Making art form garbage has always been a popular art form, but when the recession hit, it became a frenzy. People wanted items as cheap as they could get and upcycling was one way to ensure you didn't break the bank. I present to you these upcycled items to inspire you to seek out some for yourself, or if you are feeling really ambitious, you can try making some scrap art.
I bring you these upcycled items not just to showcase budget-conscious items, but to bring to mind the idea that just because we want something nice doesn't mean it has to be new. Help out Mother Nature and next time you're shopping, pick up some upcycled stuff.
45 Upcycled Items
45
Upcycled Shipwreck Watches
Romain Jerome Creates Watches From Pieces of the Titanic
44
Upcycled Suitcase Pet Beds
Etsy Artists Make a Cute Eco Case for Cats
43
Upcycling Expired Contraceptives
Fashion Designing Student Creates Condom Couture
42
Upcycled Hearts
Recycled Beer Can Jewelry and Starbucks Keychains by KatieAnnCreations
41
Upcycled Couture
The Baroque Creations of Ziad Ghanem
40
Pencil Jewelry
Maria Cristina Bellucci Upcycles a Childhood Pastime into Cute Jewelry
39
Upcycled Runway Jewelry
LITTER SF's Recycled Accessories Impress at Christian Cota's S/S '10 Show
38
Necktie Necklaces
Ties Make Even Better Necklaces and Wallets
37
Starbucks Card Mosaic Coasters
Upcycled Art by Flawed Frock
36
Upcycled Accessories
Upcycled Looptworks Laptop Sleeves Turn Trashed Neoprene into Cash
35
Upcycled Plywood Creativity
Blue Fence Project Will Recycle 2012 London's Olympic Enclosure
34
Upcycled Totes
The HO:LO Freeway Bags
33
Upcycled Charity Denim
Recreated Designer Jeans to Support Oceana
32
Upcycled Bullet Jewelry
Esprit-Mystique Sells Eco-Friendly and Pretty Jewelry
31
Upcycled Gymnastics Equipment
Refurbished Sport Furniture Makes a Sweet Eco Statement
30
Upcycled Furnishings
Studio JSPR 'Plastic Fantastic' Re-Skinned Collection (Update)
29
Scrap Felt Seating
The Kamasutra Bench by Malgorzata Pekala
28
Upcycled Ancient Architecture
Japan's Plus House Channels Syles from Centuries Past
27
Copper Couture
Emma Whiteside Goes Eco-Victorian With Upcycled Gown
26
Upcycled Vintage Bags
Forest Bound Specializes in Sweet Sustainable Bags
25
Gas Can Luggage
Upcycling Jerry Cans for the Stylish Traveler
24
Upcycled Rave Bars
The Ikea Storage Box Bar Combines Old Materials with New Ideas
23
Hats Made of Upcycled Coffee Sacks
Trilby Hat by Ataahua
22
Traffic Cone Stages
Hedgehog Concert Pavilion Raises Awareness to Youth Homelessness
21
Cookie Wrapper Backpacks
TerraCycle School Supplies are Upcycled from Snack Packaging
20
Upcycled Fashion Tags
Undone Clothing Jacket
19
DIY Tee Upcycling
Megan Nicolay Transforms Tees into the Next Best Thing
18
Upcycled Oxygen Cylinders
Real Everest Canisters as Art
17
Qwerty Notebooks
The Recycled Keyboard Notebook is for Keyboard Kids
16
License Plate Belts
Randi Tannenbaum Redefines Upcycled Street Style
15
Upcycled Live/Work Spaces
The Mobile Office Changes to Suit Your Needs
14
Fire Hose Accessories
British Company is Upcycling Fire Hoses for a Fashionable Effect
13
Auto Rim Sculptures
Car Parts Get Upcycled into Art Pieces
12
Garbage Animal Art
Trash Menagerie at Peabody Essex Museum is Thought-Provoking
11
Upcycled Rain Hoods
Recycling Zychal is Made from Umbrellas and Vintage Materials
10
Dripping Faucet Lighting
'Light the Night' by Michael Allison is a Beautiful Take on Lamps
