What exactly is reusing, recycling, and upcycling?

Of course, here at Mount Hagen, we often talk about resource conservation and sustainability (even if that is a hackneyed term). But – let’s be honest – off the top of my head, I couldn’t quite explain the difference between the various recycling strategies. But we’re going to change that now.

The classic example of the reuse concept: The reusable bottle.

Reusing means reusing something in almost the same or a similar function. Without extensive modifications or processing. The reusable glass deposit bottle is therefore the classic example of this concept.

But it also applies to furniture, clothing, books, and sometimes even electrical appliances. Think of secondhand stores or something like Stilbruch**** in Hamburg, Germany, the secondhand department store run by the waste collection service. The good thing about reusing is that it extends the life of the product and thus reduces resource consumption, as it does not have to be manufactured again. But: Of course, this only works as long as the product is functional. And then?

Recycling: Material recovery.

Recycling attempts to return the materials of a product back into the production cycle. Paper is turned into recycled paper, glass is melted down and turned into new glass products. Metals, for example, can be recycled indefinitely.

Unfortunately, it is much more complicated with plastic, as the different types of plastic are mixed together and cannot be separated by type. It is not difficult to imagine that such recycling processes often involve a great deal of energy consumption and are usually associated with a loss of quality. In this respect, it is not a closed-loop system, but rather downcycling: The material is reused, but not indefinitely. And the level of reuse is lower than that of the original product. The counter-concept to this is…

Upcycling, adding value through creative redesign.

Personally, I think this is the most exciting approach because it goes much further than simply reusing or recovering raw material: In upcycling, a disused product – e.g., the nacelle of a 20-year-old wind turbine – is transformed. It is given a new function (tiny house) and is creatively upgraded. Just think of bags made from truck tarpaulins, pallet furniture, or jewelry made from old cutlery. The great thing about it is that “trash” is turned into a new product that often has a higher value and usually also a great design.

Take, for example, our to go cup made from coffee grounds. Normally, coffee grounds might be used as fertilizer in the garden, but upcycling creates a drinking cup that also saves waste.

Upcycling is particularly important in the DIY sector. It combines creativity with sustainability. The downside is that upcycling is not always economically scalable and usually involves a lot of manual work, so it tends to occupy a niche market. But when you look at the studios that turned an old windmill into the tiny house mentioned above, it’s really encouraging.***** Especially since sustainable design is no longer a novelty. If you want to know more about it, you’ll find lots of exciting and well-explained articles in the online magazine “Cradle-mag.”******