From reclaimed lumber accessories to collaborative artisan cushions, these upcycled purpose products take the old and hackneyed phrase of "one man's trash is another man's treasure" and make it, well, new.
For some of the organizations featured here, such as Bikeworks, upcycling (or recycling) is simply one part of the story. That is to say, Bikeworks, based in East London sells refurbished bikes to the public but its main service is to run its all-ability cycling program in the city.
One of the smaller but perhaps also larger questions becomes: are upcycled purpose products just a euphemism for recycling? What's the difference in actuality? Is it simply part of a push, perhaps almost green-washing push, in order to "rebrand" recycling? This top list, because of the types of organizations featured, would probably praise the term itself.
38 Upcycled Purpose Products
From Reclaimed Lumber Accessories to Collaborative Artisan Cushions:
Tiana Reid — Jun 13, 2013 — Social Good
38
Eclectic Ethical Fashion
Upcycled 'Adamah Stein' Designs by Artisans in Senegal and Paris
37
Upcycled Trash Furnishings
The Ffrash Garbage Recycling Project Creates Sustainable Production
36
Beneficial Statement Jewelry
October Anniversary Makes Chic and Eye-Catching Altruistic Bijoux
35
Olympic-Themed Artillery Bracelets
Peacebomb Upcycles Shrapnel from Laos into Jewelry
34
Upcycled Fair Trade Fashion
Liz Alig Links Consumers & Producers to Support Ethical Practices
33
Upcycled Biker-Chic Accessories
Leather Girl Kelley Gives Old Rawhide Products New Life
32
Upcycled Nautical Bags
The Boyd Sailcloth Line of Totes are Constructed from Reclaimed Materials
31
Chic Eco-Conscious Kicks
MOVMT Shoes and Accessories are Made With Upcycled Plastic Bags
30
Chic Poverty-Combating Fashion
HALF UNITED Pledges Half of Its Profits to Charitable Causes
29
Community-Made Handicrafts
Rag Tag 'n' Textile Supports Those Recovering from Mental Health Issues
28
Upcycled Rugby Balls
The TOUCH Initiative Recycles Garbage while Creating Jobs
27
Newsworthy Flip Flops
Paper Flops are Made Using Upcycled Newspapers
26
Better Biking Businesses
Bikeworks is a Social Enterprise with Oodles of Responsible Initiatives
25
Upcycled Wooden Audio Gear
LSTN Headphones Benefit Deaf Children in Need
24
School-Supportive Jewelry
SOMO Reinvests Profits Toward Education Fees in Uganda
23
Eco-Conscious Casual Day Dresses
Harper Lei is a Boston-Based Sustainable Fashion Line
22
Reclaimed Lumber Accessories
Wood Thumb Manufactures Ties Made of Upcycled Timber
21
Conscious Online Marketplaces
'Ethical Community' Connects Businesses With Customers Who Care
20
Limited-Edition Upcycled Fashion
Looptworks Uses Second-Hand Material to Create Superior Designs
19
Eco-Friendly Surfboard Bags
RareForm Makes Unique Action Sports Accessories from Billboards
18
Eco-Conscious Designer Denim
Reco Jeans Makes Use of Production Scraps from Factories Worldwide
17
Upcycled Inner-Tube Accessories
Alchemy Goods Creates Bags and Wallets from Recycled Materials
16
Creative Upcycled Festival Sites
Industrius is a Change Engine Transforming Waste in London
15
Refugee-Employing Enterprises
The 'Open Arms Shop' Provides a Living Wage for Women
14
Lavish Upcycled Leather Jackets
Olga Road Turns Old Trench Coats into Sleek New Styles
13
Online Upcycling Innovation Hubs
Trash Backwards is a Community Supporting the Reuse Revolution
12
Ornate Upcycled Arms
Fonderie 47 Funds the Removal of Assault Rifles from African Conflict Zones
