Upcycling is 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. It is the act of taking something no longer in use and giving it a second life and new function. In doing so, the finished product often becomes more practical, valuable and beautiful than what it previously was.

Recycling takes consumer materials — mostly plastic, paper, metal and glass — and breaks them down so their base materials can be remade into a new consumer product, often of lesser quality but when you upcycle an item, you aren’t breaking down the materials. You may be refashioning it — like cutting a T-shirt into strips of yarn — but it’s still made of the same materials as when you started. Also, the upcycled item is typically better or the same quality as the original.

There are lots of benefits of Upcycling. They are as follows:

1.       Saving materials from landfill

2.       Minimal use of resources

3.       Reducing what goes into landfill

4.       Celebrate artisanal and creative work

5.       Reduced Manufacturing Costs

6.       Reuse of materials

7.       Support local companies

Upcycling is common in Fashion industry. There are certain harmful chemicals which release during production process and cause soil degradation and air pollution. Upcycling ensures that such harmful chemicals are not released in environment. Upcycling reduces the production cost and makes it really cheap and sustainable to use upcycled products. The reduced need for production of new materials can save money as well as resources. We all should practice Upcycling measures as much as possible.