# Literary Upcycled Planters This Initiative Gives Succulents a New Chapter by Recycling Old Books By Alyson Wyers | Published 2014-09-27 | Eco Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/recycling-old-books References: [psfk](http://www.psfk.com/2014/09/books-upcycled-into-plant-boxes.html) & [growingbooks.bigcartel](http://growingbooks.bigcartel.com) By recycling old books, this initiative is turning worn out literature into pretty planters. Conceived by Australians Luke Hallaways and Jeremy Ward, Growingbooks gives succulents a second chance while also reducing waste. People often have a difficult time getting rid of books, especially if they are literally falling apart. The simplistic design involves cutting a hole in the center of the tomes and placing a cactus or similar plant inside. In this way, [charming home decor](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lg-4) can be created by recycling old books. Within Australia Growingbooks sells DIY kits so you can make your own planters. The duo have also established a business by sourcing books locally, creating the planters themselves and selling them as gifts with a burgeoning online market. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 4.3/10 - Popularity: 44% | Activity: 76% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 30% men, 70% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Eco](https://www.trendhunter.com/eco) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Literary Upcycling:** Opportunity to explore the trend of repurposing old books into creative planters, offering unique and eco-friendly home decor options. - **Sustainable Home Decor:** Exploring the growing trend of using recycled materials to create aesthetically pleasing products, such as planters made from old books. - **DIY Green Projects:** Increasing demand for do-it-yourself kits that allow individuals to repurpose old books into planters, providing an opportunity for creative expression and sustainable living. ### Where This Applies - **Eco-friendly Home Decor:** A potential disruptive innovation opportunity for companies in the home decor industry to incorporate sustainable practices and offer unique products made from recycled materials, such as book planters. - **DIY Crafting:** The rise in popularity of DIY projects opens an opportunity for craft businesses to provide kits and materials for repurposing old books into creative planters. - **Sustainable Gift Market:** The growing market for eco-conscious gifts creates an opportunity for businesses to offer planters made from recycled books as unique and environmentally friendly gift options. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Alphabet DIY Gardening Kits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/succulent-letter-diy-kit.md) - [Compact Canned Houseplants](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/trader-joes-mini-can-foliage.md) - [Recycled Packaging Planter Pots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tetra-pak-and-keter.md) - [Detailed Ceramic Book Vases](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/biblio-bloom.md) - [Container-Based Indoor Gardens](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bottle-farm-mini.md) - [Multifunctional Plant Pots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/face-plant-planter.md) - [Furniture-Inspired Indoor Gardens](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/indoor-garden-system.md) - [Zero-Waste Seedling Pots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bough-pot.md) - [Two-in-One Plant Pots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/selfwatering-planter-propagation-station.md)