In an effort to make this blog more interesting I am reaching out to fellow bloggers across the net. This is a guest post by a fellow blogger, Danielle Brycz. She is the co-owner of Verde Lifestyles, an online store selling eco-friendly home décor. Drop by their site ans see some of their great products-the bed linens are absolutely awesome!
Upcycled to The Max
Guest post by Danielle Brycz, Co-Owner of Verde Lifestyles, an online store selling eco-friendly home décor.
Over the last year or so there have been so many new products that use more recycled content. Which is great for consumers and the environment! But there has also been more of a shift towards upcycling, which takes using recycled materials in products to a whole new level. The definition of upcycling is “the process of converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of equal or better quality. The goal of upcycling is to prevent wasting potentially useful materials by making use of existing ones. While the goal of downcycling, which is the other half of the recycling process, involves converting materials and products into new materials of lesser quality.” (Upcycling definition via Wikipedia.) Aluminum and glass are great examples of materials that can be easily upcycled because they maintain the same level of quality in their second life. While there are thousands of examples of upcycled products, I wanted to highlight the more creative designs.
Upcycled Nike Sneakers Made From Metal Circuit Boards
These Junk-Metal Jordans by Gabriel Dishaw are truly one of a kind. Made of metal and electronic scraps, unfortunately they were not designed to wear.
Canopy Upcycled from Plastic Cups
This beautiful design by BIOS Design Collective is a great DIY project. They actually used discarded cups from the OutsideLands concert in San Francisco to create the canopy. Then using plastic clips, the cups were attached to steel cable mesh. So while the project was on a larger scale, I’m sure you could apply the same concept to any outdoor space.
The Crate Man Cometh: Recycled Milk Crate Art
Now this is definitely something you don’t see everyday! As the name implies, this bizarre creation is made of discarded milk crates. He currently lives in Australia and pops up in the most random places. Crate Man even has a Facebook page so you can see what adventures he’s’ been on lately!
Gold-Plated Shipping Container Bling Bar
Who knew there was an entire discipline dedicated to shipping container architecture. This particular design is from designer Andreas Strauss in Austria. The goal was to create an upcylced mobile food establishment. It even has a hydraulics system that opens the bar with a push of a button! Equipped with beer taps, storage, a cooler and place to wash dishes, who wouldn’t want to come to this bar? They also had to have a permit to be an upcycled mobile bar that mandated it had to be less than 16 feet.
Junior Fritz Jacquet
This artist uses all recycled cardboard and toilet paper rolls to create these unique characters. “He explores and experiments with folding and crumpling techniques, innovating methods to create forms and craft poetic objects, that visually enhance any surrounding. The origins of his unique technique are still heavily inspired by the traditional art of origami, using only one sheet of paper.” (Via Upcycled Design Showcase)
Guest post by Danielle Brycz, Co-Owner of Verde Lifestyles, an online store selling eco-friendly home décor.
Thanks Danielle! Being involved with Wastipedia, this is exactly the kind of art and upcycling that is the core of our business model. We need more great ideas like these!
