I found this interesting and relevant to our project, so looked further into what it meant...
Upcycling is the process of converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of better quality or a higher environmental value.
Upcycling is the opposite of downcycling, which is the other half of the recycling process. Downcycling involves converting materials and products into new materials of lesser quality. Most recycling involves converting or extracting useful materials from a product and creating a different product or material.
For example, during the recycling process of plastics other than those used to create bottles, many different types of plastics are mixed, resulting in a hybrid. This hybrid is used in the manufacturing of plastic lumber applications. However, unlike the engineered polymer ABS which hold properties of several plastics well, recycled plastics suffer phase-separation that causes structural weakness in the final product.
In developing countries, where new raw materials are often expensive, upcycling is commonly practiced, largely due to impoverished conditions.
Upcycling has seen an increase in use due to its current marketability and the lowered cost of reused materials.[3] Inhabitat, a blog devoted to sustainability and design, holds an annual upcycling design competition with entries coming from around the globe.
Source // http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upcycling
Upcycling Website
Why Upcycle?
upcycling is becoming increasingly popular among groups and individuals concerned about climate change. Recycling is great but it requires energy and resources to collect, sort and process unwanted items and waste.
Upcycling is an even greener way of recycling – you find a new purpose for your unwanted items before you chuck them away.
Other Various Upcycling Ideas...
Really interesting website full of different recycling ideas...
Leave your comment