(Thematic Report) Upcycling

Month: May

Upcycling, also known as creative reuse, is the act of converting waste materials, worthless, or undesirable things into new materials or items of higher quality. The new materials are artistic or of safe environmental value. Down cycling is the absolute opposite of this process, which entails recycling discarded items into new materials of lower quality and utility.

When I had a look at google I found these concrete examples:

-     Samsung Electronics, a multinational consumer electronics business, has extended its Galaxy Upcycling Program, which aims to recycle obsolete smartphones and other devices into smart home devices and other digital devices.

-    Since 2015, Adidas has collaborated with Parley for the Oceans to collect ocean plastic garbage and transform it into reusable raw materials for the production of athletic shoes and other sports gear.

Upcycling, like other types of recycling, is primarily concerned with waste reduction. This type of recycling has the potential to provide significant environmental and economic benefits. It can serve as a source of business concepts and models. Several firms are popping up to collect and classify rejected items or process waste components in order to reintroduce them into the mainstream. In the arts and design, converting an undesirable product into a high-value work of art takes creativity and a certain amount of unconventionality. In addition, unlike conventional creative forms, the procedure may require some technical proficiency.

Upcycling has a number of drawbacks, one of which being the expense. In some cases, the cost of the upcycling process may exceed the value of the upcycled product or the cost of creating a new product from scratch from virgin raw materials. The longevity and effectiveness of recycled materials cannot be guaranteed.