In general terms, recycling means converting wasteful products and refurbish them into new products that can be reused. Upcycling and downcycling are two forms of recycling which serve different purposes. However both involve the usage of waste materials and are beneficial for the environment. When you think about discarding products, consider if you should upcycle or recycle them in a fashion that suits your budget and the environment. Check with a scrap metal shop to determine the price of the product you would like to upcycle.
The philosophy of upcycling
Recycle is one of the most common words that we come across wherever we go. The philosophy of recycling is based upon the fundamental fact that every single item can be reused. The concept of Upcycling ensures that the product made out of recyclable materials is actually better than the original products. It is a useful practice that is quite opposite to the concept of downcycling. Downcycling means just turning the product into raw material again but may be of lesser value than the original new product. Whereas, upcycling actually increases the value of the product.
Creativity and upcycling
It may be confusing at the first time to understand the meaning of upcycling. The upcycling concept involves using old products and combining it with creativity to make useful and attractive products. There are several upcycling businesses that are thriving across the globe today. People in the upcycling business also go around looking for materials in scrap metal shops to make some use of them. They also market these products as recycled items and also list the items that they have been made of.
Here are some ideas and examples of upcycled products:
- Table lamps made out of old liquor bottles are sold at high prices because they are decorative and environment friendly. An old liquor bottle typically would have very less value in a scrap metal shop. However when they are upcycled, the price exponentially increases.
- Baskets made out of waste paper are another example. Paper is crushed and mixed with other materials and then are made into baskets and bags. They are colored attractively and they can also be woven creatively. Usually paper has very less monetary value in the recycling market, but the same cannot be said about upcycled paper products.
- Tins are repainted and converted into attractive pot holders. These tins are made out of aluminum or mixed metals. Upcycled tins and cans are used for vertical farming, house decoration and landscaping as well.
Conclusion
The above listed examples only give a gist of things that can be done using household products. However, if you are a creative person, you can convert several household items into valuable and usable products. Upcycling is a great concept and there are hundreds of resources on the internet that give you ideas for upcycling. Right from a used paper, pen, to household containers, everything has a great recycling value. You just need the right ideas to get started on upcycling projects.
Last Updated on 7 months by Thanam Industry
