From Upcycling Clothes To Upcycling Art – Rubbish And The New Upcycling Economy. ”Study with Quizlet and memorize flashcards containing terms like quiz 9,. It is also possible to make the original product using recycled materials, provided there is a. Simple enough. At this point, the material will become unusable. In summary, reuse and upcycling reduce the need for recycling and are therefore great options for the environment. Adaptive Reuse . Downcycling and upcycling are actually recycling trends. Though less showy than upcycling, downcycling will extend the life of your garment, in turn reducing the amount of waste in the landfill. Use old toilet rolls as cable organisers to prevent wires from getting tangled up. Textiles:If the most widespread phenomenon of recycling is to provide that a waste object is transformed to create something of equal value, when it comes to upcycling and downcycling instead, the value of the object changes. 1. These two terms can often be confused for one another gi. Downcycling is a common method for putting old clothes to use around the house, and a sure fire way get maximum use out of your clothing once you no longer want to wear them. Once the backpack wears out, it can be torn up and used it to stuff a dog bed. Nature (2023) The vast majority of commodity plastics do not degrade and therefore they permanently pollute the environment. These products are dismantled and repurposed to generate an item much less value than the previous one. 5. Upcycling is taking pieces of fabric that would not have been useful otherwise and making them into a dress. and more. approaches to and context for upcycling), behavioural factors influencing upcycling, and potential differences arising from demographic characteristics. Upcycling is an efficient way to transform plastic waste into high-value products and can significantly lessen the environmental impact of plastic production/consumption. Upcycling and downcycling refer to the value and quality of the new item produced via the recycling process. If upcycling is recycling something to have more value, downcycling is recycling to remove value. By Ann Cameron Siegal. converts the material into something of greater value than it originally was. It is a ‘gate to grave’ approach focusing on the end-of-life of printed plastic scrap from converting industry, including waste treatment operations. Unlike more sustainable recycling processes, downcycled products decrease in value and cannot be used for the same purpose. Downcycling is more like RECYCLING and RECLAIMING materials that are headed to the heap. Upcycling vs Downcycling » Shipping Container Architecture . The difference between upcycling and downcycling. According to the Ellen MacArthur. can go a long way in making our world a better, greener place! 4. By upcycling and downcycling textile waste, we kept it from being incinerated or dumped in a landfill. If the word "recovery" is expanded to the value of the product recovered, it be fitting to describe upcycling. An upcycling approach to clothing longevity examines how garments can be re-designed and resold in a new form. Een voorbeeld hiervan is glas. The official dictionary definition of the word upcycle is: ‘to reuse (discarded objects or material) in such a way as to create a product of higher quality or value than the original. Negligence is the disregard for the safety or life of other people. Downcycling is the term used to describe a recycled product that is not as structurally strong as the original product made from virgin materials. It also reduces. Both upcycling and downcycling are forms of recycling. It’s the process of taking an old or discarded object and revamping it in a way that makes it better. While sustainable fashion comprises a vast number of concepts, key terms like reusing, recycling, upcycling and downcycling are extremely relevant. 2. Downcycling is related to but different from 'open-loop recycling'. EST. This is another big difference between upcycling and recycling: whereas, when something is recycled, the material or object loses its original form, the beauty of upcycling is that the original object can still be clearly identified after assuming its new function. Continuing to drive recycling Back in 2007, the Tarmac Aerosave company was created for sustainable dismantling of commercial aircraft. Upcycling is the opposite of downcycling. While upcycling is generally viewed as the more sustainable route—largely because it extends the. 2 Downcycling, Recycling and Upcycling. They rather focussed on recycling, upcycling and (plastic) packaging than on the problematic eco-efficiency of downcycling. g. This is not to say that outputs from downcycling aren’t. Manufacturers can also support the upcycling and downcycling of server components. Downcycling consists of recycling the material over and over again, until it loses its quality. In such cases the product. . Upcycling and downcycling indicate that the raw material created during the cycle is better or worse compared to its original quality. The future of recycling is both upcycling and downcycling. What exactly do these terms mean and what is the difference between them? Upcycled wetsuits versus recycled wetuits. _____ than the original, we are downcycling. Já no downcycling são misturados diferentes materiais (plástico, alumínio, etc. Last year, Looptworks kept 12,674 metric tons of