Tag Archives: upcycled

How Does Upcycling Innovate Materials?

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Amidst global concerns of exceeding the Earth’s capacity, upcycling has gained prominence as a solution, driven by conscious consumption and the circular economy’s principles. Upcycling helps reduce the amount of waste that would have made it to the landfills and repurposes items that would have been discarded, giving them a second life without degradation. It facilitates two out of the three Rs of recycling: REDUCE and REUSE.

Designer: FabBrick

Upcycling vs Recycling

Contrary to common belief, upcycling differs from recycling in that it repurposes materials without sacrificing their original quality. While recycling breaks down materials like plastic, paper, glass, and metal to produce new items, typically of inferior quality, upcycling maintains the integrity of the original materials, providing limitless opportunities to breathe new life into old items.

Upcycling

Upcycling involves gathering products or waste to repurpose or reuse, enhancing their value without breaking them down, thus maintaining their original characteristics, strength, and durability. This approach avoids any degradation of the material or product. Materials such as rubber and denim lend themselves well to upcycling, showcasing their versatility and potential. For instance, turning old jeans into patches for a blanket maintains the integrity of the denim, showcasing upcycling’s creative potential.

Recycling

Recycling involves gathering products or waste for breakdown and transformation into new items, requiring a specific process that can alter the original characteristics of the material or product. Each recycling cycle diminishes the material’s strength, and only certain materials are suitable for recycling; for instance, rubber presents challenges in the recycling process.

What are the different categories of upcycled products?

1. Electronics

Designer: Think Tank Team

Mobile devices like smartphones and tablets are now ubiquitous, yet their disposal poses environmental risks due to improper handling. Project Afterlife offers a solution by upcycling old smartphones instead of recycling them. This concept transforms devices into kinetic art objects, enhancing ambiance while conserving energy and resources. The product, resembling a taco-shaped crescent made from recycled plastic, provides an interactive platform for repurposed smartphones. With Project Afterlife, simply tilt the device to switch between different modes, like the “Endless Clock” and the “Timeline” photo stream, without touching the screen. This shows how upcycling helps the environment and makes everyday objects more valuable.

2. Textile

Designer: IKEA

In recent years, there has been a surge in supporting brands that prioritize sustainability, including upcycling and recycling materials. Ikea is joining this trend with their new collection, VÄXELBRUK, made from recycled coworker uniforms. This innovative line features 16 textile-based items, blending old uniforms with recycled materials like polyester from PET bottles. By repurposing these materials, Ikea reduces waste and offers stylish, eco-friendly products. The collection showcases how sustainability and style can go hand in hand.

3. Wood Waste

Designers: Michael and Mariel Upton

Recycling reduces landfill waste but can be energy-intensive and alter original designs. Upcycling offers a more efficient option, yet not all materials suit it. For example, discarded skateboard decks are transformed into stylish wall lamps named Heru, Cuna, and Mara. Reshaped into shorter ovals, paired with lighting hardware, and adorned with original artwork, these lamps emit a warm glow, serving as both illumination and minimalist decor, defying their original purpose.

4. Old Furniture

Designer: Christoph Kurzmann

During renovations, some opt to discard furniture instead of considering recycling. However, awareness of consumption and disposal is growing, leading to projects that repurpose items. Oxford Brookes University planned to landfill furniture during dorm renovations, but a student proposed the Upscaling Upcycling project. Disassembling existing furniture, Kurzmann created new designs, such as stackable stools and chairs from old bedframes and drawers. These pieces are well-designed and practical, showcasing the potential of upcycling to save resources and create useful furnishings.

5. PET Bottles

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic, known for its durability and lightweight nature, is commonly utilized in manufacturing containers for the food and beverage, pharmaceutical, and personal care sectors.

