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What is Upcycling?
Level
Key Topics You’ll Learn About in This Article
How upcycling differs from recycling
The benefits of upcycling
How everyone can try upcycling
Consumers have undoubtedly become more aware of their purchasing habits, with up to 75% of people making an effort to reduce their plastic consumption – but despite these efforts to improve recycling, many people are unaware of the benefits of upcycling.
Upcycling is a new trend which encourages consumers to transform their original purchased product into a new item that they will continue to use in their everyday lives.
In this article, we’ll explain what upcycling is, how it is different from recycling, the benefits of upcycling, and how you can start upcycling yourself at home.
What Does Upcycling Mean?
Upcycling refers to the process of people modifying their old products and turning them into “new” products that can be used again – often seeking to be more functional than the original product was in the first place.
“In a sense, upcycling is a way to give your old product a second life – so even if it eventually needs to be recycled, the user is still getting extended use out of the item they originally purchased.”
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It is important to remember that the majority of items which are upcycled are items that would usually be thrown away or attempted to be recycled after its use – such as empty jars, old fabrics and pieces of clothing, or packaging materials.
Popular items that are often upcycled include:
🕯️
Candles
Empty candle jars are often reused as storage containers, planters, or holders for small household items.
🧂
Old Spice Jars
Glass spice jars are commonly repurposed for organising herbs, craft supplies, or small hardware.
🍓
Old Jam Jars
Jam jars are frequently upcycled into drinking glasses, storage containers, or homemade gift packaging.
👕
Old Clothing
Worn garments are transformed into tote bags, cleaning rags, quilts, or redesigned fashion pieces.
🪑
Wooden Furniture
Old furniture is sanded, repainted, or rebuilt into new pieces, extending its lifespan and avoiding landfill waste.
🍾
Glass Bottles
Glass bottles are often repurposed into vases, lamps, or decorative items instead of being discarded.
Oftentimes, as people seek to make their “new product” into something they can find more useful in their day-to-day life – the upcycled product is usually more functional than the original product. However, accomplishing this will require innovation and creativity on behalf of the consumer – seeing as upcycling demands extensive attention to detail and the various parts of the product that must be removed or revamped in the process of upcycling.
Many people will use upcycling for various reasons, such as:
- Seeking to become more sustainable or adopt green ways of living;
- Trying to cut back on unnecessary costs, such as refraining from purchasing new clothing items – therefore turning to upcycling for ideas to rework their existing wardrobes;
- Developing one’s innovation skills to a new level, and ultimately – may be viewed as a challenge or practice for artists to challenge themselves creatively.
Examples of Upcycling
Some examples of upcycling include seeking to upcycle fashion, old spices, candles, and furniture.
“In reality, almost anything can be upcycled – as long as the product is being revamped to be used past its intended use, an item can be considered as an example of upcycling.”
Everyday Examples of Upcycling
Here are some of these examples of upcycling explained in more detail:
👕♻️
Clothing
One of the most common forms of upcycling, clothing reuse has gained attention as
fast fashion
contributes to excess
pollution
and
unsustainable supply chains.
Upcycling allows garments to be creatively reused rather than discarded or sent to thrift stores.
🫙🌿
Spice Jars
While plastic spice containers are harder to upcycle, glass spice jars are often considered upcycling gold,
as they can easily be cleaned and reused to store new spices or household items.
🕯️✨
Candles
Especially popular during the
holiday season,
candles often leave behind containers that can be reused. Instead of attempting to recycle them with wicks intact,
many people upcycle jars for storage or décor.
🪑🛠️
Furniture
Second-hand and antique furniture is frequently refurbished, repainted, or reupholstered.
This form of upcycling extends the life of furniture and avoids the environmental impact of manufacturing new pieces.
Upcycling will require awareness and creativity on behalf of either the company distributing the product or the consumer purchasing it, but in the end – upcycling is a tool and habit that can be practiced amongst the majority of things we buy and use throughout our lives.
What Is the Difference between Recycling and Upcycling?
The main difference between recycling and upcycling is recycling is the process of breaking down the materials from a product which can be reused again by manufacturers – such as paper, plastic, metals, and glass. Upcycling, on the other hand, refers to the process of utilising those materials in their existing form to be used again – without the need for extensive processing.
Therefore, one of the overarching advantages of upcycling over recycling is that it mitigates the need to entirely disassemble a product, melt down materials, and wait for them to be used. Upcycling takes advantage of the already existing materials and aims for them to be re-used in their current state.
“Ultimately, recycling refers to the user hoping the item being recycled will have a second life – while upcycling is the consumer taking matters into their own hands and ensuring the product they purchased will have a second life.”
