A Design Approach to Upcycling Waste for Advancing the Circular Economy

The linear model of production and consumption – the 'take, make, dispose' economy - is reaching its limits compromising the natural systems from which we extract resources. The creative reuse of no-longer-needed materials, known as 'upcycling', is the new buzzword in design for a circular economy. In this paper, the design strategies, techniques and applications of upcycling waste materials are analysed in relation to enabling a new mode of production that can aid mankind's transition to a more circular economy from its current linearity. Based on the analysis of actual practice across industries, the key design drivers and implementation challenges discussed in this paper show that upcycling is not simply an environmentally- informed imperative but a major economic innovation opportunity for resource conservation and sustainable value creation.