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Toward Circular Economy and Social Equity
Published in Ravindra Sharma, Geeta Rana, Shivani Agarwal, Entrepreneurial Innovations, Models, and Implementation Strategies for Industry 4.0, 2023
The linear take-make-dispose production model is not sustainable in the long run due to supply and price risks associated with using virgin materials, the increasing trend of consumers preferring environmentally and socially responsible products, and stricter regulatory pressures (Moreno, Braithwaite, & Cooper, 2014). In contrast, the circular model offers potential opportunities for sustainability-oriented entrepreneurs to add more value by creating circulating assets for more extended and intensified product usage (Park, Sarkis, & Wu, 2010). The circular economy (CE) follows the closed-loop material flow, emphasizing the restorative or regenerative industrial system, where natural capital is used and reused as efficiently as possible. The three essential methods of closed-loop material flow are “reduce, reuse, and recycle” (3R). Reducing involves minimizing inputs in the value-adding process (supply) and consumer’s consumption (demand). Reusing means using the waste obtained from a value-adding process as a raw material for another process. Recycling involves the transformation of used material into another product. McDonough and Braungart (2002) argued that 3R methods based on the ‘cradle-to-grave’ principle might not be good enough to achieve a circular and sustainable economy. They suggested two methods – downcycling and upcycling – that work on the radical principle of cradle-to-cradle. Downcycling means producing new lower-value products than the original ones through recycling methods. Upcycling involves recycling that adds new value to the recycled materials or items.
The Circular Supply Chain
Published in Ifeyinwa Juliet Orji, Frank Ojadi, The Circular Supply Chain, 2023
Ifeyinwa Juliet Orji, Frank Ojadi
Moreover, upcycling is a relatively new sustainable mode of production that “prolongs the life of old objects by creatively reusing and reshaping them into new products”. Upcycling shares the product reuse benefit with other sustainable practices including recycling, namely the conversion of waste into reusable materials. However, despite both sustainable practices involving the repurposing of old products, in contrast to recycling, upcycling does not imply the downgrading of raw materials. in recycling, the process of downgrading requires energy and water usage. Moreover, not all of the material in the original product will be reclaimed and a portion of raw material still does become waste. in upcycling, there is no degradation of the material and the lifespan of the material is extended. More importantly, it requires creativity and originality to reform the existing product into something useful and nice again.
Creativity and sustainability
Published in Mário S. Ming Kong, Maria do Rosário Monteiro, Maria João Pereira Neto, Creating Through Mind and Emotions, 2022
Gianni Montagna, Carla C. Pereira, Ana A. Marques
Upcycling is a process of creatively reusing products and materials to create new objects whose function is differentiated from the original products (Lucietti et al., 2018). “This is one reason why recycled labels are generally independent brands: the choice of material and method is not primarily motivated by commercial opportunities or current trends, but by concern for sustainability” (Aus, 2011, p. 43). It is increasingly becoming a way of thinking and a working methodology, being used as a resource for learning in the construction and deconstruction of clothing. Its importance lies in the fact that it is a patternmaking support exercise. Through the disassembly of pieces, the construction processes are captured and recorded, thus supporting the design methodologies and stimulating innovative ideas and new ways of creation.
Upcycling textile wastes: challenges and innovations
Published in Textile Progress, 2021
Zunjarrao Kamble, Bijoya Kumar Behera
The differences between various textiles waste management-related terminologies (Source Reduction, Reusing, Recycling, and Upcycling) need to be understood.Source Reduction refers to reducing clothing accumulation by promoting clothing exchange among people to avoid unnecessary purchases (Kim, Jung, & Lee, 2021). Source reduction is the most sustainable way of textile waste management. However, individualism and the emotional value of clothing to consumers influence the use of exchanged textiles (Kim et al., 2021).Reusing textile waste is about prolonging the life of a textile product (with or without any transformation) by repair, exchange, renting through second-hand shops, online market sales and charities (Sandin & Peters, 2018).Textile recycling refers to the reprocessing of waste textiles to develop new textile or non-textile products by mechanical, chemical, or thermal means (Muthu, 2014; Sandin & Peters, 2018).Upcycling refers to a product produced using recycled material in such a way that the new item commands a higher value or quality than the original product (Sandin & Peters, 2018).
Consumer interest in upcycling techniques and purchasing upcycled clothing as an approach to reducing textile waste
Published in International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology and Education, 2019
Dipti Bhatt, Jillian Silverman, Marsha A. Dickson
Several options exist for the reuse or repurposing of clothing, including both recycling and garment upcycling. Upcycling is an activity of creating newness or better quality from used or waste materials, while adding value (Sung, 2015). This is exemplified by Upcycle It Now, a brand that fashioned the old banners of a downtown gift shop in Long Beach, CA into sellable bags, wallets, and other gift items (Upcycle it Now, 2013). Unlike upcycling, recycling often devalues the product’s quality (Wilson, 2016). Wilson (2016) explains that most recycling processes also involve downcycling, as there is wastage of raw materials which still end up in landfills. For example, when plastic bottles are broken down into fibres to create carpet or used paper is repurposed to create recycled paper, some raw materials are lost, and additional energy is consumed (2016).
Product development, fashion buying and merchandising
Published in Textile Progress, 2022
Rachel Parker-Strak, Rosy Boardman, Liz Barnes, Stephen Doyle, Rachel Studd
Upcycling is where waste materials are used to create new items of either equal or higher perceived value than the original item (Dissanayake & Sinha, 2015; Todeschini et al., 2017). Upcycling is a sustainable way of creating garments as it reuses resources that would otherwise have been thrown into landfill as the raw materials for new products, therefore extending their lifespan and diminishing the need to rely on new raw materials to produce new garments (Todeschini et al., 2017). During fashion product development there is a lot of fabric used, off-cuts for example, which is just wasted. Innovative business models can be created whereby these off-cuts, or left-over fabric from designers, could be used to create garments themselves (Pedersen & Andersen, 2015).