Designer: Impact Acoustic, Atelier oï

At the core of Oloïd’s innovative design is Archisonic Felt, a high-performance sustainable acoustic absorber made from upcycled PET bottles. Crafted from Archisonic Felt, Oloïd, a sustainable acoustic luminaire resulting from the collaboration between Impact Acoustic and atelier oï, exemplifies the fusion of functionality and artistic expression in modern design. This versatile material offers exceptional sound absorption while redefining the interaction between light and sound. Its Cradle-to-Cradle certification and LEED accreditation underscore its eco-friendly credentials. With 32 captivating colors curated from the Archisonic Felt range, Oloïd empowers users to personalize their spaces, seamlessly integrating organic shapes that transform two-dimensional panels into captivating three-dimensional entities. This luminaire not only sets a new standard for sound-absorbing luminaires but also stands as a testament to the potential of sustainable design in reshaping illuminated spaces.

6. Denim

Designer: Jack Spencer (Mosevic)

Researchers highlight that producing a single pair of jeans requires a staggering 7,600 liters of water, prompting global concern among ecologists about denim’s environmental impact. Textile production, notably denim, contributes significantly to water consumption, energy usage, and landfill overflow due to non-biodegradable fibers like synthetics. While recycling remains an underutilized option, upcycling emerges as a promising solution, exemplified by startups transforming old jeans into stylish sunglasses. Mosevic pioneers denim waste reduction by infusing waste denim with bio-resin to craft durable “Solid Denim” sunglasses, adorned with a natural wax finish for longevity. Despite sustainability challenges, initiatives aim to upscale production and inspire similar textile waste solutions.

7. Old Bicycles

Designer: Hyemin Kim

The 2 Stools from 1 Bicycle project repurposes old bike frames to create unique and functional stools. Each stool features a distinctive design with slanted legs reminiscent of the original bike frames, giving them a striking appearance. One stool has three legs, while the other has four, adding to their individuality. The seat is crafted from recyclable cork, in line with the project’s sustainability mission. These stools not only offer practicality and convenience but also allow people to give sentimental objects like old bikes a new lease on life. With their unconventional aesthetics and eco-friendly materials, these stools are both functional and visually appealing additions to any space.

Designer: Roy Sherizly (TOOB)

The growing popularity of bicycles in recent years has brought attention to long-standing environmental concerns associated with their components, particularly inner tubes. Despite being more eco-friendly than cars or motorcycles, bicycles still contribute to pollution due to discarded parts like rubber tires and inner tubes. The TOOB accessories line addresses this issue by repurposing useless inner tubes into practical and stylish products. Handpicked from local shops in Tel Aviv, these inner tubes undergo thorough cleaning and inspection before being transformed into items like TOOB Keychains and TOOB Straps. This upcycling initiative not only extends the lifespan of inner tubes but also supports the local bicycle economy. While inner tubes eventually wear out, TOOB’s efforts help postpone their disposal in landfills, offering a temporary solution until more sustainable alternatives are developed.

8. Cut-Offs

Designers: Anthony Frank Keeler, Sarah Coleman, Wisse Trooster

In manufacturing, there’s often excess material left unused, contributing to environmental concerns. To address this, manufacturers and designers are increasingly focusing on reducing waste and repurposing leftovers. Recycling and upcycling these materials into furniture and lighting fixtures, like Stackabl’s pendant lamps, offer sustainable solutions. Stackabl’s DIY tool allows users to customize their lamps by adjusting parameters such as length and disc diameter, resulting in unique, eco-friendly designs. Incorporating upcycled materials and energy-efficient LEDs, Stackabl emphasizes sustainability while offering personalized lighting solutions.

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Trashboard is a more sustainable skateboard that uses recycled aircraft carbon

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To most people outside of that community, a skateboard is nothing more than a wooden plank on wheels with sometimes outrageous artwork painted on it. The probably surprising reality is that a great deal of design and engineering goes into making these skateboards to keep them aerodynamic while also light and sturdy. While it’s fine to stick to nearly perfected traditions when it comes to materials and processing, there’s also a need to push the envelope in order to design a product that will not only stand the test of time but will also help the planet last a little bit longer as well. That’s the kind of innovation that this seemingly normal sustainable skateboard brings to the market with a little help from airplane maker Airbus.

