Upcycling is the transformation of waste into a product of higher quality, performance or value than the original. The term is used in two ways: creatively, for example making bags from used banners, and industrially, for recycling that upgrades the material itself.
In industrial recycling, upcycling means taking low-value waste and producing recyclate good enough for demanding applications. Turning discarded flexible plastic into film-grade granules for new packaging, or end-of-life vehicle plastic into automotive-grade rPP, are examples. It requires precise sortation, thorough washing, fine filtration and often compounding. Upcycling is the opposite of downcycling, and it is what allows recycled plastic to displace virgin plastic instead of only filling low-grade uses.