9
Rad Recycled Records
Obsolete Records & CDs Find a New Life
8
Upcycled Octopus Sculptures
Acoustapus by Nemo Gould Rocks Harder than a Rock Lobste
7
Urban Upcycled Lamps
Super Guppy Street Light Takes Upcycling to a New Place
6
Chairs From Old TVs
Upcycling Retro Televisions Into Comfortable Seating
5
Upcycled Container Art
The Gestaltkunstwerk Vases Put Your Trash to Good Use
4
Upcycled Trash Kites
The Uttarayan Kite Festival Embraces Eco-Friendly Fun
3
Climbing Rope Leashes
Upcycled Rope is Made into Eco-Friendly Canine Control
2
Pre-Consumer Waste Apparel
Looptworks Sustainable Clothing Line is Ecotastic
1
Golden Upcycled Art
Barclay Douglas Uses Plastic Bags to Make Fools Gold
Related Ideas
Upcycled Waste Material Furniture
This Cardboard Furniture Design by Lee Lin is Modular
Repairable 3D-Printed Purses
The MALINKO Design Reusable Bag Prioritizes Style and Sustainability
Upcycled Vintage Sub-Brands
Beyond Retro Founders Unveil New Sub-Label 'Beyond Remade'
Chic Recycled Material Furniture
The 'Vale' Furniture Collection is Made with Recycled PET Bottles
Deadstock Denim Clogs
Levi’s x Crocs Upcycles Fabric Into One-of-a-Kind Footwear Designs
Upcycled Sneaker Sustainable Bags
Bibi Bazz Designs the Limited Collection of Eco-Friendly Bags
Water-Inspired Sustainable Fashion
Craghoppers Unveils a New Collection for the SS23 Season
Eco Abstract Vase Covers
The 'KOPA' Leather Vase by Barbora Adamonyte-Kei is Chic
Designer Upcycled Bags
Comme Des Garçons Released Its Collaboration with FREITAG
Upcycled Plastic Bag-Made Chairs
Sungai Watch Creates the Ombak Chair from Plastic Bags
Tech-Themed Fine Jewelry
Accessories Brand Oushaba Turns E-Waste Into Fine Jewelry Pieces
Recycled Denim Collections
Fanfare Label's New Denim Collection Features Recycled & Organic Coton
Repurposed Sustainable Apparel
Toast Launches a Collection of "Creatively Repaired" Garments
Recycled Homeware Capsules
Particle Launches a Collection Made from Recycled Sneaker Materials
Sustainable Workwear Collections
Craghoppers Workwear Launches a Collection Tailored for Mavericks
Furniture Waste-Made Toys
ÉCAL Students Redefine What a Sustainable Toy Is
Sustainable Crochet Unisex Handbags
Our Legacy Launches a New Range of Handmade Crochet Bags
DIY Fall-Inspired Knitting Patterns
We Are Knitters Offers a Range of Fall-Ready Designer
Eco Mission-Inspired Bracelets
Ecoalition Launches Eco-Friendly Bracelets to Support Its Mission
Upcycled Ingredient Ice Creams
Salt & Straw's Upcycled Foods Series Rescues Wasted Food
Repurposed Patchwork Footwear
ReImagined by UGG Gives New Life to Leftover Leathers & Suedes
Upcycled Metal Sheet Cabinets
Teun Zwets and Lensvelt Debut the Le Petit Boudoir Collection
Recycled Shoe-Made Furniture
The 'Remix Maison' Makes Use of Discarded Footwear
Upcycled Fruit Skincare
'My Skin Feels' Repurposes Olive Oil, Ketchup & Mandarin Juice Waste
Upcycled Activewear Clothing
The Reigning Champ x WHR Repair Project Purposes Old Clothes
Consumption-Inspired Fashion Capsules
LOUTRE snd Dover Street Market Work on a New Capsule
Upcycled Correx Lampshades
Tabitha Bargh's 'Poly' Collection is Made with Used Real Estate Signage
Recyclable Component Shoe Designs
The 'Knitted Colors' Shoes Allow for Easy Style Changes
Reusable Paper-Made Water Bottles
The 'reU' Reusable Water Bottle Concept is Recyclable
Recyclable Unisex Tracksuits
