Upcycling…Reuse with a Twist

June 17, 2014

Upcycling, according to Wikipedia,is the process of “converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of better quality or for better environmental value.”

The winners of The Guardian Upcycling Competition were recently announced. More than 200 entries were submitted, ranging from furniture to fashion garments and lampshades to jewelry.

Here are their top picks and the overall winner.

Upcycled Wool Frockcoat

This fashionable upcycled outfit is made from gray wool coat with pinstripe upper, pleated skirt, Celtic button, and tartan fastening. According to the dressmaker, the quality material used to manufacture the original Scottish garments made them perfect for upcycling.

Ready Cassette Go

A great practical and artistic reuse idea for the old cassette tapes I have!  

New Life to Broken Plates

This jewelry is made out of the shards from broken cups and plates to create unique pieces by reshaping the pieces, smoothing the edges and making silver bezels and fittings. The artist also tries to use recycled silver whenever possible.

Milk Bottle Lamp Shade

Made with 84 bottles, this unique lampshade is practical and colorful.

Upcycled inner tube and jumper make up bag

This makeup bag is made from cleaned upcycled punctured inner tubes which would normally go into landfill.. The lining is an old stripy jumper. The artist notes it’s both durable and also “offers a fantastic vegan alternative to leather.”

And the winner….Remade Armchair and Offcuts Assemblage

Furniture made by Michael Ferguson from reclaimed floorboards and even neglected armchairs found on the street. The upholstery is stripped and the frame is lined with floorboards, keeping their original color. He works under the business name Not A Wooden Spoon. All materials used in crafting his furniture are, according to the designer/maker, “second hand, reclaimed, pre-used, disused, neglected or discarded, and are sourced from the street and old buildings in and around Berlin/Brandenburg.”

By Athena Lee Bradley, with thanks to The Guardian.