CO2 out of the air thanks to circularity. All else equal, Upcycling is better than Downcycling because Upcycling prolongs the useful life of materials. It’s the process of taking a product or material that would normally be thrown away and giving it a second life in the form of a new, higher-quality product. Easy for consumers to participate in recycling programs. . RecommerceSo you wonder, what are downcycling and upcycling doing here? Downcycling and upcycling are actually recycling trends. A cycle focused on production, recycling, upcycling and downcycling, and therefore hydroponics, composting, biodegradable packaging and biobased products. The term is used simply to differentiate this type of re-use with true recycling. This textile material (denim) has many possibilities to the designers and can be used as raw material to other industries. In the meanwhile, the development of guidelines for textile waste handling by the. You could even save your prettiest fabric scraps and try out Furoshiki gift wrapping! Downcyle t-shirts into rags or bedding for a pet. Downcycling is the reuse of materials in such a way that the end use is less valuable than the original use, for example, damaged textiles being used for car seat stuffing. Preserve. . [1] [2] Often, this is due to the accumulation of tramp elements in secondary metals, which may exclude the latter from high-quality applications. S. recycling vs. Downcycling Downcycling means recycling the material over and over again, until it loses its quality. From collecting and transporting, to breaking it down and manufacturing. Downcycling is the type of recycling that many people are familiar with, such as recycling paper or plastic. Com o intuito de evitar o desperdício e continuar a utilizar os materiais e produtos que já circulam na economia, Upcycling é uma técnica que reaproveita materiais que seriam descartados, mas que ainda apresentam um grande potencial de utilidade. 1. Upcycling makes them better. The upcycling of plastic wastes to realize plastics circularity is obstructed by the presence of chlorine impurities. This one is obviously more green, but of lower quality . One of the keys to saving our planet is. In this sense, the upcycled object is a kind of tribute to the object it used to be. The organisms/species get the opportunity to evolve. Downcycling consists of recycling the material over and over again, until it loses its quality. Interestingly, although upcycling has existed for many years, the fashion industry has recently seen a. upcycling and reselling, we can reduce the use of water from 78. As such, upcycling can be described as the opposite of downcycling, which downgrades the value of the material and discards the work and value invested in it. Put simply, upcycling is the modification of older products to produce new ones. Upcycling and downcycling involve a lot of DIY to make an item useful for other purposes. Upcycling results in products… ____ c. High quality waste is transformed into a lower quality product. The goal of upcycling is that any previous design can surely shine again. . If you want to go beyond recycling and have a bigger positive impact on the environment, try experimenting with upcycling and precycling. "Download this Vector Recycling Upcycling And Downcycling Signs Green Reuse Symbols For Ecological Design Zero Waste Lifestyle vector illustration now. Upcycling is not an issue when focusing on closing material cycles, but downcycling is an existing and complex problem. Upcycling is mainly done at small scale: Upcycling can deal with blended materials, but current upcyclers or craftswomen can only deal with small quantities, and often struggle selling their products. When a product is upcycled, it’s materials and parts are recycled into higher quality products. In this episode we'll look at the key differences between the processes of up-cycling and recycling. Downcycling, or cascading, is the recycling of waste where the recycled material is of lower quality and functionality than the original material. The common term is “cycling”, which means to keep things in a circle. Many plastic bottles and containers can never be turned. Set of vector recycling, upcycling and downcycling signs, isolated icons on white background. By understanding how recycling works, we can make smarter decisions as brand. The term downcycling was used by Reiner Pilz in an interview by Thornton Kay of Salvo in 1994. Using food waste to create compost is also a form. Downcycling: transforming a product into an inferior one, such as grinding running shoes down to create the surface of basketball courts Upcycling: converting a product into a superior form, such as spinning single-use plastic bottles into polyester fabrics which might be worn for decades. . An upcycling. Downcycling can be thought of as the opposite of upcycling. Downcycling and upcycling are actually recycling trends. Recycling is commonplace in Europe and other regions, but not all of our waste can be recycled. Reducing waste. Upcycle an old t-shirt into a grocery bag, jeans into a purse, or a sweater into a pillow. It is not as disruptive as ex situ conservation, i. Downcycling: transforming a product into an inferior one, such as grinding running shoes down to create the surface of basketball courts Upcycling: converting a product into a superior form, such as spinning single-use plastic bottles into