Upcycling
Sustainable design, Cradle to Cradle, Zero Waste, Circular Economy, Ecodesign, Green Design
Upcycling is an approach to design that strives to create new value for old materials, often with artistic flavor or high-tech rigor. It is an antidote to downcycling (conventional recycling), which destroys products to create materials of lower quality.
Share a website, podcast, radio show, video, etc. valuable for this topic.
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The seminal book on the topic goes into scientific, philosophical and design foundations of the concept.
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The article provides a great introduction to the topic with a variety of upcycled products made by experienced designers.
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The list includes 400+ carefully selected upcycling designers and is constantly updated.
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The blog is full of both practical examples and philosophical considerations in regards to upcycled designs. It features the best cases of furniture, interior and decor items carefully transformed from old items.
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The article presents five innovative cases of upcycling that use technology to completely rethink the material and create new sustainable products.
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The website is an inventory of high-quality upcycling designs. Its database allows to seamlessly explore best practices across a wide range of materials and products.
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The article provides a case study of upcycling in the fashion industry. It shows many concrete examples of how brands engage with the concept and inquires into the drivers behind this trend.
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The website provides toolkits, guides and machine designs for activists and makers that want to kick-start plastics upcycling in their community.
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Hipcycle is both an inventory of upcycled solutions and an original marketplace for products made from all types of items and materials.
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Daniel Cangoar turns old CDs into stunning media installations that invite people to reflect on the state of the contemporary world.
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A short film about art pieces upcycled from cardboard by James Lake shows the limitless possibilities of the material.
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Gallery of original design things from recycled materials. Many useful and inspiring ideas.
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A nice local shop, where a community is creating useful everyday stuff through upcycling!