cork stool
Made in the shape of a stopper, by stoppers in favor of stoppers, this is Genuine Cork Stool. Made from hundreds of wine corks, it can be used both indoors and outdoors, as the upcycling of the corks has resulted in a lightweight, easy-to-clean and moisture-proof ornament.
11. Sailor's mats
Originally made by Sophie Auschauer, from Serpent Sea, the doormats are made from recycled sailor rope and knotted with sailors that Auschauer learned on a boat trip in Nantucket. A beautiful upcycle decor !
12. T-Shirt Chair
made by Green Furniture Sweden, a T-Shirt Chair it's a metal shape filled with t-shirts or whatever fabric you have around you. This character allows easy removal of the fabric for washing and addition of other fabrics that, according to the creators, can be a documentation of the events of your life in a piece of furniture. In addition to using a continuous process of upcycle , the company will plant a tree for every meter of benches or chairs sold.
13. Vespa Multi-Mobile Scooter
David Giametta rescued a motorcycle Wasp from the junkyard. The scooter was out of repair, but that didn't mean much to Giametta, whose talents lie more in design than mechanics. From an old and broken scooter, through the upcycling process, two beautiful pieces of furniture have been reborn: a desk/notebook stand and a lounge chair.
14. Miner's furniture
This coffee table will take you back to the beginning of the 20th century... Mainly because it belongs to the beginning of the 20th century! That was the idea of Ducote Design. They rescued cars used in mines in France to transport coal and turned it into this beautiful coffee table.
15. The best subway in your home
THE 718 Made in Brooklyn is a brand created by former BMX professional Jeff Mayers to represent the best of the urban side of New York. Among the products sold, he chose to recycle old parts of the transport system's signage and create his own furniture collection.
16. The upcycle upcycle
Dutch designer Piet Hein Eek was one of the first designers to work with waste material and was known for creating a furniture collection using discarded objects in the 1990s. Today, Piet and his team realized that their creations still left garbage behind. O Waste Waste 40x40 it is made from the remains of discarded items cut into 40 mm x 40 mm and gathered together to form the furniture. Watch the video that shows Eek talking about his fascination with discarded materials and his workplace:
