Upcycling: Trash-to-treasure

Upcycle refers to recycling something in such a way that the resulting product generates higher value than the original item. In broader sense, it is also known as creative reuse. It is the process of transforming by-products, waste materials, useless, or unwanted products into new materials or products perceived to be of greater quality, such as in artistic value or environmental value.

Upcycling has grown increasingly popular in the world of sustainability. When you upcycle something, you reduce the need to extract raw materials or create synthetic materials because you already have what you need. Think about how many trees we can save if all our furniture is made with pre-used wood. It also saves your original product from a fate in the landfill. Even if the original product is recyclable, plastics can only be downcycled once or twice before the product breaks down. With upcycling, products can be turned into something that can last much longer. Another social and economic benefit of upcycling is that it supports small local businesses as well as village industries.

Whether you are upcycling things yourself or buying products from designers, it is always nice to know that you have done something that is completely unique.

Touhid Chowdhury,

Jamal Khan, Chattogram,

towhid.chowdhury@ucb.com.bd