Is it UP-Cycling or Re -Cycling?

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steveindenmark

Legendary Member
I saw some scrap cloth in a bin at work and decided to brighten my coffee break by turning it into a musette. I found out later that it makes a great camping lamp when I put my head torch under it.

I never know if this is upcycling or recycling. 😁

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Oldhippy

Cynical idealist
Looks good, i always thought the up-cycling tag was just some marketing oik trying to find a way of adding a £100 to an old sideboard that had been in the chalk paint pot.
 

Oldhippy

Cynical idealist
I will always reuse and adapt things myself. My whole flat is recycled furniture and cost less than many pay for a new sofa that won't have anywhere near a life span of stuff I have. My wardrobe gor example is a 40's gentleman's wardrobe made by a real person and has decades of life in it yet.
 

stephec

Legendary Member
Location
Bolton
Looks good, i always thought the up-cycling tag was just some marketing oik trying to find a way of adding a £100 to an old sideboard that had been in the chalk paint pot.

Beat me to it there, I was just about to reply, 'depends on how much it's being sold for.' 😂
 

a.twiddler

Veteran
Recycling = avoiding waste, re using materials which would use more energy to create from new, avoiding disposal of otherwise environmentally harmful materials if they can be re used.

Upcycling = taking something that would be thrown away, perhaps doing some work on it and using it for another purpose, and making a profit. Marketing or fashion speak? Just another shade of grey in the spectrum of recycling?

Using old inner tubes cut into bands to hold your lights etc on or hold your tools together, probably recycling. Using old kitchen cabinets in the garage or shed, probably recycling unless you paint them up and flog them to someone else, even for a nominal sum, to use in their own kitchen, when it might be considered upcycling. Of course if you were to paint them up to use in your own kitchen then it would be simply renovation, or what we used to call thriftiness.

All IMHO, of course.
 

chriswoody

Legendary Member
Location
Northern Germany
I was pondering today about recycling some old bike parts, when I got inspired to upcycle them instead and create some art for my workshop wall.

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I might still have a little play around with positioning before I fix them onto the wood.
 
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