What is Upcycling?

Explore The Creative Sustainability Process That’s Shaping The Future of Plastic Waste Reduction

When it comes to the Plastic Crisis, one unfortunate reality is that traditional plastic recycling has major limitations that restrict its global impact.

However, a special form of upcycling is exposing amazing new opportunities for transforming plastic waste into useful, new items.

Keep reading to learn more about this incredible sustainability improvement, and see how we’re using upcycling to create our newest line of eco-friendly products for your home –

What is upcycling?

Upcycling is the creative process of transforming unwanted or discarded materials or products into new items. It involves taking something that would typically be considered waste and repurposing it in a way that gives it a new purpose, aesthetic appeal, or function.

Unlike recycling, which usually involves breaking down materials into their basic components and creating new products from those components, upcycling seeks to breathe new life into existing items without extensive processing.

Examples of upcycling can be found in various areas, such as fashion, interior design, food, beauty, and art. For instance, an old ladder can be transformed into a stylish bookshelf, or a pair of worn-out jeans can be turned into a trendy handbag. 

Upcycling allows for personal expression and customization while promoting eco-consciousness. Brands like Patagonia, Good Faith, and Renewal Mill are all doing their part in reducing waste by repurposing materials that would otherwise be taken to a landfill.

What is chemical upcycling?

A process we’ve become very familiar with over the past year has been chemical upcycling. Also known as advanced or molecular recycling, chemical upcycling is a process that aims to transform plastic waste into valuable chemicals or raw materials for use in the production of new products. 

As shown with our newest product (coming September 2023!), we’ve taken plastic waste from landfills & the ocean and have chemically upcycled it into a new material that is safe and useful. 

Now you’ll be able to actively eliminate plastic waste from the planet while enhancing your daily routine. 

The Science

Unlike traditional recycling methods that involve mechanical sorting and melting of plastics, chemical upcycling involves breaking down plastic polymers into their basic building blocks through various chemical reactions.

Chemical upcycling has the potential to address some of the limitations of traditional mechanical recycling. It can handle a wider range of plastic types, including mixed and contaminated plastics that are often discarded from recycling facilities. Chemical upcycling has the potential to recover higher-value materials from plastic waste, which can be used in a variety of industries, including packaging, textiles, and chemicals. 

Join us on our journey into new ways of caring for the planet, just by making small changes in your daily routine. 

Have you ever wanted to eliminate plastic waste from the planet out of thin air, by just… doing nothing?

Now you can :) 

Introducing – Our newest product coming September 2023 – “ALCHEMY”

Want to begin (or continue) your Earth-conscious personal care routine? 

Check out our most popular, and always sustainable, products here.