Did you know that the Cambridge English Dictionary named “upcycling” the word of the year in 2019? In a world literally choking on the overabundance of trash, household and industrial waste, this was very timely. Using waste to create something useful, recycling, and always aspiring to zero waste.
However, you can create things from trash that are not only useful but also beautiful! For example, the Internet nowadays is full of photos of true works of art created by people who one day decided to apply their creative approach to recycling. And they created something truly amazing – just take a look!
#1 Made Monopoly Mirror Out Of Old Monopoly Board
Found this Board at the Thrift Store and it was missing some pieces. I also found a 1’x1’ mirror and had the idea to make this cool mirror.
Image source: reddit.com
#2 I Made This Years Gift Wrapping With Paper Aldi Bags, A Magazine I Found For Free, And Old Ribbon From My Craft Stash
Also, all the gifts I got were secondhand, free, or made by me. I hate the consumerist stuff that happens during Christmas time and it’s feels really good to go against that. It feels freeing and I’m actually excited to celebrate this year. I’m also going to be making everyone’s Christmas cards with things I already have.
Image source: deathmudx
#3 This Art Made Out Of Waste Electrical Wires
Image source: bsancar
The concept of recycling is actually far from new – it appeared in the media en masse back in the mid-90s, when humanity first noticed the millions of tons of trash polluting our common home. Since then, literally every year, new technologies for recycling waste and creating new materials have emerged.
For example, many tracksuits and T-shirts from leading global brands are now made from recycled plastic. There are even more interesting and unusual examples – for instance, the French brand Veja even offers sneakers made from recycled cotton and fish scales, the waste from the consumer and food industries.
#4 I Made Neverlight Grove Completely Out Of Recycled Materials And Finally Finished It
Image source: Olivalot
#5 Charizard Wall Art, 100% Recycled Pokemon Cards. Who Should I Make Next?
Image source: digital_business
#6 Self Prescribed Art Therapy By GBS Survivor. All Made From Recycled Skateboards
To help cope with the chronic pain, nerve damage and mental challenges of GBS I began recycling skateboards into abstract sculptures. I hope you like them.
Image source: mobiusmaples
The origins of the upcycling concept go back even further. For example, have you ever wondered why we often drink water or beer from aluminum cans? No, let’s put aside all the fancy marketing stories and delve into history.
And then it turns out that after WWII, the global aviation industry sharply reduced aircraft production, which required tons and tons of aluminum, but reducing global aluminum production itself was impossible because it would’ve triggered a severe economic crisis.
The idea arose to repurpose aluminum for everyday use. For example, for the production of beverage cans. Or for household appliances – after all, Apple only quite recently stopped using aluminum for iPhones and iPads in favor of titanium alloys. And yes, that’s also upcycling, just on a whole new level.
#7 I Made A Sun Catcher Using My Empty Insulin Vials
Image source: sophie_cmv
#8 Made A Bunch Of Things From Some Damaged Jeans I Was Given
Image source: withgus-to
#9 I Made A Teddy Bear Out Of My Old Jeans
Image source: Bucreshki
However, we have another reason to transform old things into something interesting and beautiful, and it’s actually unrelated to the upcycling phenomenon. It’s about the traditions of our ancestors, who lived in a world with fewer everyday items. Back in the day, simply going to the mall and buying a new jacket, boots, or backpack was rather impossible.
It’s from there, from our ancestors of the early 20th century and earlier, that all those incredibly creative ideas for transforming everyday objects into something new that we admire today come. In fact, those people weren’t thinking about creativity; they were simply driven by necessity.
If you look through old magazines in libraries, you’ll see many of them contain ideas for how to sew a quilt from scraps, make a handcrafted toy from old clothes, or create a garden ornament from parts of a broken bicycle. Many of the items you’ll see in this collection are, in part, “creative reimaginings” of those old articles.
#10 I’ve Made More Street Scenes In Recycled Paint Cans
Appreciate any thoughts, I took peoples comments on board after the last lot – this is the latest batch I just finished.
Image source: Significant_Home5736
#11 Cocktail Glass Made From A Mountain Valley Water Bottle
I’m a glassblower and have been recycling my water bottles into cups like this.
