upcycle
verb
up·cy·cle
ˈəp-ˌsī-kəl 
upcycled; upcycling
: to recycle (something) in such a way that the resulting product is of a higher value than the original item : to create an object of greater value from (a discarded object of lesser value)
The line upcycles single-use plastic bags that are cleaned and brought in from Bali, Indonesia, and parts of California for use as the main material in the shoes. In the company's first year more than 175,000 plastic bags were reused to create footwear and accessories.—
Melissa Magsaysay
Melissa Magsaysay
upcycling
noun
Examples of upcycle in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
What's more, food waste is minimized by the kitchen's upcycling team, which turns scraps into preserves, pickles, and stocks.
—Stefanie Waldek, Travel + Leisure, 6 Apr. 2024
Elsewhere, festival signage is made from wood so it can be reused, while thousands of square feet of plastic banners at stages are taken by upcycling company Rewilder after the event wraps and sewn into tote bags and backpacks sold at the following year’s merchandise stand.
—Katie Bain, Billboard, 29 Mar. 2024
The Hoxton opened last spring, upcycling a ho-hum '70s building into a kinetic homage to the district's early-20th-century heritage.
—Rick Jordan, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Feb. 2024
Specializing in prom and wedding attire for men and women, while upcycling fabrics and garments, Vaughn creates custom clothing for any occasion.
—Cassell Ferere, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024
Purpura is a personal fan of upcycling aesthetically pleasing boxes to store smaller items and contribute to a clutter-free environment.
—Gia Yetikyel, Vogue, 11 Dec. 2023
But the best eco-friendly strategies, Piper says, are upcycling your current pieces or thrifting used items.
—Jenna Anderson, Sunset Magazine, 23 Feb. 2024
Another brilliant collection from Irish designer Robyn Lynch, this time including a collaboration with C.P. Company, as the designer upcycles outerwear pieces from the Italian sportswear brand’s past collections into a capsule of one-off designs.
—Joanne Shurvell, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024
Her pieces, like this necklace composed of yellow jade and glass droplets in different shades of blue, are individually crafted by artisans or upcycled from vintage materials.
—Ella Riley-Adams Angela Koh Jameson Montgomery Jameson Montgomery Tom Delavan, New York Times, 16 Nov. 2023
Stefanie Waldek, Travel + Leisure, 6 Apr. 2024
Elsewhere, festival signage is made from wood so it can be reused, while thousands of square feet of plastic banners at stages are taken by upcycling company Rewilder after the event wraps and sewn into tote bags and backpacks sold at the following year’s merchandise stand.
—Katie Bain, Billboard, 29 Mar. 2024
The Hoxton opened last spring, upcycling a ho-hum '70s building into a kinetic homage to the district's early-20th-century heritage.
—Rick Jordan, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Feb. 2024
Specializing in prom and wedding attire for men and women, while upcycling fabrics and garments, Vaughn creates custom clothing for any occasion.
—Cassell Ferere, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024
Purpura is a personal fan of upcycling aesthetically pleasing boxes to store smaller items and contribute to a clutter-free environment.
—Gia Yetikyel, Vogue, 11 Dec. 2023
But the best eco-friendly strategies, Piper says, are upcycling your current pieces or thrifting used items.
—Jenna Anderson, Sunset Magazine, 23 Feb. 2024
Another brilliant collection from Irish designer Robyn Lynch, this time including a collaboration with C.P. Company, as the designer upcycles outerwear pieces from the Italian sportswear brand’s past collections into a capsule of one-off designs.
—Joanne Shurvell, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024
Her pieces, like this necklace composed of yellow jade and glass droplets in different shades of blue, are individually crafted by artisans or upcycled from vintage materials.
—Ella Riley-Adams Angela Koh Jameson Montgomery Jameson Montgomery Tom Delavan, New York Times, 16 Nov. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'upcycle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near upcycle
Cite this Entry
“Upcycle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upcycle. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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