Part of the 'Made to Be Remade' Line, This Tracksuit Can Be Reused
Recycled Material Lamp Designs
The 'Cozy Cleo' Lamp from EveryOtherDay is Eco-Friendly
3D-Printed Clutch Purses
The Kelp Mini Clutch by Julia Koerner Maintains a Sea-Like Style
Vibrant 3D-Printed Designs
UAUPROJECT Uses Only Compostable or Recyclable Materials
Scrap Material Footwear
Merrell Created a Scrap Shoe Collection for Zero Waste Week
Trauma-Informed Fashion Lines
Eleni Kyriacou Draws on Her Own Experiences in These New Designs
Upcycled Crushed Velvet Sneakers
Converse Made Its New Design from Discarded Clothes
Recycled Clothing-Crafted Furniture
Hemingway Design Transforms London's Traid Store
Recycled Material Pendant Lights
These ZBOZHZHA Pendant Lights are Made with Cardboard and Paper
Upcycled Leather Bag Designs
Síofra Caherty Turns Waste Materials into Special Bag Designs
Upcycled Automotive Fashion
Nio's Blue Sky Lab Repurposes Materials from Car Manufacturing
Recycled Plastic Bottle Leggings
ORAKI's ECOMOVE Leggings Fuse Style with Comfort
TV Packaging Seating Solutions
The 'Cuna' Furniture by Valeria Coello is Made Out of Cardboard
Sustainability-Driven Fashion Campaigns
pitusa's Sustainability Campaign Focuses on Reducing Waste
Zero-Waste Jewelry Companies
'Cloud Factory' 3D-Prints Jewelry out of Upcycled Metal Waste
Chic Recycled Waste Chairs
The 'XOX' Chair by Xingcheng Zhu is Made with Plastic Bottles and More
Repurposed Denim Furniture
Levi's Icons Re/Outfitted Refreshes Iconic Designs with Discarded Denim
Upcycled Campsite Footwear
The Teva ReEmber Terrain Slip-On Comes in Six Color Options
Recycled Wallet Collections
FREITAG Boasts a New and Colorful Collection of Wallets
Upcycled Leather Wallet Capsules
Maison Margiela Releases a Luxury Wallet Line Under Recicla Line
Clothing Buy-Back Programs
Eileen Fisher Revolutionizes Clothing Recycling with Renew Program
Recycled Mini Golf Courses
Lab La Bla Made a Miniature Golf Course with Denim & Wine Corks
Sustainable Artist Endeavors
CASETiFY Launches a New Artistic Upcycling Project Called Re/CASETiFY
Circular Fashion Pop-Ups
The Coachtopia Pop-Up Brings Luxury Circular Fashion to Gen Z
Sculptural Knotted Bags
The Kara Ultraviolet Exploded Knot Armpit Bag is a Piece of Wearable Art
Umbrella-Upcycling Brands
R-Coat Has Repurposed Over 2,000 Broken Umbrellas
Upcycled Object Exhibitions
Nendo and Daniel Arsham Design, Break, and Create Functional Objects
Upcycled Slow Fashion Collections
Bellantoni's 'Re.Nu' Project Results in Sustainable Products
Upcycled Tent Garments
Genette Dibsdall Designs the Maverick in Order to Curb Music Festival Waste
Sustainable Upcycled Puffer Jackets
The North Face Launches the REMADE Program with Jackets
Plogging-Friendly Sports Bands
Fountain Studio Develops a Device to Enhance Eco Running Adventures
Upcycled Tutu Couture
Aelis FW23 Repurposes Tutus from the Paris Opera
Branded Sustainability Milestones
Craghoppers Celebrates 100 Million Recycled Plastic Bottles
Upcycled Circular Design Products
Cyrc Designs Expansive Products with Sustainable Themes
Rollable Climber Chalk Bags
This Upcycled Chalk Bag by Aaron Sylvester Has a Durable Design
Upcycled Ice Cream Desserts
Salt & Straw's Pints of the Month Help to Reduce Food Waste
Sculptural Upcycled Jewelry Series
Acne Studios Taps Jessi Reaves on a New Jewelry Collection
Biodegradable Banana Bark Bags
