upcycle
verb
up·cy·cle
ˈəp-ˌsī-kəl 
upcycled; upcycling
: to recycle (something) in such a way that the resulting product is of a higher value than the original item : to create an object of greater value from (a discarded object of lesser value)
The line upcycles single-use plastic bags that are cleaned and brought in from Bali, Indonesia, and parts of California for use as the main material in the shoes. In the company's first year more than 175,000 plastic bags were reused to create footwear and accessories.—
Melissa Magsaysay
Melissa Magsaysay
upcycling
noun
Examples of upcycle in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Everything in this hotel has meaning: The material in the colorful carpets comes from a local studio that upcycles wool, silk and cashmere.
—Katharina Kotrba, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
One fashion designer is turning the concept of accessibility on its head by upcycling a dress and returning it to Goodwill for a new owner to uncover
19 Comments
Evan Hirsch bought a $6 dress from Goodwill to give it a one-of-a-kind makeover.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, People.com, 5 Apr. 2025
Takashi Murakami has teamed with Japanese designer Yuta Hosokawa, who is behind cult upcycling label Readymade, on a spring 2026 capsule collection unveiled during Paris men’s fashion week.
—Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 27 June 2025
Through upcycling Ives crafts garments that center Black women—not as muses, but as collaborators and cultural architects.
—Essence, 16 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for upcycle
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Katharina Kotrba, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
One fashion designer is turning the concept of accessibility on its head by upcycling a dress and returning it to Goodwill for a new owner to uncover
19 Comments
Evan Hirsch bought a $6 dress from Goodwill to give it a one-of-a-kind makeover.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, People.com, 5 Apr. 2025
Takashi Murakami has teamed with Japanese designer Yuta Hosokawa, who is behind cult upcycling label Readymade, on a spring 2026 capsule collection unveiled during Paris men’s fashion week.
—Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 27 June 2025
Through upcycling Ives crafts garments that center Black women—not as muses, but as collaborators and cultural architects.
—Essence, 16 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for upcycle
Cite this Entry
“Upcycle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upcycle. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share