What is upcycling? How is it different from reuse? These are some questions you may have if you are just beginning to learn about sustainability.

The definition of upcycling is to reuse an item in a way that gives it more value than its original use. In other words, taking an item that is at the end of its life cycle and making something new and useful. While reuse takes an item and finds another use for it functioning in the same manner, upcycling takes an item used to serve one purpose and gives it a whole new life functioning in a completely different way. It’s an easy concept and yet we often thoughtlessly throw away items that have the potential to have new life. All it takes is some creativity and a bit of your time.

Upcycling can take all forms, big and small. At its grandest scale, some people like to use old items like furniture, car parts, and bicycle spokes and turn them into art or a new form of household decor. On a much smaller scale, we can use old candle jars or tomato cans to create new planters for flowers or succulents. With a bit of imagination, you can upcycle pretty much anything! You can upcycle in almost every part of your life.

Around the house:

A beautiful glass wine bottle can be washed and used as a flower vase
Apple products come in sturdy, aesthetically pleasing boxes that can be used to organize your desk drawer
With a little work, an old TV can become a cat bed

In the garden:

Old windows or screens can be used as a trellis for the vining plants
Something as small as rubber boots or as large as a clawfoot bathtub can be used as a raised planter for flowers
An old wooden box can be turned into a birdhouse

These are just a few ideas, but with a bit of creativity, almost anything can be upcycled.

The benefits of upcycling are significant when it comes to sustainability. When we choose to upcycle we are diverting waste from landfills. Additionally, it can lead to less manufacturing which decreases carbon emission production. Something we often forget is that even when we recycle our plastic, paper, and glass carbon emissions are still produced. Upcycling is a powerful concept to consider as you pursue a more sustainable lifestyle. Consistent upcycling, over time, can have a big impact.

In collaboration with the SCAD sustainability program, the Lite Foot Foundation’s goal is to help our community learn about upcycling and provide resources to make it more accessible.

Step #1: Raise the appropriate funds to purchase a recycling machine. These types of machines can shred, melt, and reform old plastic into something completely new. Ideally, the machine purchased could take 1,2, and 5 plastics.

Step #2: After the recycling machine is attained, students in the SCAD sustainability program will take the lead. They will assemble it and create the processes of how it should be used. They will develop best practices for collecting, cleaning, and sorting the plastics. The students will create the molds and determine the colors of the various plastics to ensure the items look pretty and functional. And lastly, they will assist Lite Foot with implementing the recycling machine in the community.

Step #3: People from our community would be able to bring plastic items that are no longer usable to the Lite Foot Foundation to dispose of. Through the magic of this machine; these items will find new life in our community. One example of this would be creating benches and picnic tables that the public can enjoy made from all the plastic to-go cups our city produces. A long-term goal may be for the Lite Foot Foundation to use this machine to create a line of upcycled plates, cups, bowls, and cutlery that could be rented out for community events repeatedly. When you combine this type of machine, collaboration with our innovative SCAD students, and the support of the community, the options are limitless.

Another way that the Lite Foot Foundation wants to educate the community is through their upcycling competitions.

This past year, Lite Foot held an upcycling fashion competition and plans to do so annually. Anyone who has the skills to sew and design an outfit can compete. This competition draws a crowd of sustainable fashion lovers who want to push their creativity to new limits. These designers create beautiful new looks from old and leftover materials. Contestants could choose 1-10 items from a selection of landfill-bound clothes. These items may have had holes or stains that made them unwearable in their current condition. From there, contestants had one week to create a runway-ready look.

This event is open to the public to attend and enjoy. Next year in addition to fashion, the competition will have other upcycling elements such as creating art sculptures from various waste-bound products. To learn more about Lite Foot Foundation events and see pictures of last year's Upcycling Fashion Competition, visit our events page.

Upcycling can have a significant and positive influence on our planet. The Lite Foot Foundation wants to bring our community together to increase the impact that can be made. Help us reach these goals and make our community a more creative and sustainable place.