Upcycling vs. Recycling

What is Upcycling?

[up cycle] Verb. Creative reuse. The process of transforming waste materials into new materials or products perceived to be a higher quality than the original value. 

Upcycling is the process of transforming materials destined to be destroyed into new products of higher value and environmental purpose. Reusing waste without destroying it takes far less energy than breaking it down to be remade into something new.

How is upcycling different from recycling?

The process of upcycling adds value to the materials. The other decreases its value. Most often, what we consider recycling is actually downcycling, where the material or product is transformed into something with less value. Regardless of how you approach it, any form of reuse, whether it's upcycling, downcycling or recycling, is good for the environment, and all practices reduce our impact upon it.