polyester fabrics which might be worn for decades. Upcycling, downcycling and precycling are all variations of recycling which aims to improve efficiency of resource use and minimize landfill waste by ‘closing the loop’. To downcycle an item is to repurpose it into something of lesser quality or value. The only difference is while upcycle fashion denotes an increase in value for the new product, downcycled materials and products transform into a lower value product. What Is Downcycling. ”Upcycling “Standard PET recycling today is essentially ‘downcycling,'” says senior author Gregg Beckham, a Senior Research Fellow at NREL. | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate. out of old or used things or waste material…. At present, less than 20% of post-consumer plastic waste in developed. However, only techniques for downcycling end-of-life high-pressure membranes are available. Manufacturers can use them to build low-cost benches, decking, and more. For example, the paper of a book will be transformed into recycled. A colorful quote from engineer Reiner Pilz (“Recycling? I call it DOWNcycling. Other interesting articles. Zero waste lifestyle, go green. Upcycling – creating items of greater value. With plenty of repair options— plus denim recycling, upcycling, and downcycling choices—you can easily keep your jeans out of the landfill. Upcycling can be done industrially or at home! It's creative!. We just need to be aware of the challenges and be honest and open about them. ,. Gone are the days where you need to. It typically requires creativity and labor to upcycle items. But not all recycling forms and processes are equal. But we need to go a bit further into the terms and look at some examples to understand the differences. For more tips on upcycling and living a sustainable lifestyle, take a look at our other blog posts . Er is dan sprake van een degradatie van de grondstof. You don’t have to stop with old denim, either. ,Alternative economic concepts can be addressed and critically reflected in sustainability education, even if rarely taught. In total, 3. Introduction The issue of abandonment of the building assets is increasingly widespread. And search more of iStock's library of royalty-free vector art that features Upcycling graphics available for quick and easy download. Upcycling is a form of recycling that involves transforming unwanted or useless products, waste products, and byproducts into high-value and functional repurposed and upcycled products. Large amounts of plastics are discarded worldwide each year, leading to a significant mass of waste in landfills and pollution to soil, air, and waterways. It doesn’t involve removing species from their natural ecosystems. , 2022). ”The goal of upcycling is to prevent wasting potentially useful materials by making use of existing ones. Recycling is a broad category of practices though, and it includes both upcycling and downcycling. Especially in elementary school, upcycling offers a wonderful opportunity to teach students about environmentally conscious use of resources. The advantages are primarily ascribed to the avoidance of frequent membrane replacement, which reduced the raw material and other process. To downcycle an item is to repurpose it into something of lesser quality or value. Plastic Processing: Upcycling, Recycling, Downcycling and more. The difference between upcycling and recycling is really the difference between upcycling and a process known as downcycling. By upcycling and downcycling textile waste, we kept it from being incinerated or dumped in a landfill. Clothing Sustainability and Upcycling in Ghana. has turned into a waste and cannot be reused. Jika dicontohkan dalam konsep recycle, sampah botol plastik dikumpulkan lalu. Using food waste to create compost is also a form. In developing a framework around sustain-ability, a key challenge is terminology. A pile of microplastics - small pieces of hard plastic on palm, intended for further processing. One-of-a-kind items. Lastly, downcycling offers an avenue for PLA waste to be transformed into input materials for different industries. Convert an old briefcase and mount it on the bathroom wall to make a unique cabinet. Reuse This is the complete list of articles we have written about reuse. While the plastic is processed in both these methods, during recycling the quality and. It’s a process that transforms materials into something else, but at a lower quality. The most common form of this recycling is the combustion of waste to produce energy. The goal of upcycling is to prevent wasting potentially useful materials by making use of existing ones. (*)The term upcycling was coined in the late 1990s by Belgian Gunter Pauli and German Johannes Hartkemeyer (and later further developed by McDonough and Braungart in the early 2000s) as opposed to that downcycling, which in the recycling process indicates the conversion of a product’s material into a basic form, often of a. 4. The reason that many products downcycle rather than recycle is that the nature of the material cannot prevent it from retaining its former durability once reprocessed, and therefore it cannot. While upcycling allows for reclamation or reuse of the same materials for new products, downcycling deals with degraded materials that don’t possess enough structural integrity for circular or upcycled use. The item is reimagined and reborn. Individual