11
Upcycling to Fight Poverty
The 'Recycle Not a Waste Initiative' Empowers Ghanian Street Youth
10
Charming For-Good Cafes
The Peace Coffee Shop is in Minneapolis’ Wonderland Park
9
Ann Skydell Harmon, Founder of Ann-Made, LLC (INTERVIEW)
Upcycled Social Cause Jewelry
8
Supercycled Balian Accessories
Bombastic Plastix is a Social Business Creating Good out of Garbage
7
Collaborative Artisan Cushions
Tilonia by Designing Hope is a Stylish and Altruistic Home Line
6
Upcycled T-Shirt Blankets
Project Repat Lets You Literally Wrap Yourself in Memories
5
Upcycled African Fashion
afriCAN is Made by Artisans in South Africa for North America's Market
4
Bamboo Baby Products
Bum Boosa Uses Botanical Ingredients for Eco-Friendlier Goods
3
Leslie Beasley, Co-Founder/Managing Director of The Open Arms Shop (INTERVIEW)
2
Samuel Miller of Bombastic Plastix (INTERVIEW)
Upcycled Goods Made from Balian Plastic Bags
1
Madeleine Shaw, Founder of LunaPads (INTERVIEW)
Creator of the Pads4Girls Initiative
Related Ideas
Model-Backed Carrying Capsules
Catriona Gray Unveils Her Very Own Sustainable Bag Collection
Upcycled Waste Material Furniture
This Cardboard Furniture Design by Lee Lin is Modular
Sustainable Play Clothes
Peace House Studio Designs Are Made to Be Recycled
Chic Recycled Material Furniture
The 'Vale' Furniture Collection is Made with Recycled PET Bottles
Deadstock Denim Clogs
Levi’s x Crocs Upcycles Fabric Into One-of-a-Kind Footwear Designs
Ethical Fashion Empowerment
Risa Vancouver Partners with Indian Artisans for Sustainable Bags
Ethical Hemp-Derived Backpacks
Ecofrico Launches a Sustainable Backpack Line Using Hemp
Compostable Suede Sneakers
Puma Re:Suede 2.0 is a Commercial Version of an Experimental Sneaker
Luxe Recycled Leather Luggage
The Porsche Design Urban Eco Collection RL Line is Sustainable
Exaggerated Reclaimed Leather Totes
'The Bag' by Oson is Oversized and Unstructured
Creative Laundry Solutions
'Uncommon' and 'Ecover' Release 'Rewear Chair' to Reduce Overwashing
Transparent Waste-Filled Chairs
The 'No Waste Chair' by Kees Dekkers Puts Garbage in the Spotlight
Eco-Friendly Retail Pop-Ups
Stella McCartney's Ibiza Pop-Up Uses Recycled Wood; Efficient Lighting
Exclusive Brand Ambassador Programs
Better for All Seeks to Promote More Eco-Friendly Practices
Designer Upcycled Bags
Comme Des Garçons Released Its Collaboration with FREITAG
Sustainable Repurposed Shirts
Olivia Wilde Unveils a New Eco-Friendly Collaboration with ThredUp
Sustainable Workwear Collections
Craghoppers Workwear Launches a Collection Tailored for Mavericks
Indoor Organic Waste Gardens
The Conceptual BOSCH Eco-Hub by Batuhan Duran is Sustainable
Upcycled Plastic Bag-Made Chairs
Sungai Watch Creates the Ombak Chair from Plastic Bags
TV Packaging Seating Solutions
The 'Cuna' Furniture by Valeria Coello is Made Out of Cardboard
Recycled Homeware Capsules
Particle Launches a Collection Made from Recycled Sneaker Materials
Purposeful Empowering Apparel
Living Life on Purpose: Connecting with Customers through Clothing
Charitable Pet Product Collections
IKEA Presents a Look at its Pet-Friendly Utsådd Collection
Eco-Conscious Cleaning Product Packaging
Method is Introducing Recovered Coastal Plastic Packaging
Eco Storytelling Workwear Campaigns
Patagonia's We Can Get There From Here Tells is Inspiring
Upcycled Beauty Retail Interiors
Nina+Co Uses Salvaged Materials and Biotextiles for This Project
Repurposed Patchwork Footwear