Image source: NectaroftheGoats
#12 I Made A Dress From A 1990s Vintage Bed Sheet
Image source: Shopfranklinjay
Today, upcycling is a globally accepted trend, embraced by both individuals and entire companies. Many municipalities in Europe and America are opening large recycling centers for old stuff and household waste, thereby addressing another pressing issue today: creating new jobs.
And, ultimately, in the age of artificial intelligence, the ability to work with your hands, to create something beautiful and valuable from scrap materials, is especially valuable as well. Thus, upcycling fits seamlessly into most modern human trends.
#13 Sparkly Party Confetti
Box is holographic so as long as I’m careful about placement you can’t even tell it’s a toothpaste box. I was going to use a circle hole punch to make the confetti but I couldn’t find it. Not that I’m complaining, the butterfly is cute too.
Image source: TheBobbySocksBandit
#14 A Cigarette Vending Machine Recycled Into An Art Vending Machine
Image source: mypetfentoozler
#15 Tires Recycled As A Minion Garden Art
Image source: W.carter
Even if you’ve never been interested in handcrafted items, I believe you’ll be interested in seeing some incredibly beautiful things people create from materials seemingly destined for the landfill. And if you’re a DIY enthusiast yourself, perhaps some of these photos might become an additional source of inspiration for you, ain’t it?
#16 Brussel Art Man Made Of Coca Cola Tins
Image source: Walter
#17 The Lone Prince, Recycled Materials On Glass
Image source: drosofila73
#18 Tricerahops Sculpture At Ninkasi – Recycled Chrome Motorcycle Parts
Image source: judturner
#19 Recycled-Newspaper Wings, Papier-Mache Clay
Image source: Bigfok
#20 I Turned An Old Suitcase Into A Cat Bed
It was actually an old camera carrying case with foam inserts.
Image source: princessartichoke
#21 I Made This 10ft Scarf Out Of Yarn Waste
I took the last remnants of yarn from other projects and upcycled them into a nice wearable scarf. I made this as a birthday present for myself 2 years ago and it’ll probably last me for the rest of my life. Very durable. I get all my yarn secondhand to not contribute to the way it’s mass produced. It’s very easy to find most yarn secondhand because a lot of it goes unused. Anyway, I Love my scarf, making things out of scrap yarn also creates super unique one of a kind color schemes.
Image source: earthymilk
#22 I Made Some Pencil Cases And Makeup Bags From A Vintage Garfield Bedsheet
Image source: Sazzamataz
#23 I Made This Upcycled Makeup Pouch Out Of A Blue Jean
Image source: LOVINGLOG
#24 Wall Art From Old T-Shirts
Sometimes it’s hard to part with T-shirts that my children have outgrown and today I was inspired to make one into a beautiful piece of wall art as a gift. Chronic pain made me not care to do it perfectly, but I’m happy with the results!
Image source: Afterhoneymoon
#25 I Created Wall Art Out Of An Abandoned Piano
Image source: eternallycynical
#26 Broken Glass Art That I Made
Image source: tink751
#27 My Wife Painted Some Bread Bag Clip Things
Image source: HiTzFrOmDaKiNe
#28 Recently Made A Poster From Boxes Of Sneakers I Wear Everyday. Never Plan To Sell Them Nor Do I Use The Boxes For Display So Recycled Them Into Some Art
Image source: itswhinery
#29 Can’t Afford LEGO
I can’t afford the big house sets from Lego, so as an alternative I started making some out of recycled boxes. Still a work in progress but here’s some pics of what I have so far. Me for size reference.
Image source: RepresentativeBite76
#30 My Ex-Boyfriend Trashed My Vinyl- So I Made A Collage
My ex destroyed my good luck babe vinyl and then left it on my porch with some other ruined things… I asked if I should turn the vinyl into art- and with your recommendations I was able to make one of the most cathartic pieces of art I’ve ever made. He snapped the vinyl in half, so I kept one side intact, and tore the other side up. I made the collage from a Chappell Fanzine and was sure to add the “You are only capable of loving yourself” note he wrote on the sleeve and the very real sign off on a note he included “smell ya later” to the canvas. With your recommendation I was sure to cross out the “only” on the sleeve. (His favorite thing about me was my empathy lmao). For now, it’s going deep into the closet. I figure I’ll display it in a few years when I can laugh that I was in a 4 year relationship with a man who had “funky town” tattooed on his stomach. Please don’t date men. They’re literally the worst. Thank you to all the support you gave me in the first post. I had even had someone reach out and mail me an extra copy of the vinyl they had. I love yall. In Chappell we trust.
