You may have heard of the of the term but what does it actually mean?

Upcycling is defined as converting an object that is no longer wanted or needed and creating it into something better and favourable to its owner.

Upcycling in my opinion is much more resourceful and creative option than recycling. It can be done within the home with any object all you need is a creative time and a bit of patience.

Upcycling will suit those who are concerned about the environment, a greener and more sustainable way of conserving items you have used before throwing them out. A ‘greener’ lifestyle is also the answer to a fun project for you or the kids on a rainy day. Turning a plastic water bottle (that takes 450 years to completely degrade) into a trendy bracelet or customised vase can’t be any more satisfying.

With the recession and a struggling economy upon us, vintage, reworked and reused items have never been a more fashionable trend, all in efforts to minimise consumer footprint, reduce household costs and effectively, on a long-term scale, save the world!

So how does upcycling help the environment?

- Reducing the amount of products you spend helps decrease goods being manufactured (factory pollution and shipping costs).

- Preserving non-recyclable items means they do not go to landfill sites and decompose to release a gas called methane which effects climate change and global warming.

- Preserving recyclable items for longer means that less energy is used by the economy (recycling may be sustainable but it is also very expensive)

A little thought from everyone goes a long way, go on, save the world!