ReImagined by UGG Gives New Life to Leftover Leathers & Suedes
High-Tech Eco-Conscious Furniture
The WoodenWood Project Upcycles and Utilizes Robotic Printing
Upcycled Camping Gear Collections
Luno Boasts a Range of Upcycled Gear at Affordable Prices
Reusable Paper-Made Water Bottles
The 'reU' Reusable Water Bottle Concept is Recyclable
Sophisticated Upcycled Home Sculptures
Origin Made Boasts the Exquisite Barco Basket Sculptures
Retail Overconsumption Campaigns
Coachtopia's 'The Wasted Parts' Explores Overconsumption Culture
Recycled Clothing-Crafted Furniture
Hemingway Design Transforms London's Traid Store
Scrap Material Footwear
Merrell Created a Scrap Shoe Collection for Zero Waste Week
Upcycled Book-Made Marbled Furniture
Willem Zwiers Designs the Tranformed Remnants Series
Staff Uniform-Made Home Collections
IKEA's VÄXELBRUK Collection Upcycles Worker Uniforms
Rice Straw Fashion Collections
Siam Kubota and Greyhound Original Launch 'Turn Waste to Agri-Wear'
Chic Recycled Waste Chairs
The 'XOX' Chair by Xingcheng Zhu is Made with Plastic Bottles and More
Customer-Driven Marketplaces
COS Clothing Partnered with Recurate on a C2B2C Marketplace
Sustainability-Driven Fashion Campaigns
pitusa's Sustainability Campaign Focuses on Reducing Waste
E-Commerce Recycling Programs
GUESS Launched GUESS Again in Partnership with SuperCircle
Repurposed Denim Furniture
Levi's Icons Re/Outfitted Refreshes Iconic Designs with Discarded Denim
Fully Circular Fashion Brands
Reformation Aims to be 100% Circular by 2030 with 'RefRecycling'
Convenience-Focused Upcycled Tote Designs
Out of the Woods Enhances Its Out of the Ocean® Range
Tailor-Made Furniture Ranges
Last Ditch Design's Capsule Balances Aesthetics and Functionality
Discarded Wood Construction Materials
Woodoo Uses Wood in Place of Glass, Leather and More
Bio-Based 3D-Printed Furniture
Ekbacken Studios Unveils a New Collaboration with Sulapac
Refurbishing Home Hardware Initiatives
D Line Launches Re-Handle®, Focusing on Sustainability
Sustainable Furniture Launches
Retroloop's Sustainable Furniture Boasts a Nostalgic Aesthetic
Timepiece Takeback Programs
Timex ReWound is the World's First Circular Program for Watches
Recycled Wallet Collections
FREITAG Boasts a New and Colorful Collection of Wallets
Sustainable Shoe-Trading Platforms
New Balance Joins the Resale Space with 'Reconsidered'
Clothing Buy-Back Programs
Eileen Fisher Revolutionizes Clothing Recycling with Renew Program
Sustainable Artist Endeavors
CASETiFY Launches a New Artistic Upcycling Project Called Re/CASETiFY
Circular Fashion Pop-Ups
The Coachtopia Pop-Up Brings Luxury Circular Fashion to Gen Z
Recycled Coffee Pod-Made Bicycles
Nespresso and Vélosophy Design the RE:CYCLE Bike
Rewarding Recycling Initiatives
Patagonia's Worn Wear Recycling Program Helps Eliminate Waste
Vegan Sportswear Pop-Ups
Hylo Athletics' Pop-Up at Harrods Includes a Recycling Component
Upcycled Object Exhibitions
Nendo and Daniel Arsham Design, Break, and Create Functional Objects
Textiles-to-Textiles Recycling
Jack Wolfskin Revolutionizes Apparel with Textiles Recycling
Branded Sustainability Milestones
Craghoppers Celebrates 100 Million Recycled Plastic Bottles
Upcycled Circular Design Products
Cyrc Designs Expansive Products with Sustainable Themes
Upcycled Denim Collections
The Latest Wrangler Reborn Collection Celebrates Circularity
Eco-Friendly Hardwood Accessories
Grovemade Creates a New Series of Affordable Desk Organizers
Chopstick-Crafted Homeware
