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

upcycling noun

Examples of upcycle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web For instance, an old storage bin could be used for organizing, or fabric from unworn clothes can be upcycled into cleaning rags or DIY projects. —

True Tamplin, Forbes, 7 Oct. 2024 Meghan Markle upcycled one of her Carolina Herrera gowns at the 2024 Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Gala on Saturday. —

Hannah Malach, WWD, 6 Oct. 2024 Instead of relying on virgin materials, others are upcycling fashion into new garments and other products. —

Sj Studio, Sourcing Journal, 24 Sep. 2024 The Mintel 2024 Global Food and Drink Trends report, highlights upcycling—turning food that would otherwise go to waste into valuable products—as a key sustainability practice. —

Stephanie Gravalese, Forbes, 21 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for upcycle

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.