What is Upcycle?

Upcycle is a business in the waste industry that believes nothing should go to waste.  It reuses, resells, recycles, reprocesses, all trying to avoid dumping it in the ground (landfill) or the air (incineration).  The focus is to refine and reinsert into the economy rather than smear and dispose forever.

It does this by creating a great experience for the customer whilst always being highly focussed on how materials can be utilised.  It starts small, and slowly but surely, disrupts the status quo of logistics focussed waste "management".  Importantly, it is a business.  Not a charity.

To fall back on yet another analogy, Upcycle is the grit in the oyster.  It gradually grows, adds bits, forms organically into something truly beautiful.  And highly valuable.

But enough of the analogies and woolly speak.  Time for some examples.  Time to look at what can be (and is) done in upcycling.  Time for careful thought on how it works, what an upcycling business needs to be successful, the pathologies of waste.  Next post (or ten).