RENEW by TRINITY Makes Artisan Designs from Reclaimed Bamboo Chopsticks
Plastic-Reduced Handwash Bottles
PZ Cussons Taps Terracycle to Create Refillable Packaging
Upcycled Ice Cream Desserts
Salt & Straw's Pints of the Month Help to Reduce Food Waste
Discarded Shoe-Created Stools
The WU Series by BENTU Design is a Sustainable Alternative
Pre-Loved Shoppping Events
eBay's Recommerce Day Champions Sustainable Shopping
Circular Fashion-Enabling Partnerships
Coach and Poshmark's Collaboration Makes Buyer Resale Easy
Upcycled Ingredient Breads
Kroger Simple Truth Upcycled Bread Has 10% ReGrained SuperGrain+
eBike Battery Recycling Initiatives
Rad Power Bikes and Redwood Materials Have Partnered
Reusable Paper Lunch Bags
Out of the Woods Reinterprets a Nostalgic Lunch Classic
eWaste-Made Furniture Designs
Lenovo Asset Recovery Services Collaborated with Aectual
Recycled Ocean Plastic Lighting
LightArt Presents the Ocean Coil Collection of Lamps
Pet Store Recycling Initiatives
The Pet Supplies Plus Recycle Program Features TerraCycle
Upcycled Surf Kite Backpacks
Edgy Kids' Brand nununu Partners with KitePride for a Backpack Line
Agricultural Waste-Based Fabrics
Rethread Africa Specializes in Biodegradable Textile Fabrics
Unisex Eco-Friendly Apparel
Good for Sunday's Recycled Polar Fleece Pullover Comes in 3 Colors
Recycled Maritime Plastics
LyondellBasell Delivers the New Plastics Made From Recycled Marine Gear
Secondhand Fashion Editorials
Vinted Styled a Shoot Exclusively with Vinted Finds
Premium Sustainable Denim Collections
Miu Miu Unveils its New Upcycled Denim Collection
Sustainable Furniture Capsule Shops
Light and Dwell Open up a Store of Furniture Designs
Upcycled Carrying Bags
Targus Unveiled its 'Coastline EcoSmart' Collection at CES 2024
Sustainable Luxury Hotels
Hotel Juana's Sustainable Transformation: Upcycling Luxury in Antibes
Ohio-Based Refill Stores
Reduce & Reuse Refillery Helps Save Money and Reduce Packaging Waste
Marginalized Artisan-Made Decor
IKEA Presents its Second Instalment of the MÄVINN Collection
Sustainable Upcycled Glass Cups
HMM Design Creates a Unique Eco-Friendly Glass Cup
Sleek Artful Accessible Furniture
ThirdKind Presents its Abigail Collection of Furniture
Hair-Reusing Fabric Companies
This Dutch Startup Uses Discarded Hair to Create Clothes and Carpets
Upcycled Material Musical Instruments
The Yamaha Upcycling Guitar Concept Models are Sustainable
Urban Debris-Crafted Portable Lamps
We+ Designs the Beautiful Remli Lamp Using Rubble and Debris
Eco-Minded Malaysian Markets
ECO-SHOP Opens its Doors to Sustainability-Focused Malaysian Shoppers
Plastic-Free Compostable Sportswear
Community Clothing's Organic Athletic Uses Natural Materials
Upcycled Polyester Yarns
RECYCTEX's Latest Initiative Includes Reclaiming Plastics from Shores
Upcycled Fruit Skincare
Pulpe De Vie Specializes in Making Upcycled Skincare from Downgraded Fruit
Artist-Crafted Upcycled Fashion Collections
Noel Mercado Launches the 'Earth Tones' Capsule
Upcycled Plastic Construction Companies
'Kubik' Uses Plastic Waste as a Sustainable Material
Eco-Friendly Indian Fashion
Latin Quarters Debuts a Stylish Capsule Using Sustainable Practices
Regenerated Polyester Apparel
Reformation and Ambercycle Created a Collection with cycora
Ocean-Friendly Upholstery Textiles
The 'Sport' Textiles Are Crafted From Shoreline-Sourced Plastic
Microplastic Particle-Transformed Designs
The Tyre Collective Creates Products from Particles
