5 of the Coolest Upcycled Items on the Market Right Now!

5 of the coolest upcycled products on the market right now

Did you know over 1 million birds and animals die from plastic pollution every year? Did you know 14 million tonnes of plastic enter the ocean every year? Since 1950, global, cumulative production of plastic has exceeded 7.8 billion tonnes – put into context, that’s more than a tonne for every person alive today.

You already know that recycling your rubbish whenever possible is the responsible thing to do, but did you know that the stuff in your recycling bin can begin a second life as an amazing and unexpected item? We took a drive to find the coolest recycled materials on the market right now…

1. IKEA, KUNGSBACKA kitchen front

Even your kitchen cupboards can take part in the battle against plastic pollution! These kitchen fronts from IKEA are made from recycled wood and PET bottles, reducing waste and giving the plastic an inspiring new use.

IKEA, KUNGSBACKA Kitchen Front; www.ikea.com

2. BUREO, AHI performance cruiser skateboard

Abandoned plastic fishing nets are a huge threat to ocean wildlife. Bureo, based in Chile, works to keep discarded fishing nets out of the ocean by turning them into recycled plastic products, like skateboards, sunglasses, and clothes.

The Ahi is a 27-inch performance cruiser skateboard made from our certified NetPlus® material, with each deck incorporating 50 square feet of recycled fishing nets, designed in collaboration with Carver Skateboards.

BUREO, AHI performance cruiser skateboard; https://bureo.co/

3. ADIDAS, Alphabounce+ Parley running shoe

Adidas’ collection of Parley products—including the Alphabounce+ Parley running shoe—is made with Parley Ocean Plastic™️. Partner organizations collect ocean plastic on shorelines and coastal areas such as the Maldives. Last month, Adidas donated its first-ever sustainable football field made using Parley Ocean Plastic™️ to Miami Edison High School. It was made from 1.8 million recycled plastic bottles taken from coastal communities, beaches, and oceans!

ADIDAS, Alphabounce+ Parley running shoe; https://www.adidas.co.uk/sustainability

4. DE MONTFORT UNIVERSITY (DMU), Sockets for prosthetic limbs

DMU research estimates one million plastic water bottles are bought every minute but only 7% are recycled, with the rest leaking into landfill or the ocean. Prosthetic limbs made from plastic water bottles could save healthcare providers millions of pounds and help tackle pollution at the same time.

With over 100 million people worldwide with an amputated limb, the current manufacturing process of artificial sockets costs around £5,000 each, compared to just £10 when made using recycled materials.

De Montfort University; https://www.dmu.ac.uk/about-dmu/news/2019/august/researchers-turn-plastic-water-bottles-into-prosthetic-limbs

5. BRITMET LIGHTWEIGHT ROOFING, Liteslate

Finally, saving the best until last, Liteslate is the new innovative synthetic slate tile that’s made using over 90% recycled polymers. In 2021, Britmet will have recycled over 3 million kilos of polypropylene. The composite slate achieves an authentic chalky finish by using limestone during the manufacturing process. 30% + Limestone content can be known to put products at risk of colour fade, so Liteslate only has 20% limestone content to protect your roof.

BRITMET LIGHTWEIGHT ROOFING, Liteslate; https://www.britmet.co.uk/liteslate.asp

Sources:

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/71088/15-surprising-things-are-made-recycled-materials
https://friendsoftheearth.uk/sustainable-living/7-benefits-recycling#:~:text=Recycling%20reduces%20the%20need%20to,of%20water%2C%20soil%20and%20air.
https://www.wired.com/gallery/our-favorite-upcycled-and-recycled-products/
https://www.wwf.org.au/news/blogs/17-cool-products-made-from-recycled-plastics#gs.6zxeq1
https://www.standard.co.uk/futurelondon/theplasticfreeproject/8-cool-products-made-from-recycled-plastic-a4261171.html
https://ourworldindata.org/faq-on-plastics https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-49406298

Written by: Bridey Aris

Date Posted: 21st July 2021