carbon audits, pledges to curb single-use plastics, upcycling and zero-waste lifestyles are being touted as solutions, while petrochemical industries continue with business as usual. It helps to prolong its life in one form or another. Upcycling and Downcycling. Waste Reduction Through Upcycling and Downcycling. For some, upcycling is a fun hobby and creative outlet. Recycling Vs Upcycling Vs Downcycling. Knowing the difference between upcycling and downcycling it is clear that using advanced recycling as a method of upcycling healthcare plastics is the most viable option for a cleaner, more sustainable. This section describes the measures taken to recover the value of the materials. Again, downcycling is different than reuse in that it decreases in value and it takes on a new form. Upcycling and Downcycling: What’s the Difference? Downcycling. Upcycling is “the process of converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of better quality or a higher environmental value,” says Wikipedia. Once the backpack wears out, it can be torn up and used it to stuff a dog bed. This also reduces pollution, helping to protect. Polyp is a sessile life cycle stage of the Cnidaria phylum. Both Might Have Sustainability & Eco Benefits. While we might use terms like upcycling, recycling and downcycling. Recycling waste means that the raw materials and energy are put back into the commercial cycle. "What we need is upcycling, where old products are given more value, not less," stressed Reiner Pilz when referring to the. It is also possible to make the original product using recycled materials, provided there is a. Thanks to this, the used waste becomes more valuable and can enter the “higher circuit”. The upcycling of plastic wastes to realize plastics circularity is obstructed by the presence of chlorine impurities. Also, both activities reduce the need for the production of new materials, which means there will be less pollution and carbon emissions produced by manufacturers. Circular Fashion: What’s the Difference Between Recycling, Upcycling, Downcycling, and Resaling? by Dora Chi Xu. Both reusing and repurposing might include both the upcycling and downcycling of materials in some instances Materials That Can Be Re-Used Or Repurposed. For example, steel scrap from end-of-life vehicles. But, textile-to-textile recycling accounts for the lowest recycling rate, compared to re-use, upcycling, and downcycling. Upcycling can also be pretty similar to recycling, in. Tune i. Colour scanning of the samples provided complementary information about their suitability for upcycling or downcycling. The goal of upcycling is to prevent wasting potentially useful materials by making use of existing ones. Zero waste lifestyle. “There are so many opportunities that can come out of recycling, upcycling and downcycling. Moreover, textile recycling can be classified into upcycling, downcycling, closed-loop, and open-loop recycling. and more. Hipcycle. Downcycling still limits waste, but because the value of the textile is degraded, it does not capture the full value of the garment as much as textile-to-textile recycling does. Aside from the downcycling and upcycling strategies that modify the sieving precision of EoL membranes, Tian et al. Upcycling vs Downcycling . We have learned that to items must go to the proper recycle stream to. The LCIA results revealed that environmental impacts across the studied categories all reduced in each recycling scenario (Fig. The detailed map of current steel flows shown in Fig. Adaptive Reuse . Recycling / downcycling means that we need to process less new raw materials. For example, a. While individual choice and habits are important in addressing the problem, the change also needs to start with businesses and corporations. Learning how to responsibly part with your jeans is an easy place to start since there are so many denim-focused options,. Online retailer Hipcycle, upcycles goods to create home decor, jewelry and fashion that are durable, affordable and fashionable. The terms "upcycling" and "downcycling" were coined for the first time in 1994 by Reiner Pilz. Upcycling where the product of the recycled material is of higher quality. Recycling is a two-part process: upcycling and downcycling. Downcycling; 20 Creative Ways to Recycle Plastic Bottles; 6 Things Made from Recycled Plastic; Recycled Plastic As Part of Your Sustainability Strategy; Read this guide to plastic recycling ideas that can help individuals, as well as large organizations, practice sustainability. . Since the 1950s, the increase in mass production of plastics has led to 8. In the upcycling vs. Upcycling on the other hand is a process by which waste is taken in its current state, and instead of being broken down,. Both upcycling and downcycling are forms of recycling. The upcycling of chlorinated plastics into value-added products is an effective method to reduce plastic pollution. Downcycling is a process that typically takes single-use products and turns them into durable goods such as plastic lumber, or park benches. Continuing to drive recycling Back in 2007, the Tarmac Aerosave company was created for sustainable dismantling of commercial aircraft. Devindi further explained the difference between upcycling and downcycling. There are two kinds of manufacturing: downcycling and upcycling. m. **Picture this: After tossing a single-use plastic