Image source: periwigs_
#31 My Croc Charms Made From Broken Jewelry And Junk
I had some broken pendants, singular earrings, crystals, and random dollhouse figurines. There’s even a euro 10 cents! I am a collector of little things I find and they finally have a purpose.
Image source: Low_Veterinarian_299
#32 I Made This Doll Out Of Fabric Scraps
Image source: Bucreshki
#33 Painting Outdoor Garden Art
Image source: YummyMangoRoll
#34 Christmas Decorations Made From A Tomato Puree Tube
First time making anything like this but I think it came out really well! The puree tube worked really well, not so mutch with the other stuff I tried: a hand cream tube (too slippery, cut my hands A Lot), and some tea light cases (too small, not a great shape). The edges are also pretty sharp so this is not a craft for kids.
Image source: mosssfroggy
#35 These Rucksacks Are Made From A Small Percentage Of The Endless Packaging That I Recycle/ Hope It Gets Recycled
I know the bags are not practical but I wanted to test my sewing skills and push the message of rethinking packaging waste.
Image source: Bydanielpearce
#36 Made This With Recycled Items! A Plastic Cookie Container, Milk Cartons, Old Clothes, Wine Corks
Image source: diywithtuba
#37 Headphones + Neck Tie
Image source: WhiteWineZombieMom
#38 I Upcycle Vhs Cases Into Lamps. This Is My Latest Edition – Aliens 1986 Japanese Cover Art
Remote controlled too.
Image source: 2ndSecondSandwich
#39 Stephanie’s Hedgehog – Made Out Of A Book Someone Had Thrown Away! So Impressed By All The Recycled Art Creators
Image source: ChelseaClinton
#40 Skyscraper (The Bruges Whale) – Studio KCA. Plastic Sculpture Of A Whale In The Utrecht Canal Catharijnesingel, The Netherlands
Image source: J.M. Muller
#41 Trash Talking Turtle
“Turtles may seem to lack sense, but they don’t do senseless things. They’re not terribly energetic, yet they do not waste energy… turtles cannot consider what might happen yet nothing turtles do threatens anyone’s future. Turtles don’t think about the next generation, but they risk and provide all they can to ensure that there will be one. Meanwhile, we profess to love our own offspring above all else, yet it is they from whom we daily steal. We cannot learn to be more like turtles, but from turtles we could learn to be more human. That is the wisdom carried within one hundred million years of survival. What turtles could learn from us, I can’t quite imagine.” Carl Safina. From a gallery in Bandon Oregon, run by a wonderful non-profit that turns plastic beach trashs into amazing art. Every piece of this sculpture is trash! They also have traveling exhibits, currently at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum in Washington DC, the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas in New Orleans, and the Naples zoo in Florida.
Image source: docoverachiever
#42 Reclaiming My Kids Old Toys Into Art
Just a bunch of odds and ends of my kids toys arranged onto thrifted frames. Covered in epoxy resin.
Image source: Sterilization4Free
#43 “Hokusai’s Great Wave”, Me, Recycled Wine Foils On Wood Block, 2020
Image source: Snicklefritz25
#44 I Recycled Plugs That Didn’t Fit Me To Make A Nice 2” Pair
It’s virtually impossible to find a nice 2” pair or larger without having to custom order so I decided to make my own out of epoxy resin and an old seahorses pair that I really like. It took about 3 days for them to cure and I couldn’t be happier, I made a few others that I’m not as proud of so they aren’t worth sharing. To make these were 3x cheaper than buying a new pair of a custom made pair. I’m super happy with myself and I’d highly recommend trying it out if you’re into arts and crafts.