Upcycled Plastic Furniture Series
Kasper Kyster Presents the Crafting Plastic Series
Fully Recyclable Knitwear
&OR Collective's Collection 01 Was Manufactured to Minimize Waste
Meal-Donating Snack Bars
Act Bars Provide One Meal for Every One Sold
Sustainable Sports Essentials
Reebok Unveiled the Performance-Focused Workout Ready Sports Bra
Clothing Recycling Services
Marine Layer and Trashie Lead Sustainable Fashion with New Initiative
Sustainability-Focused Adventure Gear
Sympl Aims to Revolutionize Adventure Gear Design
Closet Cleanout Programs
The Container Store's Closet Clean Out Resale Program Slows Fashion Waste
Circular Fashion Shops
Asket Supports a Sustainable Fashion Future with Resale & Repair
Affordable Deadstock Apparel
SHEIN Ventures Into Sustainable Production with a 30-Piece Capsule
Upcycled Fabric Home Goods
Sunbrella ReMade Items are Made from Upcycled Sunbrella Fabrics
APPI Eco-Friendly Furniture
Sabai Design is a Sustainable Furniture Disruptor Led by Woman Founder
Textile Recycling Supply Chains
Fashion Takes Action Releases an Eco-Conscious Textile Guide
Artist-Envisioned Electric Bikes
Upway Unveils New Bikes with the Artist Collaboration Series
Tree-Based Material Products
Wax Atelier's Abney Effect Features Objects Made by Bio-Based Waxes
Cycle-Ready Vibrant Streetwear
Lydia Bolton Designs a New Streetwear Capsule with Lime
Ethical Clothing Recycling Services
Retold Recycling Aims to Reduce Textile Waste
Locally Sourced Furniture Collections
Grayn Presents its First-Ever Collection of Furniture
Sustainably Upcycled Jeans
These 'Diesel' Jeans Reuse Textile Cutting Waste Materials
Junkyard-Inspired Art Projects
ÉCAL and Philippe Malouin Unveil the Junkyard Diving Project
Creatively Repaired Garment Collections
TOAST Emphasizes Sustainability in New Capsule
Eco-Friendly Refurbished Studios
Workers of Art Presents the WOA Second Home in Kochi
Sustainable Pooja Products
Kalyanamm's New Line of Pooja Essentials is Eco-Friendly and Vegan
Recycled Phonecase Art Installations
Casetify Creates Public Displays for Journey to Re/Birth
Upcycled Aircraft Luggages
Emirates Launches a Collection Made from Upcycled Aircraft Interiors
Advanced Molecular-Recycling Bottles
Air up and Eastman Launch a Drinking Bottle with Tritan Renew
Upcycled Vintage Garments
Beyond Retro Taps AllSaints Founder Stuart Trevor for a New Capsule
Broken Bike Lock Furniture
Design Students Showcase the People and Places Exhibition
Pet Product Takeback Services
PetSmart Unveils the New Sustainable Pet Product Takeback Programs
Cardboard Box-Transformed Furniture
Max Lamb Presents the Box Exhibition at Gallery Fumi
Repurposed Furniture Design Exhibitions
Honoka Presents the Tatami Refab Project Exhibition
Upcycled Paint Boxes
Up Paint's Up Box Helps Consumers Ship Back & Recycle Old Paint
Paper Packaging Recycle Stations
Co-cre8 Debuts the New Paper Cup Collection and Recycling Service
Clog Takeback Programs
Crocs Introduces Innovative Retail Takeback Program for Sustainability
Content Repurposing Tools
This Tools Allows Users to Reimagine Materials Across Various Platforms
Circular Collaborative Seating Designs
Aquafil Joins noho and ECONYL on a New Project
Natural Material-Transformed Artworks
Borrowed Earth Collaborative Uses Natural Materials for Art
Waste-Reducing Eco Partnerships
This Year City Furniture Partnered with Habitat of Humanity
Sawdust Scrap Recyclable Stools
Renaud Defrancesco Designs the Briket Stool for Firewood