upcycle

verb

up·​cy·​cle ˈəp-ˌsī-kəl 

upcycled; upcycling

transitive verb

: to recycle (something) in such a way that the resulting product is of a higher value than the original item : to create an object of greater value from (a discarded object of lesser value)

The line upcycles single-use plastic bags that are cleaned and brought in from Bali, Indonesia, and parts of California for use as the main material in the shoes. In the company's first year more than 175,000 plastic bags were reused to create footwear and accessories.

—Melissa Magsaysay

upcycling noun

Examples of upcycle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

There are pieces from Luks by Sandra Luks, which upcycles jeans into high fashion garments, as well as ​footwear brand Juhan Soomets. —Nadja Sayej, Forbes, 11 Sep. 2024

Today, his Instagram feed is filled with playful, accessible DIY projects and crafts, many of which involve upcycling everyday household objects. —Outside Online, 5 Sep. 2024

Personalized notebooks, backpacks, pencil cases and other items can be upcycled with dollar store craft supplies like stickers, badges, pins and fabric paint. —Food Drink Life, Hartford Courant, 12 Aug. 2024

Anyone who brings plastic waste to the National Gallery of Denmark can join a complimentary workshop on upcycling it into an art piece. —Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune Europe, 12 Aug. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1994, in the meaning defined above