Image source: RockCandey
#45 Scratch, Me, Reused Amazon Cardboard Boxes, 2021
Image source: harv423
#46 Perpetuum, Me, Recycled Materials, 2023
Image source: drosofila73
#47 I Made This Snail Out Of Things I Picked Up Off The Beach
Image source: Preposterouspickles
#48 I Made This From None Recyclable Crisp Packets, Its Pretty Impractical But Designed To Be A Statement
Over 16 million crisp packets are thrown away each day in the UK alone. The estimated time for them to degrade is thought to be over 80 years.
Image source: Bydanielpearce
#49 A Wind Vane With A Sea Ball For The Windart Exhibition In Travemunde
Artist Mirko S.-F. with the pupils of the city school, recycling art for sensitizing our environmental awareness.
Image source: Mo-metallkunst
#50 “Piggy” Is A Flowerpot Made From A Plastic Bottle In The Courtyard Of House
Image source: Kotofey2016 / Wikipedia
#51 Marco Cavallo Del XXI Secolo – Edoardo Malagigi
Image source: ETIT123456
#52 Rubbish Art, Bank Of America, London
Image source: bobaliciouslondon
#53 A Monolith I Made From Tree Bark And Recycling Bin Junk
Image source: Maya-Jasmine
#54 Couldn’t Resist, Not Very Often You Get A Big Box To Play With
…but sometimes you’re better off just throwing it away, lots of mistakes made but I love to experiment – Lost nothing – All free, recycled materials, left over paints etc. Ps. I accidentally broke my cranes neck, it’s in a temporary cast atm but expected to make a full recovery.
Image source: No_Pie1022
#55 Wings, Recycled Cups
Image source: reddit.com
#56 Wanna Know How I Perceive Q! Antoine?
Here is my hand made figurine of him that I created from recycled materials. That’s how I perceive him! Please give it love even if it’s not digital art.
Image source: DuneDoArt
#57 A Paper Monsters Made From Recycled Cardboard And Cardstock, Painted With Watercolors
Image source: Jacque Davis, Jacque Davis
#58 Dewman Keeps The Ocean Clean For A Very Reasonable $750
Description:
Dewman! I don’t really want to get rid of him but for the right price I can sell him and make more art out of 2 liter bottles therefore recycling more bottles and keeping them out of the ocean.
Image source: spoatyoatty
#59 Voodoo In Wondrland, By Me, Mixed Reused Materials, 2022
Image source: reddit.com
#60 Untitled Sculpture, Me, Recycled Cardboard, 2021
Image source: Tanarniargh
#61 Soda Tab Chain I Made A Few Years Ago
Image source: reddit.com
#62 My Grandpa Finds Junk On His Daily Walks And Turns It Into Parking Lot Art
Image source: Kid872
#63 School Project For Our Daughter. The Assignment Was Simple: Create Anything You Want Out Of Recycled Materials. Somehow We Ended Up With… Elise?
I’m not even sure whether to flair this under. My husband saw it first y’all. The top is sooooooo Elise coded. Is this not something she would wear? 90day is our guilty pleasure. I gotta have my 90 day like clockwork— WEEKLY. my husband knew of it before we got married, but after we sealed the deal I had him watching it faithfully, every episode, now he’s hooooooooked. Sundays and Mondays are just for us. We even do the Facebook hack to watch them since HBO doesn’t get the episodes until next day (yeah we… we can’t wait). This season of BT90D is GOLDEN, I’m talking it’s giving OG 90 day vibes. I know it’s mostly scripted, but at least the producers are finally *listening* when it comes to new cast members, and it looks like the upcoming season is about to be even better than this one. Anyways, enjoy our Elise. I *do* wonder what my daughter’s teacher is gonna think when we turn it in. Edit: My husband wanted me to tell you guys this: originally, he only did the top covers (in proper Elise fashion) when he brought up it looks like.. well.. Elise. It was only then I said well.. this is for an elementary school project so.. shouldn’t we give her more of a.. shirt? So that’s how she ended up with the extra strap. Would have been way more accurate without the blue strap over the stomach.
Image source: Gloomy-Efficiency-29
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