Designer: François Jaubert

To be fair, much of a skateboard’s composition, particularly its deck, already uses sustainable materials like wood. That said, there’s also such a thing as the overuse of fresh wood, which can lead to deforestation and other related environmental consequences. While skateboards themselves can be recycled or upcycled, the use of recycled materials like recycled wood hasn’t exactly born much fruit.

Enter the Trashboard, a sustainable design that uses recycled materials that aren’t wood. Building upon an earlier project that successfully used packaging cardboard to make a surfboard, the Trashboard combines recycled and upcycled materials to make a unique deck that still feels like the genuine item. In particular, it uses upcycled carbon from discarded aeronautic components courtesy of Airbus to minimize the use of raw new materials. It also uses compressed recycled cardboard for the deck’s flex core and binds the layers together using bio-sourced epoxy resin.

From the outside, you wouldn’t even realize that the Trashboard is made differently. It still retains the same standard form that gives skateboards their smooth gliding power, and it also has rather artistic prints, though leaning more towards a monochromatic tone that gives the decks a more elegant aesthetic. All in all, Trashboard promises to deliver the same exhilarating cruising experience, while also allowing skaters to share in the responsibility of helping keep our planet alive.

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Smartphone upcycling concept helps give your old companion a new lease on life

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Mobile devices, both smartphones and tablets, have become an inescapable fact of modern life to the point that almost everyone has one. While they do empower people with their smart features, they unfortunately also inflict damage on the environment, whether it’s through their manufacturing or, more often than not, their improper disposal. Not all smartphone manufacturers have a well-established or easy process for owners to send back unused or broken devices for handling and responsible disposal, which means many of these end up in landfills where they eventually poison the soil and water. Some of these aren’t even totally broken just outdated or unused for one reason or another. Finding a different use for them delays their untimely demise, which is exactly what this upcycling concept tries to do, offering smartphones a better life after death.

Designer: Think Tank Team

There could be a variety of reasons for ditching an old but still functional smartphone. Some parts, like the screen, battery, or charging port might no longer be in tip-top shape, or the owner simply upgraded to a newer model that will last them another two years or so. Whatever the reason may be, it might not actually be enough to warrant simply throwing the phone in the waste bin, or even just keeping it in a drawer until it’s forgotten forever or, worse, becomes a safety hazard.

Project Afterlife tries to remedy that situation by upcycling rather than recycling the phone. This means it puts the device to a different use without actually modifying it or taking it apart, thereby using less energy, less resources, and less effort. This increases the likelihood that people will adopt this product because it is accessible and easy to use.

The product concept pretty much comes in a taco-like crescent shape made of recycled plastic and given a frosted finish. You simply slide in the phone from the opening and set it on a flat surface with its curved edge at the bottom. The shape is balanced in such a way that it will stay still unless you intentionally rock it, and that rocking motion actually affects its functions. Just like a game controller with motion sensors, tilting the phone lets you cycle through its different modes without having to touch the screen. Rocking also makes the “Endless Clock” change the clock face at every movement, while both the “Timeline” photo stream and the “Moment” abstract art display also react to such movement.

Admittedly, you can simply take that same old smartphone, put it on a stand, and use it in the same way as a clock or small photo frame. Project Afterlife, however, also transforms the phone into a kinetic art object that will enhance the ambiance of your desk or shelf. It’s a simple yet impressive example of how upcycling not only helps save the environment but even adds value to your experience.

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This aluminum bench stands on the shoulders of discarded Mac Pro cases

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Apple is not a big fan of reusing its products for something else, at least something that is still close to the original function of the design. It probably won’t object to completely unrelated applications of those designs, especially when it’s for a creative and artistic purpose. The non-functional parts of an iPhone, for example, could be disassembled and framed to be displayed as a piece of tech history. Or one might simply take the empty shells of old Mac Pro and turn them into a piece of structural art, which is exactly what this rather striking metal bench tries to accomplish in a way that will probably make you wonder how strong those old Apple desktops might have been.

