# <center>Did you ever heard about up-cycling?</center>

<br>Until last year, I didn't. I knew the term re-cycling and practice the 'art' of separating trash and waste for a long time already. Paper, Glass, Electronics, Chemicals, Plastics and general waste I separately offer for collection by the various waste collecting companies we have in the Netherlands and my home town Amsterdam.

Since I learned about up-cycling, I didn't sit still and launched a project in this space. But before introducing some of the products we - my partners and I - already created, I'll explain a bit more about re-cycling and up-cycling.

<center>![](http://2ff8n03drmib1b12373aauek-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/assets/images/Crafty%20Art/Bottle%20Caps/tom%20deninger%20art%20com.jpg)</center>
<center> ***image:*** *art from bottle caps*</center>

# <center>Re-cycling</center>

<br>In generic terms, recycling is to convert (waste) materials into new re-usable materials. From paper waste, new (lower grade) paper is created used by eg newspapers. From glass waste, new glass is created, usually the green and brown bottles you see in the supermarkets and grocery stores. Plastics will go through a process to create little plastic balls that can be used to create new plastic products.

Generally speaking, the re-cycle process requires a process of breaking down the materials (waste) before creating new materials that will become (one of) the base material(s) for a production house to create a new product of value. The breaking down of materials to new base materials is also called down-cycling.

# <center>Up-cycling</center>

<br>The opposite of down-cycling, is up-cycling. Up-cycling is the reuse of (waste) materials in such a way as to create a product with a higher quality and value. Generally speaking, in the up-cycle process, the used materials don't have to be downgraded first to become base materials for new product, at least not in an intensive and costly down-cycle process.

Think of re-use of old t-shirts to become a shoulder bag. Think of re-use of plastic bottle caps to become a painting/art piece. Think of re-use of plastic bottles to become a little boat.

<center>![](https://inhabitat.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2012/04/Federico-Blanc-Recycled-Plastic-Soda-Bottles-Kayak-1.jpeg)</center>
<center> ***image:*** *kayak from plastic bottles*</center>


The world of up-cycling is quite new and a lot of opportunities are out there to be discovered and projects to be launched. Looking at the amount of waste we produce, and the costs to down-cycle these products, the up-cycling is the next logical step forward to reuse unused and waste materials. Due to the nature of reuse of the materials without the need to first break down the waste using complex processes, up-cycling gives the opportunity to all of us to participate, whether it is converting an old t-shirt to a new shoulder bag using your own sewing machine at home, or using old banners to create a new shopping bag or wallet using a local sewing workshop.

The opportunity for up-cycling is enormous and therefor can be a game changer:

- **Lower environmental costs** compared to the re-cycle process
- Increase of **Local Production** and with that **Stimulation of the Local Economy**
- Fuel the **Prosumer Economy**
- Provide **Opportunities to Everybody** to create and participate

# <center>My First Steps in Up-Cycling</center>

<br>When I first started to think about up-cycling after talking with someone who was trying hard to launch a project reusing old textile (t-shirts, dress shirts, jeans) to create new products with higher value, **I quickly fell in love the whole idea and not for long I saw the business potential as well**.

It didn't took me a lot of time before I decided I wanted to launch a project in the space of upcycling. Within weeks, I persuaded some people to jump onboard and we started defining our project! In the next post I will introduce you to our project, for now I show you two of our products we created and produced in small quanities for our launching customers.

<center>

![](https://s33.postimg.org/5sdd6xfpr/Screen_Shot_2017-11-16_at_10.31.31.png)
***image:*** *bag-pack from an old t-shirt*

![](https://s33.postimg.org/fcwztvxcv/hoes2.jpg)
***image:*** *laptop sleeve from an old banner*

# Questions

<br>Did you know what up-cycling was?
What you think of the back-pack and laptop sleeve?
Would you buy an up-cycled product?

# Relevant Previous Posts
<br>[Prototypes: Covers for Plant Pots](https://steemit.com/futureisnow/@edje/beautifulsunday-plant-pot-covers-from-used-materials-upcycling-in-the-works-prototypes-just-arrived)

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###### <center>sources [[1](http://2ff8n03drmib1b12373aauek-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/assets/images/Crafty%20Art/Bottle%20Caps/tom%20deninger%20art%20com.jpg)][[2](https://inhabitat.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2012/04/Federico-Blanc-Recycled-Plastic-Soda-Bottles-Kayak-1.jpeg)]

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# NJOY

###### follow me [@edje](https://steemit.com/@edje)
###### check out my music channel [@qsounds](https://steemit.com/@qsounds)
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