FOReT Creates Sustainable, Plant-Based Fully Biodegradable Bags
Off-Cut Material Jewelry
Corrie Williamson Uses Wooden and Metal Off-Cuts for Her Lines
Sustainably-Focused Experimental Fashion
Noki & the NESTT Showcase an Upcycled Fashion Collection
Upcycled Limited Collection Campaigns
Red Wing's Campaign Has "All Been Seen, Heard & Worn Before"
Upcycled Laundry Hampers
Fashion Takes Action Concluded Canada's First Textile Recycling Pilot
Old Garment-Made Sweaters
The Vollebak Garbage Fleece Comes in Two Color Options
Sporty Upcycled Vintage Collections
Nike Relaunches the Re-Creation Program in London and Paris
Sustainable Artful Local Furniture
PROWL Joins Model No. On the Endless Loop: Waste to Wanted
Soil Alternative-Leather Clothing Capsules
Yuhan Bai Releases the Soil Project Collection
Upcycled Hockey Sneakers
Canyaon Unveils a Pair of Custom Boots Crafted From Vintage Hockey Gloves
Sustainable Modern Dish Towels
Functional Modern Dish Towels Made from Recycled Plastic Bottles
Recycled Ocean Plastic Lighting
LightArt Presents the Ocean Coil Collection of Lamps
Collaborative Outdoor Gorp Apparel
The North Face and Online Ceramics Work on a Capsule
Upcycled Surf Kite Backpacks
Edgy Kids' Brand nununu Partners with KitePride for a Backpack Line
Recycled Yogurt Pot-Constructed Tables
Another Country Launches the Work Series II Table
Eco-Friendly Glam Fashion
The H&M Studio S/S23 Collection Converges Wearability & Glamor
Secondhand Fashion Editorials
Vinted Styled a Shoot Exclusively with Vinted Finds
Premium Sustainable Denim Collections
Miu Miu Unveils its New Upcycled Denim Collection
Upcycled Tent Fabric Gear
The iKamper ReCovery Collection Makes Use of Waste Fabric
Upcycled Carrying Bags
Targus Unveiled its 'Coastline EcoSmart' Collection at CES 2024
Intricate Fiber Art Exhibitions
Threadwork: Women Redefining Fiber Arts Opens at Saatchi
Hair-Reusing Fabric Companies
This Dutch Startup Uses Discarded Hair to Create Clothes and Carpets
Explorative Material Artful Furniture
Yucca Stuff Explores New Shapes & Design with Central Texas
Upcycled Firefighter Suit Jackets
The Vollebak Garbage Jacket is Rugged and Flame-Resistant
Upcycled Grape Distilleries
RE:FIND Crafts Artisan Wines out of Upcycled Grape Saignee
Upcycled Sculptural Exhibitions
Madeline Continues to Grow her EPS [Expanded Polystyrene] Series
Upcycled CD Seating Solutions
The 'Compact Disc Chair' by Boris Dennler is Dazzling
Plastic-Free Compostable Sportswear
Community Clothing's Organic Athletic Uses Natural Materials
Asia-Honoring Artisanal Handmade Designs
IKEA Presents its MÄVINN Collection Celebrates Asia
Upcycled Polyester Yarns
RECYCTEX's Latest Initiative Includes Reclaiming Plastics from Shores
Craft-Inspired 3D-Printing Styles
Gareth Neal and The New Raw Create the Digitally Woven Series
Urban Waste-Made Furniture
Javier Guzmán Cervantes and Ex Soup Join on an Exhibition
Canvas-Adorned Upcycled Clothing
Reese Cooper Launches the 'RCI Reserve' Upcycling Collection
Reclaimed Brass Jewelry
Rocksbox Redefined Was Inspired by the Imperfect Beauty of Nature
Artist-Crafted Upcycled Fashion Collections
Noel Mercado Launches the 'Earth Tones' Capsule
Natural Scavenger Hunt Toys
Craft-tastic Nature: Scavenger Hunt Potions Inspire Play in Nature
Ocean-Friendly Upholstery Textiles
The 'Sport' Textiles Are Crafted From Shoreline-Sourced Plastic
