/r/upcycling
Upcycling is reusing waste or unwanted materials without destroying them in order to create something new.
What is the difference between Recycling and Upcycling?
Recycling takes waste products, breaks them down, then forms them into something new. Upcycling is reusing waste or unwanted materials without destroying them in order to create something new, which makes upcycling more energy efficient than recycling.
- Example of recycling: Taking plastic bags, breaking down the materials, reforming it, and turning the used plastic into a new cup.
- Example of upcycling: Transforming old clothes into a new outfit, bag, or stuffed animal.
More About r/Upcycling
This subreddit is for people who have come together to turn waste or unwanted items into something useful. We encourage reducing, reusing and recycling waste in the traditional fashion, but there are some things that don't recycle well, or would otherwise be thrown away. For these types of materials, we encourage re-purposing the materials.
This space is for anything upcycling. All relevant posts are welcome.
Challenge of The Month
Each month we will have a challenge on the sub. This month's challenge can be found at the top of the page as a post. You will need to upcycle something in the theme we give you and then post a picture of it in the comments of the post
All participants will get a special flair that will get updated when you do more challenges.
Posting Policy
We have a very simple posting policy. We realize that some Redditors have relevant blogs or Etsy shops. It's OK to post them here, but only if you are contributing to the Reddit community more than you are posting and cross-posting your own content.
Where did my post go?
Reddit has an aggressive system for weeding out spam, especially if you're new or cross-posting the same content throughout many subreddits. If you notice your post is missing and doesn't get any responses by the end of the day, just feel free to message the mod to bring attention to the spam trap.
Related Subreddits
/r/upcycling
215,777 Subscribers
Hey everyone, I'm a street artist from Leicestershire, England. I find a lot of cans discarded where people paint their art, so I started turning my used cans into desk ornaments, so save the Ducks! Screw the system!😜👍
19:15 UTC
Upcycle idea request: Broken Dutch Oven
Accidentally cracked this dutch over on Thanksgiving. Still usable and planning on turning the pot into a planter, but looking for ideas for the lid. Would hate to just toss it! TYIA!
19:06 UTC
Any ideas for upcycling a purple cushion (that don't involve solventa or melting it down)?
It's the one that's 2 inches thick... the medium priced one. No one in my house uses it anymore, but I don't want to throw it away because it was expensive. Also that silicone polymer stuff seems like it'd never biodegrade.
I just have no idea what to do with it. Using it as a pillow is a no-go, since I already have my One True Pillow and everyone else hates the texture.
Does the hive mind have thoughts & ideas?
01:46 UTC
Stained glass piece made from wine bottle glass
20:05 UTC
Is it safe to use these aluminum cans as water bottles?
I saw these coffees in aluminum cans and I wonder if I can just use them as water bottles afterwards? I have been looking for a small water bottle (less than 300ml). Not many options out there and the plastic ones without BPA and those made with stainless steel are expensive .
Any health concerns over using aluminum cans as water bottles for storing room-tempetature liquids?
Many thanks
19:30 UTC
Will a Closed-Loop Reusable Packaging System Ever Be Possible?
Hi everyone,
I’ve been wondering if we’ll ever see a widespread, closed-loop reusable packaging service that’s easy, convenient, and genuinely reduces carbon footprints. Imagine a system where you can get your groceries, takeout, or products in reusable containers, return them when you're done, and just trust that they’ll be cleaned and reused without hassle.
It sounds ideal: no more waste, no need to manage piles of single-use plastics, and it feels good to know you’re making a sustainable choice. But is it realistic to expect such a service to be present everywhere?
Let’s discuss!
06:51 UTC
Looking for ideas for a card themed shirt!
I had this vest for a halloween costume, now that it’s after halloween i’m looking for other ways to use it. I noticed that the fabric looks like the backs of cards, and i’m wanting to cut a bunch out, stitch them on a shirt, and have some sort of saying to tie it together? I feel like there’s a really good idea here, but i just can’t think of it. Let me know if you have any thoughts!
08:59 UTC
tin can vase?
hello! i was just looking for insight on if a tin a can (large stewed tomatoes can) could be used as a vase for flowers? if i mod podged the inside or something could that prevent rust? i appreciate any advice or feedback. i have so many cans i keep for various crafts and things and looking for a new way to use them.
00:03 UTC
what can i do with "unusable" books?
hello :) so i have two books that i bought for uni. i had already read them a few semesters ago, so i was thinking that i could resell them. however... i have a bird who, one day, when i wasn't looking, started biting the books 🙃 now i cant resell them because they're in terrible condition (she was so quick, both of the covers are basically gone). so now i'm basically looking for creative ideas to reuse/upcycle them.
16:30 UTC
Refreshed my chairs instead of buying new ones
First time reupholstering chairs. Turned out better than expected. I bought some furniture filler paint off Amazon to fill in scuffs and marks. I bought a discounted returned electric staple gun. I was scared to use it initially. I undid the chair and used the old cloth as the sample to cut my fabric. I just paid attention to how I deconstructed it and reconstructed in the same steps. I steamed the foam to bring it back to life. I put linseed oil on the wood of the seat as it was cracking and dried. Fortunately, my mom sews so I had her sew the piping which I reused.
Edit: There is a real joy from reviving something old to something useable again, doing somethng with your hands and saving money. I would have given them away for free on CL or FB but they may have been treated poorly and ended up in the landfill earlier. These chairs were purchased in 2005 and they have many years left.
00:10 UTC
I design enamel pins. My manufacturer ships them in these little baggies. What should I do with them?
I have like 5 million of these. I can’t ask the manu to ship without them bc they keep the pins safe during transit.
23:25 UTC
How Can I Turn This Antique Sewing Table Into A Modern Sewing Table?
Hello all!
I have this antique Singer sewing table. That used to house my grandma's old Singer sewing machine. I took the old machine out and removed the housing compartment. As the machine no longer is operational. And I want to turn this table into a solid piece. For my sewing machine. How can I go about doing this with this big hole in the middle of the table? Pleas ignore my cabinet under the sewing table.
20:27 UTC