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Upcycling vs. Recycling
Additional differences between upcycling and recycling include:
- Upcycling allows the consumer to take advantage of the materials provided, whereas recycling still requires the original consumer to trust the manufacturer or company to re-use their recycled product;
- Upcycling can allow any product to be repurposed, such as items that cannot be recycled at all – where as recycling can only benefit products or companies which produce and sell products made of non-biodegradable materials;
- Upcycling is more versatile than recycling, seeing as a product can turn into an entirely new item as a result of upcycling – whereas recycling is often done with the intention of using the recycled material to re-create the same exact product;
- Upcycling prevents the need for products to go through the intensive, industrial process of recycling – which already creates a carbon footprint on its own.
The battle cards below will further break down the differences between upcycling and recycling:
♻️✨ Upcycling
🎨 Transforms old or unwanted items into higher-value products
🧵 Encourages creativity and reuse without breaking materials down
🌍 Reduces waste by extending the life of products
🏠 Often done at home or by small businesses and artisans
⏳ Helps avoid discarding items too early
🔄 Recycling
🏭 Breaks materials down to create new raw materials
⚙️ Requires industrial processing and infrastructure
🔋 Uses energy, water, and resources during reprocessing
📦 Common for materials like paper, glass, and metals
♻️ Still beneficial, but often less resource-efficient than reuse
While both recycling and upcycling provide the opportunity for a material to be reused before it finds its way to the landfill, they differ as recycling can go awry and upcycling allows the consumer to have full control over the future of the re-worked item.
Why Should Upcycling Be Used More Often?
Upcycling should be used more often than it currently is because it helps to ensure that resources are not thrown away, improperly recycled, and are used to their full potential.
“Upcycling allows for numerous benefits, such as allowing the consumer to prevent spending excess money on new products, reducing the overwhelming demand on behalf of the current recycling system, and promoting the practical benefits of creativity.”
Reasons to Start Upcycling
Here are a few more reasons why upcycling should be used more than it currently is:
🧱♻️
Man-Made Materials
Many non-biodegradable materials like styrofoam and car tires can be upcycled into useful items, helping reduce landfill waste and greenhouse gas emissions.
⛏️🌍
Preserves Scarce Resources
Some resources — even when ethically sourced — are limited, making upcycling a key way to maximise their lifespan.
🏠✨
One-of-a-Kind Items
Upcycled products add individuality to homes and offices while inspiring others to rethink how everyday items can be reused creatively.
🛠️🧠
Improves Handy-Man Skills
Upcycling helps develop crafting, repair, and problem-solving skills that are useful both personally and professionally.
🏪💚
Supports Local Businesses
Many small businesses rely on upcycling to create and sell unique products, supporting local economies while reducing environmental impact.
🌱🗑️
Reduces Waste
By extending the life of everyday items, upcycling prevents premature disposal and lowers overall waste sent to landfills.
Many people choose recycling over upcycling as it takes less time and effort, but the benefits of upcycling often outweigh those presented by recycling.
How Can You Start Upcycling at Home?
You can easily get started with upcycling with the help of the internet and social media for inspiration, such as by looking on Pinterest, Tik Tok, Youtube, Instagram, and blogs for inspiration on how to rework some of your existing items into new, upcycled materials.
“One of the most important parts of upcycling is to choose to upcycle an item you purchase consistently, but also to choose an upcycling project that will bring you joy – which will give you more motivation to move forward with future upcycling projects.”
The interactive flip cards below (move cursor over card to flip) will reveal some of our tips to make upcycling accessible to you:
🧩 Start Small
Certain upcycling projects may seem overwhelming, such as refurbishing furniture or removing the wicks of candles. Therefore, it’s best to find upcycling encouraging by starting with smaller projects — such as with clothing or using old spice jars to fill with other products.
📝 Make a Shopping List
There’s nothing more frustrating than being in the middle of an upcycling project and not having the materials you need to finish. Therefore, we recommend making a list of all the things you need for your upcycling project before starting to help mitigate aggravation.
🎨 Upcycle What You Like
With any project, it’s always best to have intrinsic motivation of some sort — meaning it’s important pick upcycling projects that you’ll be likely to continue in the future. For example, if you enjoy cooking or kitchen organisation — it will feel easy to upcycle an old spice jar. Another idea is if you like gardening, it will feel convenient to turn that old spice jar into a new plant for herbs or small plants.
🛠️ Use What You Already Have
Before buying anything new, check what you already have at home — like jars, boxes, old fabric, or leftover paint — and build your project around those supplies to keep upcycling simple and affordable.
Overall, upcycling is a trendy yet effective way to play your part in the midst of climate change and push for greater sustainability – and seeing as upcycling can be done with just about anything, the opportunities to complete these small projects and changes are truly endless.
What About Greenly?
If reading this article on upcycling has made you interested in reducing your carbon emissions to further fight against climate change – Greenly can help you!
Seeking to understand how upcycling could have an impact on your business can prove difficult to understand, but don’t worry – Greenly is here to help! Click here to book a demo and get personalised expertise on how you can start to reduce your own emissions and decrease your environmental impact.
Greenly can help you make an environmental change for the better, starting with a carbon footprint assessment to know how much carbon emissions your company produces.
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