Reusable Classical Artwork Exhibitions
Recycling Beauty at Fondazione Prada is a Remarkable Study
Upcycled Refillable Fragrances
La Bouche Rouge's Natural Fragrances are Luxe & Resource Efficient
Fully Recyclable Knitwear
&OR Collective's Collection 01 Was Manufactured to Minimize Waste
Luxurious Copper Pewter Jackets
Loewe Joins Elie Hirsch on the New Reductionist Jackets
Upcycled Summery Apparel
Grey Goose & Frankie Collective Teamed Up on an Upcycled Drop
Eco-Friendly Styrofoam Furniture
we+ Designs the New Range of Recyclable Sleek Furniture
Sustainably Constructed Garbage Cans
Vipp's New Rubbish Bun is Made from Recycled Materials
Recycled Plastic Swimwear
Cupshe Introduces 'The Recycled Swim' Sustainable Swimwear Collection
Sustainable Sports Apparel
Umbro Launches the Undyed Collection to Encourage Sustainable Practices
Clothing Recycling Services
Marine Layer and Trashie Lead Sustainable Fashion with New Initiative
Plastic Bottle-Made Christmas Trees
Caroline Chaptini Creates the a Sustainable Christmas tree
Upcycled Automotive Couture Collections
This Collection is Made With Discarded Auto Components
Upcycled Watch Collections
Armitron and Tide Ocean SA Unveil a Collaborative Watch Collection
Groovy Eco-Friendly Leisurewear
Hagon Workshop's Bright New Pieces are Made from Preloved Textiles
Upcycled Fabric Home Goods
Sunbrella ReMade Items are Made from Upcycled Sunbrella Fabrics
Gargantuan Sustainable Jeans
These Gigantic Jeans Will Be Upcycled Into Other Products
Ethical Clothing Recycling Services
Retold Recycling Aims to Reduce Textile Waste
Sustainably Upcycled Jeans
These 'Diesel' Jeans Reuse Textile Cutting Waste Materials
Junkyard-Inspired Art Projects
ÉCAL and Philippe Malouin Unveil the Junkyard Diving Project
Leftover Househouse Paint Artwork
Ella Doran Transform Leftover Paint into the Unique Paint Drop
Banana Fiber Apparel
Interloop Limited and Simply Suzette Launch the Unpeeled Collection
Contemporary Upcycled Bright Benches
Reclaimed Footwear is Used to Craft the Remix Maison Benches
Upcycled Aircraft Luggages
Emirates Launches a Collection Made from Upcycled Aircraft Interiors
Carbon-Curbing Fleece Collections
The 'CO2Renu' Fleece Pieces Are Made From Recycled PET Materials
Grass Root-Made Sculptural Wearables
Zeno Holloway Presents the New Rootfull Collection in London
3D-Woven Textile Lighting Collections
Aleksandra Gaca Unveils the Coastal Breeze Collection
Upcycled Vintage Garments
Beyond Retro Taps AllSaints Founder Stuart Trevor for a New Capsule
Upcycled 3D-Printed Decor Collections
The Upcycled Jars Collection Repurposes Old Containers
Recyclable Barn Curtains
These Barn Curtains Are Fully Non-Toxic and Eco-Friendly
Vibrantly Colorful Dynamic Artwork
Kayla Rumpp's Art is Seen as Both Painting and Sculptural
Cardboard Box-Transformed Furniture
Max Lamb Presents the Box Exhibition at Gallery Fumi
Skate-Inspired Climbing Apparel
Element and Millet Launch the 'Concrete Jungle' Collection
Upcycled Paint Boxes
Up Paint's Up Box Helps Consumers Ship Back & Recycle Old Paint
Plastic Waste Textural Benches
The New Raw's Knotty Project Stems from Sustainable Values
Leather Waste Beanbag Chairs
Studio Simone Post Joins Yoon Seok-Hyeon on Four-Tenths
Upcycled Down Furniture Series
Christoph Kurzmann Breathes New Life to Old Furniture
Reused Skyscraper Furniture Capsules
Niceworkshop Creates the Aged Form Line and New Form Line