bottle. Recycling is an umbrella term. At this point, the material will become unusable. Green Upcycle text and arrow icon pointing up. It involves collecting and converting waste and materials into downcycled material of lower quality, functionality, or value (compared to the original material) Some forms of open loop recycling may lead to downcycling Downcycling, recycling, upcycling all have their place. Vector recycling, upcycling and downcycling signs, isolated on white background. Downcycling In downcycling, the quality and value of the new item is lower than. What is Shipping Container Architecture? » Repair Cafe . When compared to recycling and downcycling, upcycling. Closed-loop recycling involves recycling of a. Upcycling, as described above, is something we hear a lot about these days, with some people even building businesses around upcycled items. But what about upcycling’s polar-opposite, “downcycling”? Essentially, it’s when an item is repurposed into something less valuable. Upcycling beskriver den proces, hvor man. Without all three of these processes, there would be a vast amount of virgin materials being produced in order to make everyday products. Upcycling is reuse of an item that results in something of greater value than the original. The material will very rarely find its basic utility. While many recyclable products, like glass, paper, and aluminum can be reused over and over without much change in usability, plastic products are where we see a significant decrease in quality each time it. Upcycling is a process which typically requires less time and effort. Step 3: Identify the key points in each section. The best way to understand upcycling is to compare it to downcycling. Upcycling and downcycling can foster creativity by challenging you to think outside the box and find new ways to use and combine materials. In brief, upcycling is discussed and already reviewed, for example, as a creative practice (Bridgens et al. – Primary, secondary and tertiary recycling. Plastic bags are one of the most reused things in a middle-class Indian household. Downcycling is a more industrial process, requiring more energy and resources than upcycling. Individual carbon audits, pledges to curb single-use plastics, upcycling and zero-waste lifestyles are being touted as solutions, while petrochemical industries continue with business as usual. ,. Explanation: Upcycling is the process of producing usable products out of waste or unwanted products and downcycling is the process of converting materials of lesser quality into products. Large amounts of plastics are discarded worldwide each year, leading to a significant mass of waste in landfills and pollution to soil, air, and waterways. Another significant difference is that recycling is usually a chemical reconstruction of the items, whereas upcycling is a total alteration that makes something totally new out of used products or waste. Downcycling, or cascading, is the recycling of waste where the recycled material is of lower quality and functionality than the original material. The two words are often. Recycl-ing typically denotes the reuse of a previously processed or waste material; upgrading refersPages for logged out editors learn more. Current steel flows and downcycling practices. When compared to recycling and downcycling, upcycling. When we transform a product into something which has less 2. 1 clearly depicts the industrial structure of mass imports and mass exports, importing all iron. Increase in contamination of recyclables at recovery. Upcycling is making something new of higher value from the material without having to do a complete recreation of raw material. This article focuses on the upscaling of polymers. July 25, 2022 | By Hive Team Want to know the basics of upcycling vs. Secondary use of plastic bottle in garden pot with green plants. Brands such as Andrea Crews, Marine Serre, Bode, Patrick McDowell, and Christoph Rumpf are well-known names around the. such that the mechanical recycling is also termed “downgrading” or “downcycling. 5 gallons of water to only 1. Moreover, textile recycling can be classified into upcycling, downcycling, closed-loop, and open-loop recycling. Ideally, this should mean less need for virgin raw materials. Downcycling. Any material created is collected and recycled to make the next run of products. 2 gallons. And okay - it sounds a little grimy at first. Potting creation. Recycling on the other hand, includes a whole host of stages. This has caused some confusion and misunderstanding. If the word "recovery" is expanded to the value of the product recovered, it be fitting to describe upcycling. Downcycling. Upcycling As part of sustainable fashion, upcycling is anticipating and imagining new purposes for existing products and available excess materials from manufacturing. Este término hace referencia a la reutilización de residuos reciclables, con el objetivo de modificarlos y convertirlos en otros productos de mayor valor, para que sigan siendo útiles antes de tener que llegar a ser reciclados en. In brief, upcycling is discussed and already reviewed, for example, as a creative practice (Bridgens et al. The German engineer introduced the words in an article by Thornton Kay published in SalvoNews, in which the author quotes Pilz. We all know what the basis of Recycling is: a practice that takes an item and targets it for reuse, returning it