Designers: Quinner Baird, Alec Alborg, Ferb Liebana, Berit Levy, Jaime Uriarte (Caliper)

The designs for more recent Mac Pros have been rather controversial, to say the least. The cylindrical 2013 was derided for looking like a trash can, while the boxy 2019 design, though a bit more traditional, is jokingly called a cheese grater. Neither are good foundations for a stable piece of furniture, but the first-ever Mac Pro fortunately fits the bill perfectly. It was a minimalist brushed aluminum box with tapered legs on the front and back to raise it up and equally tapered handles on those same sides for easier lifting.

Made for Manhattan clothing brand Hidden as part of store display, the Mac Pro Bench is exactly what it sounds like. It takes two first-gen Mac Pros, totally gutted of any and all electronic components, and has a folded aluminum plank attached on top. The plan has a tapered shape that fits perfectly between the front and back handles, making it feel as if the desktops were made for this very purpose. Two versions of the bench exist, one preserving the brushed aluminum aesthetic of the Mac Pro, and another thoroughly coated in Hidden’s green motif.

It’s not being sold en masse, which will probably keep Apple’s lawyers happy, though there are also ways to make your own. That said, it’s probably not a good idea outside of making it a decorative piece. It’s actually not tested how much weight the Mac Pros will be able to handle, especially with a bench meant to sit more than one person. The hollow legs of the desktop don’t look reassuring either, and it might have been more practical to have sawed those off, even if it meant ruining the original Mac Pro shape.

That said, it’s possible to reinforce the foundations of the Mac Pro Bench to make it a more usable piece of furniture. More importantly, however, the piece of art could also spark the imagination and creativity of others to make similar designs that reuse discarded desktop PCs in a less conventional and more interesting manner.

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Ikea repurposes old uniforms into new lifestyle collection

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Over the past years, we’ve “stanned” brands that not only uses sustainable materials but are also able to upcycle and recycle materials to create new products. We’ve become conscious about how we consume things (well, hopefully, we’ve actually become conscious of it) and how this consumption culture affects this planet we’re living in. Ikea is trying to capture our hearts by creating a new lifestyle line created from materials that they themselves had to discard.

Designer: Ikea

The Swedish brand will be launching their newest collection called VÄXELBRUK which is uniquely made from their recycled coworker uniforms that were discarded when they introduced new attire back in 2020. So instead of just throwing these old uniforms into the trash heaps, they came up with new products that were made from 300 tonnes of these “useless” IKEA uniforms. If you’re not a fan of yellow and blue though, you might want to look elsewhere, even though they managed to tone down the colors considerably without dyeing the textile, which can be more expensive and resource-intensive.

The collection features 16 textile-based items that use the aforementioned old uniforms. This includes things like throw pillows, bags, cushion covers, and even curtains. They are not entirely made from the uniform textile though as they are blended with other recycled materials like polyester from used PET bottles. They also even included some of the “faulty” new uniforms so they will also not go to waste. The inclusion of other materials also helped to alter the colors that are normally so bright.

If you didn’t know that they were made from discarded co-worker uniforms, you’ll just think they’re normal Ikea products that use the iconic colors of the brand. But knowing there they come from makes it even more interesting. The VÄXELBRUK (which means interchangeable use in the Swedish language) collection will be released in February 2024 across Europe stores.

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A Sustainable Lighting Solution That Redefines The Interaction Between Light And Sound

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In the ever-evolving landscape of technology and design, the fusion of functionality and artistic expression continues to yield groundbreaking innovations. One such marvel is Oloïd, a sustainable acoustic luminaire born from the collaborative synergy of Impact Acoustic; a provider of sustainable acoustic solutions, and the esteemed design studio atelier oï. This unique lighting fixture not only delivers exceptional sound absorption but also redefines the way light and sound interact, creating a transformative experience that enhances the ambiance of any space.

Designer: Impact Acoustic,  Atelier oï

At the heart of Oloïd’s revolutionary design lies Archisonic Felt, a high-performance sustainable acoustic absorber crafted from upcycled PET bottles. This versatile material demonstrates outstanding sound absorption capabilities and embodies a commitment to sustainability and responsible material sourcing. The Cradle to Cradle certification and LEED accreditation of Archisonic Felt underscore its eco-friendly credentials, aligning with the growing demand for environmentally conscious design solutions.

