Upcycling is the idea of using materials or products that we consider to be unattractive or useless (e.g. because they are worn out or simply don't please our taste) to create new things, often with better appearance, applications and quality.

And that's great!

This strategy significantly reduces the amount of waste and the carbon footprint of a new product although it has the same properties (and often better!) as those a product created entirely from raw materials or textiles would have.

Globally the answer probably is... pallet furniture! The media have been buzzing about this trend for a decade or so yet its popularity does not decrease, although pallets are not cheap at all. Using them however, you can create unique, practical and environmentally friendly furniture such as tables, balcony chairs, beds or flower stands.

In everyday life we also often encounter the manifestations of frugality passed on from generation to generation - "reuse it or remake it into something new" is undoubtedly the motto of our grandparents! What you can do?

1. Convert glass food jars and bottles into a decorative vase (a great activity for children!) or a cup for your toothbrush.

2. Transform old curtains or bed linen into practical produce bags for vegetables, fruits or bread - a true must for shopping sustainably!

3. Aluminum cans can be used as an organizer for your desk and even a flower pot (best not edible though because the toxins from the inside can easily get to the plant thanks to soil and microorganisms). 

4. And clothing... ah clothes can be transformed and literally anything! 

Everything! Well... almost 😉 There are simply endless ideas!

1. New clothes! A dress from a shirt, a skirt made from old jeans, a winter hat from an old sweater... you're limited only by your creativity!

2. Accessories - T-shirts and blankets, cosmetics, feathers or fanny packs from old jeans or jackets (there are many sustainable brands which make them! Locally to us Matka i Córy, Tkanki or Wczesna Pora are one of our faves)

3. Crazy cushions or bed covers - especially these created by patchwork technique.

4. Toys made from odd socks (an idea often used with the youngest)

5. Hangers for flowers, carpets or bags using rope from old T-shirts

6. Perfume pads for the wardrobe, which are easy to sew even by hand and work great for essential oils to deter moths or refresh your clothes.

And probably a lot more!

There are also upcycling ideas which require more skill and technique, yet they're still great for the planet!

For example, what happens to most election banners? They're going to landfills... Some people give them to pet shelters or use them to cover wood in the garden. But there are also initiatives like the Up Life Foundation that make them into super functional and durable bags or fanny packs! Much better use of such sturdy materials.

Jewelry, in turn, requires huge amounts of energy and raw materials (precious and non-renewable) to produce while a lot of it goes to landfills or lies in our cabinets because of the design that we do not like. Old jewelry and discard or recycled metals can be used with great success to create more sustainable (yet still classy and timeless) jewelry just like Kamaryd or RIVA New York do. 

Another example - wine bottles. They are rarely recyclable due to glass additives that give them characteristic UV-protective colors. Today, however, they are successfully used to create one-of-a-kind and practical glasses, vases or wine glasses. 

What other interesting upcycling projects do you know of? Maybe they are worth adding to Ethy Maps?