Upcycling

Upcycling is more popular in the sustainability world. The Instagram tag #upcycling currently has over 4.5 million posts, but what exactly is upcycling? But what does it mean in the creation of a more sustainable product? What makes it different from recycling or downcycling?

What means Upcycling?

The Wikipedia defines upcycling as:

Upcycling, also known as creative reuse, is the process of transforming by-products, waste materials, useless, or unwanted products into new materials or products perceived to be of greater quality, That’s why it’s called upcycling, because the value of the item is increased!

The difference between recycling and upcycling

Recycling and Upcycling have different processes. In the recycling process, items are broken down to be reused. To create a product that is considered less valuable than the original. For example, most recycled paper, like old newspapers, is considered to be lower-grade paper.

Upcycling is a creative process where waste is looked at as a resource, such as by-products and waste materials, into new materials or products with better quality or more valuable while maintaining their original appearance or without excessive processing, to reduce energy waste and Mother Earth’s burden. Examples of upcycling include using materials from plastic to make kid’s chairs and tables or old bamboo to make bamboo bio-based bottles, like Inna Organic.

Why Inna Organic upcycling Bamboo into bottle?

Over 50% of the bamboo forests in Taiwan are abandoned. What are the impacts the abandoned bamboo forest will have on the environment? Compared with tree forests, bamboo forests are better at absorbing carbon dioxide. Bamboo grows much faster than trees. It only takes 4 years to grow into a tree. If it is not regularly maintained, bamboo forests will face the problems of abandonment, which not only reduces soil and water conservation but also hinders the absorption of carbon dioxide.

After thinning and sorting the abandoned bamboo forests, not only can the new bamboo grow, but its carbon dioxide absorption and soil and water conservation capacity can be increased. Inna Organic also makes good use of thinned bamboo materials. This thinned bamboo is integrated into product containers, becoming the first skincare brand to use bamboo bio-based bottles, which not only promotes the regeneration of bamboo forests but also promotes environmental sustainability, taking into account the peaceful coexistence of human needs and the natural environment.

From clean formulation to upcycling bamboo bio-based packaging, we hope to reduce our carbon footprint and help put an end to unnecessary plastic waste. In Inna Organic, Upcycling means a healthier planet, better skin, and doing better for tomorrow. We only have one world to protect.