back to the cycle of daily contribution to s. Many plastic bottles and containers can never be turned into new plastic containers. Reduces textile waste and protects natural resourcesRead our blog post about the differences between upcycling, downcycling and recycling. A pile of microplastics - small pieces of hard plastic on palm, intended for further processing. Current PET recycling methods have achieved downcycling, which produces low. Unlike downcycling and upcycling, precycling does not really fall under the umbrella of recycling. Upcycling vs Downcycling . Environment conservation. Upcycling Vs. Downcycling converts these recycled materials into lesser quality products. introduced a novel regeneration technique allowing the EoL ultrafiltration membrane to regain its filtration performance following specific solvent treatment (Tian et al. “There are so many opportunities that can come out of recycling, upcycling and downcycling. has turned into a waste and cannot be reused. Downcycling. Downcycled textiles end up burned or in the cement industry: Most post-consumer waste textiles are still being burned or sold to the cement. Jul 14, 2020. Both are types of recycling. 1. Chat Bubble Made of Recycled Paper on Green. 60 g of PET were converted into 4. . Upcycling also supports a circular economy. Recycling includes downcycling or destroying waste to use it for something else. Catalytic pyrolysis is one of the promising techniques which can convert waste plastics into high-quality liquid hydrocarbons [107, 111,112,113,114]. Deconstruction. Upcycling & Downcycling. Though less showy than upcycling, downcycling will extend the life of your garment, in turn reducing the amount of waste in the landfill. ScienceDaily . Upcycling on the. In this unit, you will find materials for planning and conducting an. This concept places value on the resources which make up our products, and follows a circular model of: use → recycle → reuse. Okay, so upcycling is one of our best options. and broken down. It’s crucial to distinguish upcycling from two similar and related terms: recycling and downcycling. 3. Upcycling is when stuff is recycled to produce new items of equal or higher value than the original item. Recycling vs. De gerecycleerde grondstof heeft niet meer de zuiverheid van de oorspronkelijke grondstof. Black reuse symbols for ecological design, marking, product labeling. This downcycling is an essential step in the recycling process, but it does degrade the value of the materials. Als verschillende glas kleuren in dezelfde. With plastic upcycling, we can turn the crisis of plastic. Upcycling and downcycling are the concepts followed by the company. What is Downcycling Compared to Upcycling and Recycling? Downcycling, also known as cascading, is the recycling of waste where the recycled material is of lower quality and functionality than the original material. Upcycling plastic bottles cutting utilized jar to plant seedling and flowers. There is a difference between mechanical recycling, resale, upcycling and downcycling that each affect the circular economy differently. Upcycling and downcycling are recycling terms that have been gaining more popularity recently. 1. While sustainable fashion comprises a vast number of concepts, key terms like reusing, recycling, upcycling and downcycling are extremely relevant. Upcycling เป็นอีกวิธีที่ช่วยลดขยะที่หลายประเทศกำลังให้ความสำคัญ ไม่ว่าจะเป็นอเมริกา ฝรั่งเศส หรือแม้แต่ประเทศไทย. Upcycling is a form of recycling, but with a much bigger environmental impact. Manufacturers can use them to build low-cost benches, decking, and more. Recycling is an act for many of us that requires little thought. The circular economy principles in the building sector, performance-based building design together with downcycling and upcycling theories are applied to develop a methodology aiming to reduce the. At the same time, new regulations are setting high standards for recycled construction materials, encouraging a shift from downcycling to recycling and upcycling. Upcycling allows for products of higher value and downcycling is the process that converts a material into something of less value. Downcycling Downcycling means recycling the material over and over again, until it loses its quality. , 2021). This is often due to the accumulation of tramp elements in secondary metals, which may exclude the latter from high-quality. The opposite of this process is downcycling, which involves converting discarded products into new materials, with lesser quality and reduced functionality. The popularity of the plastics boomed in the 1950s and has been growing ever since. Learn more. Where recycling converts plastic bottles into microfiber jackets, upcycling turns newsprint into notebooks, or broken skateboards into hip, colorful benches. Upcycling vs Downcycling. htmUpcycling plastic is still a linear process (in many cases) Upcycling is still a linear process that prolongs the life of plastic waste and risks the leakage of microplastic leakage. Few shoe recycling facilities can handle the wide variety of shoe types out there. In such cases the product is repro- cessed into same, higher or. Return: disposal of waste. 1. . , 2018), in the textiles industry (Paras & Curteza, 2018), and for chemicals and plastics (Korley et al. 3). Downcycling recycles waste that cannot be made into a higher quality product in its present form.