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38 Upcycled Purpose Products

From Reclaimed Lumber Accessories to Collaborative Artisan Cushions

— June 13, 2013 — Social Good
From reclaimed lumber accessories to collaborative artisan cushions, these upcycled purpose products take the old and hackneyed phrase of "one man's trash is another man's treasure" and make it, well, new.

For some of the organizations featured here, such as Bikeworks, upcycling (or recycling) is simply one part of the story. That is to say, Bikeworks, based in East London sells refurbished bikes to the public but its main service is to run its all-ability cycling program in the city.

One of the smaller but perhaps also larger questions becomes: are upcycled purpose products just a euphemism for recycling? What's the difference in actuality? Is it simply part of a push, perhaps almost green-washing push, in order to "rebrand" recycling? This top list, because of the types of organizations featured, would probably praise the term itself.
4.1
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
38
Ornate Upcycled Arms
Ornate Upcycled Arms
Fonderie 47 Funds the Removal of Assault Rifles from African Conflict Zones
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37
Madeleine Shaw, Founder of LunaPads (INTERVIEW)
Madeleine Shaw, Founder of LunaPads (INTERVIEW)
Creator of the Pads4Girls Initiative
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36
Samuel Miller of Bombastic Plastix (INTERVIEW)
Samuel Miller of Bombastic Plastix (INTERVIEW)
Upcycled Goods Made from Balian Plastic Bags
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35
Upcycled T-Shirt Blankets
Upcycled T-Shirt Blankets
Project Repat Lets You Literally Wrap Yourself in Memories
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34
Ann Skydell Harmon, Founder of Ann-Made, LLC (INTERVIEW)
Ann Skydell Harmon, Founder of Ann-Made, LLC (INTERVIEW)
Upcycled Social Cause Jewelry
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33
Refugee-Employing Enterprises
Refugee-Employing Enterprises
The 'Open Arms Shop' Provides a Living Wage for Women
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32
Leslie Beasley, Co-Founder/Managing Director of The Open Arms Shop (INTERVIEW)
Leslie Beasley, Co-Founder/Managing Director of The Open Arms Shop (INTERVIEW)
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31
Bamboo Baby Products
Bamboo Baby Products
Bum Boosa Uses Botanical Ingredients for Eco-Friendlier Goods
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30
Eco-Conscious Designer Denim
Eco-Conscious Designer Denim
Reco Jeans Makes Use of Production Scraps from Factories Worldwide
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29
Online Upcycling Innovation Hubs
Online Upcycling Innovation Hubs
Trash Backwards is a Community Supporting the Reuse Revolution
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28
Upcycling to Fight Poverty
Upcycling to Fight Poverty
The 'Recycle Not a Waste Initiative' Empowers Ghanian Street Youth
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27
Limited-Edition Upcycled Fashion
Limited-Edition Upcycled Fashion
Looptworks Uses Second-Hand Material to Create Superior Designs
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26
Collaborative Artisan Cushions
Collaborative Artisan Cushions
Tilonia by Designing Hope is a Stylish and Altruistic Home Line
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25
Creative Upcycled Festival Sites
Creative Upcycled Festival Sites
Industrius is a Change Engine Transforming Waste in London
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24
Conscious Online Marketplaces
Conscious Online Marketplaces
'Ethical Community' Connects Businesses With Customers Who Care
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23
Upcycled African Fashion
Upcycled African Fashion
afriCAN is Made by Artisans in South Africa for North America's Market
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22
Eco-Conscious Casual Day Dresses
Eco-Conscious Casual Day Dresses
Harper Lei is a Boston-Based Sustainable Fashion Line
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21
Eco-Friendly Surfboard Bags
Eco-Friendly Surfboard Bags
RareForm Makes Unique Action Sports Accessories from Billboards
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20
Reclaimed Lumber Accessories
Reclaimed Lumber Accessories
Wood Thumb Manufactures Ties Made of Upcycled Timber
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19
Supercycled Balian Accessories
Supercycled Balian Accessories
Bombastic Plastix is a Social Business Creating Good out of Garbage
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18
Upcycled Inner-Tube Accessories
Upcycled Inner-Tube Accessories
Alchemy Goods Creates Bags and Wallets from Recycled Materials
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17
Chic Poverty-Combating Fashion
Chic Poverty-Combating Fashion
HALF UNITED Pledges Half of Its Profits to Charitable Causes
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16
School-Supportive Jewelry
School-Supportive Jewelry
SOMO Reinvests Profits Toward Education Fees in Uganda
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15
Better Biking Businesses
Better Biking Businesses
Bikeworks is a Social Enterprise with Oodles of Responsible Initiatives
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14
Chic Eco-Conscious Kicks
Chic Eco-Conscious Kicks
MOVMT Shoes and Accessories are Made With Upcycled Plastic Bags
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13
Beneficial Statement Jewelry
Beneficial Statement Jewelry
October Anniversary Makes Chic and Eye-Catching Altruistic Bijoux
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12
Charming For-Good Cafes
Charming For-Good Cafes
The Peace Coffee Shop is in Minneapolis’ Wonderland Park
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11
Community-Made Handicrafts
Community-Made Handicrafts
Rag Tag 'n' Textile Supports Those Recovering from Mental Health Issues
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10
Olympic-Themed Artillery Bracelets
Olympic-Themed Artillery Bracelets
Peacebomb Upcycles Shrapnel from Laos into Jewelry
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9
Upcycled Nautical Bags
Upcycled Nautical Bags
The Boyd Sailcloth Line of Totes are Constructed from Reclaimed Materials
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8
Upcycled Wooden Audio Gear
Upcycled Wooden Audio Gear
LSTN Headphones Benefit Deaf Children in Need
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7
Lavish Upcycled Leather Jackets
Lavish Upcycled Leather Jackets
Olga Road Turns Old Trench Coats into Sleek New Styles
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6
Upcycled Rugby Balls
Upcycled Rugby Balls
The TOUCH Initiative Recycles Garbage while Creating Jobs
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5
Upcycled Biker-Chic Accessories
Upcycled Biker-Chic Accessories
Leather Girl Kelley Gives Old Rawhide Products New Life
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4
Newsworthy Flip Flops
Newsworthy Flip Flops
Paper Flops are Made Using Upcycled Newspapers
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3
Upcycled Trash Furnishings
Upcycled Trash Furnishings
The Ffrash Garbage Recycling Project Creates Sustainable Production
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2
Upcycled Fair Trade Fashion
Upcycled Fair Trade Fashion
Liz Alig Links Consumers & Producers to Support Ethical Practices
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1
Eclectic Ethical Fashion
Eclectic Ethical Fashion
Upcycled 'Adamah Stein' Designs by Artisans in Senegal and Paris
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