Oloïd distinguishes itself by offering a transformative lighting experience that seamlessly integrates functionality with artistic expression. The collaboration between Impact Acoustic and Atelier oï is not merely about illuminating a space but about creating an immersive environment where light and sound harmonize effortlessly.

Aurel Aebi, a key figure at Atelier oï, highlights the creative process that brought Oloïd to life. “At atelier oï, we often begin our creative process with an encounter with the material,” Aebi explains. “Our goal was to find a way to make the sustainable material speak in a new way.” This innovative approach involved working with the material’s stiffness and flatness to create organic shapes that redefine conventional luminaire design.

Oloïd is available in a stunning array of 32 colors, presenting a curated selection from the Archisonic Felt range. This diversity empowers users to personalize their spaces, allowing for the creation of bespoke environments that reflect individual tastes and preferences. The luminaire’s design seamlessly integrates the organic shapes derived from the unique qualities of Archisonic Felt, transcending two-dimensional panels into captivating three-dimensional entities.

Sven Erni, co-founder of Impact Acoustic, expresses his fascination with the collaborative process that transformed their material. “The collaboration fascinated us as we witnessed the metamorphosis of our material,” Erni notes. “This was made possible using a distinctive cutting technique at specific angles and the skillful folding of the panels. This creative approach seamlessly transformed the two-dimensional panels into fascinating three-dimensional entities, transcending surfaces to tangible bodies.”

Oloïd not only sets a new standard for sound-absorbing luminaires but also stands as a testament to the potential of sustainable design in reshaping our surroundings. With its commitment to responsible material usage, innovative design, and the seamless integration of light and sound, Oloïd emerges as a beacon of eco-conscious creativity, inviting us to reimagine the possibilities of our illuminated spaces.

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Upcycled skateboard factory rejects transform into warm wall lighting

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Recycling is a great way to reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills, but the process itself can sometimes have some negative impact. There’s still a lot of energy and water involved in converting materials into something usable again, and there’s also some loss when the original design gets destroyed in the process. Upcycling is a more efficient and time-saving alternative, but not everything can be upcycled and not everything that can be upcycled can be used in newer and better ways. Sometimes, it takes a bit more creative thinking to transform one thing into a completely different thing, like how factory seconds from skateboard manufacturers are turned into these understated yet elegant wall lamps.

Designers: Michael and Mariel Upton

Skateboards are objects that bring up images of speed, tricks, and devilish stunts. They’re hardly associated with warmth, subtlety, or even light. Of course, these associations aren’t inherent in the shape of the skateboard’s wooden deck, which makes them open for reuse and reinterpretation, as the case of this trio of wall lamps demonstrates, providing stylish lighting that hardly gives a clue to their origins.

Considering the long oval shapes of skateboard decks, not to mention their upward curved ends, you definitely wouldn’t be able to guess that these wall lights are exactly made from those wooden parts. That’s because these pieces of 7-ply maple wood are taken from factory rejects, decks that obviously didn’t make the cut. Since the shapes of these boards are too specific for general use, they often end up simply being discarded. They’re thankfully made from wood, so they’re biodegradable and have fewer harmful effects on the environment, but they’re still waste and, more importantly, wasted opportunity.

Upton thankfully has the wonderful idea of using those boards to provide ambient lighting as well as a piece of minimalist wall art. The discarded decks are cut to create a shorter and straighter oval shape and then paired with lighting hardware on the back. Each of the three variants, namely, Heru, Cuna, and Mara, get a square piece of original art that becomes the visual center of the entire fixture. With this, even if the light is off, the designs act as decorative pieces that enhance a room’s ambiance in a subtle way.

When the light is on, however, you get a warm ambient halo of light that sets a calming and relaxing mood in any space. The light is emitted from the back and is reflected on the mounting surface, making it look softer and avoiding painful glare when you look in its direction. The wall lamp projects a character of calm and warmth, definitely not something you’d expect from a speedster skateboard that it would have become in some other lifetime.

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