Upcycle

Quick meaning: Upcycle is a verb meaning (transitive) To convert (waste materials, etc.) into new materials or products of higher quality and greater functionality.

Meaning

(transitive) To convert (waste materials, etc.) into new materials or products of higher quality and greater functionality.

More Meanings

1. (transitive) To promote into a more productive or useful role.
2. A period of a cycle where something is increasing or improving.

Example Sentences

Recycling in many cases means "downcycling" – in particular cases, however, it can also mean "upcycling".

As I child I made thins from "nothing." If I didn't have any store-bought materials, I would go to my closet and cut up my least favorite article of clothing and make something new with it. It just made sense to use, reuse, upcycle and make things from scratch.

[…] PFNC takes empty shipping containers that are too expensive to recycle or ship back empty to China and converts them into affordable, stackable homes for Mexican workers. […] PFNC makes enough money to continue upcycling shipping containers costs and to invest for future growth.

One designer I know was known for his vibrant use of color in his fashions. When he purchased a weekend home not too far from me, he had this crazy idea to paint the bark of the trees in different bright shades. […] To me, this wasn't upcycling the Great Outdoors, but more like upchucking on it.

Word Forms

• upcycles
• upcycling
• upcycled
• up-cycle

Antonyms for upcycle

Common opposites include downcycle.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include recycle, ecycle, repurpose, reutilise, reculture, recicle.

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