Recycling has allowed the recovery and reuse of materials in the industry, which has greatly contributed to the reduction of waste emission. As the concept of recycling has developed along with ecological trends and general awareness, variants such as upcycling have emerged to give new life to objects of no particular use or value without putting them back into the production cycle. Upcycling is based on a basic principle of chemistry that can be applied on a large scale, resulting in a rustic-looking decoration without losing comfort.
Upcycling: recycling in decoration
First used in Germany by the engineer Reiner Plitz, the term upcycling aims to implement an eco-responsible decoration by starting only with pre-existing materials. Based on the principle of "nothing is created, nothing is lost, everything is transformed", upcycling consists of making new objects from unused and used objects. The concept is therefore fundamentally different from repairing or reworking old objects, as the objective of upcycling is to give them a new role from an aesthetic and functional point of view.
The notion of second life of materials through recycling being now recurrent, upcycling brings on the other hand a new vision in design and decoration where this notion can easily be exploited to enhance old furniture.
An ecological way of decoration
Any object can be converted with upcycling, which gives professional or amateur decorators the opportunity to let their imagination run free. Indeed, the number of declinations is almost infinite since material and creativity will be the only criterion for the design of new original and even extravagant objects. Their design can thus change drastically in order to introduce them subtly in the decoration, which will allow to revalue them without automatically getting rid of them.
Post-consumer recycling can also refine some objects into beautiful and usable furniture without looking like they came from a junkyard. In addition, many stores have been opened to demonstrate the value of saving old items to make inexpensive decorative masterpieces.
Decorating and furnishing with upcycling
Buying new furniture is not part of the eco-friendly trend of upcycling, which prioritizes second-hand objects. Moreover, they offer an excellent quality-price ratio and remain the most accessible solutions for young people and entrepreneurs. Apart from the originality of the decoration, upcycling facilitates the design of the space, turning it into a real playground where any object can be placed and converted to serve a new purpose.
Upcycling kills two birds with one stone by transforming used materials into useful furniture and offers the possibility to push the personalization further, for example a flower pot embedded in an office to make the space green.